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Original poster

If you have fear of holes (trypophobia)..

129 replies

Swalewhale · 19/03/2023 21:14

...what does it feel like?

I'm asking because DD (7) has this and I want to understand it better. She's not really articulating why she hates the look of holes.

Does it make you feel sick like, for me, someone dragging their fingernails on a carpet would?
Or does it make you anxious like before you have to have an injection or medical treatment?

If you have this fear do you also have OCD or obsessive thoughts? I'm wondering if the two go hand in hand but I hope not.

OP posts:
Mama05070704 · 19/03/2023 21:16

I have this and the only way I can explain it is that it makes me feel sick and my spine itch. I can physically feel the nerves around my spine tingling. It’s difficult to explain.

I have also suffered with intrusive thoughts and I’m awaiting assessment for ADHD. I’m not sure there is any correlation between the two.

Charliescat · 19/03/2023 21:18

It makes me feel like my head is itching and very very angry and shivers and a sort of revulsion that’s like nothing else in the world and it’s one of of those things it needs a big distraction from instantly . Shower heads colanders anything with holes are all triggers and photos of cells or viruses are all really bad everyday things that start mine off .

TokyoSushi · 19/03/2023 21:19

I have a mild ish version of this, it's just lots of tiny holes together rather than a big hole in the ground. It makes me feel sick, and really uncomfortable, like a stressed feeling, I need to get away from/not see the holes asap! Actually, even writing it down makes me feel a bit tingly!

I am completely 'normal' in all other areas of life!

KvotheTheBloodless · 19/03/2023 21:21

I feel sick and anxious about it, and have to look away and avoid anything that triggers me.

I also have ADHD.

Original poster
Swalewhale · 19/03/2023 21:22

Thank you @Mama05070704
I'm waiting for assessment for DD actually so I wonder if it is linked.

Thanks @Charliescat I get irrationally angry if I can hear people eating so I understand the feeling (I think!)

OP posts:
Original poster
Swalewhale · 19/03/2023 21:23

Wow I wonder if it is to do with ADHD then

OP posts:
NameChange647 · 19/03/2023 21:23

It makes me feel anxious, stressed, panicky, itchy and my skin crawls. I suffer from intrusive thoughts but didn't know there was a link.

My 11 year old also has it. I'd say worse than me she freaks out and cries if she sees something that triggers it.

SittingNextToIt · 19/03/2023 21:24

Swalewhale · 19/03/2023 21:14

...what does it feel like?

I'm asking because DD (7) has this and I want to understand it better. She's not really articulating why she hates the look of holes.

Does it make you feel sick like, for me, someone dragging their fingernails on a carpet would?
Or does it make you anxious like before you have to have an injection or medical treatment?

If you have this fear do you also have OCD or obsessive thoughts? I'm wondering if the two go hand in hand but I hope not.

My spouse has this and I’ve just asked him and he’s said “it’s specifically a feeling like something like maggots might come out of the holes or parasites - and it causes a feeling of being repulsed and sick, and thee images are persistent. It’s not at all like a monster coming out - it’s little worm/maggots/oozing things coming out. Just speaking to you about it now I’m feeling queasy”

BabyMomma2021 · 19/03/2023 21:25

It makes me feel itchy and tingly particularly behind the ears. I also suffer with anxiety and intrusive thoughts 🤷🏼‍♀️

TokyoSushi · 19/03/2023 21:28

Yes agree, it's not actually the holes as such, it's what might be in them 🤢

DigitalGhost · 19/03/2023 21:28

Makes me feel itchy and sick. Can't really explain it. Makes me shudder.

I also have ADHD.

Never even thought it was linked until now

WoeBeCome · 19/03/2023 21:28

SittingNextToIt · 19/03/2023 21:24

My spouse has this and I’ve just asked him and he’s said “it’s specifically a feeling like something like maggots might come out of the holes or parasites - and it causes a feeling of being repulsed and sick, and thee images are persistent. It’s not at all like a monster coming out - it’s little worm/maggots/oozing things coming out. Just speaking to you about it now I’m feeling queasy”

Show quote history

Yeah it’s like this about the maggots. Some kind of organic grossness that is repulsive. I never knew it was a thing that other people had until a few years ago. But I’ve had it my whole life. I’m also not great with ‘clusters’ of things. Like loads of barnacles or mussels on a rock. I do have intrusive thoughts but no adhd or anything.

1000yellowdaisies · 19/03/2023 21:28

I have always had this and i was so pleased when it started to be something that was written about and other people also said they had.
I wouldn't say its a fear so much as a deep revulsion. When i see something that triggers it i get a crawling, unpleasant tingling sensation spread all over me and over my scalp and i feel uncomfortable and restless and sometimes itchy. It makes me feel horrible and stressed and i have to soothe myself with images of things that are smooth and restful. I don't really have OCD in any other way.

mswales · 19/03/2023 21:29

I didn't want to click but felt i should contribute. It's complete utter physical revulsion with a kind of intense itchy "get this away from me/off me" feeling. It's entirely physical, it's not linked to any anxiety or intrusive thoughts for me. Thinking about it, telling people about it and writing about it makes me queasy so I'll stop now! There's a couple of good articles which explain a theory of the evolutionary basis of this phobia.

twitchwitch · 19/03/2023 21:29

It makes me itchy & shivery & anxious too, all rolled into one. My reaction is varies too, somethings I can't bear to see or be near them whereas with other things I don't like looking at them them but feel more in control.

mswales · 19/03/2023 21:29

1000yellowdaisies · 19/03/2023 21:28

I have always had this and i was so pleased when it started to be something that was written about and other people also said they had.
I wouldn't say its a fear so much as a deep revulsion. When i see something that triggers it i get a crawling, unpleasant tingling sensation spread all over me and over my scalp and i feel uncomfortable and restless and sometimes itchy. It makes me feel horrible and stressed and i have to soothe myself with images of things that are smooth and restful. I don't really have OCD in any other way.

This describes it so well!

Farmageddon · 19/03/2023 21:32

SittingNextToIt · 19/03/2023 21:24

My spouse has this and I’ve just asked him and he’s said “it’s specifically a feeling like something like maggots might come out of the holes or parasites - and it causes a feeling of being repulsed and sick, and thee images are persistent. It’s not at all like a monster coming out - it’s little worm/maggots/oozing things coming out. Just speaking to you about it now I’m feeling queasy”

Show quote history

This describes it really well.

Brightstar84 · 19/03/2023 21:33

ADHD here too, how strange. It makes my spine tense up and gives me a sense of revulsion

WelshNerd · 19/03/2023 21:33

I used to have this as there were a lot of fake pictures going around on the internet (with maggots or similar as pp said). So a lot of banal things with holes (crumpets etc) starting triggering me due to the association. I've been able to calm it a lot by reminding myself that the really triggering images are fake.

There's a lot of discourse online around it and some suggestion that it's not actually a phobia but a legitimate evolutionary response to particular patterns.

Original poster
Swalewhale · 19/03/2023 21:33

Thank you for all your all comments, I really appreciate you describing the feeling, it must be horrible.
I'm trying to think of a similar thing that makes me feel like that but I don't know. I had a huge needle phobia growing up but this doesn't sound the same at all. And I don't think this is hereditary because neither DH or I have it

OP posts:
MadeForThis · 19/03/2023 21:34

It's a creepy panicky feeling. Like there is danger. And repulsion. Wanting to look away but almost feeling like you need to look.

No intrusive thoughts or ADHD.

Definitely an evolutionary fear.

BertieBotts · 19/03/2023 21:35

It makes me clench my teeth. Like I have to get a firm grip on them and know that they are solid because they feel like they might be made of sponge Confused

I also have ADHD! WTF, I had never heard of that before.

Do you all get Alice In Wonderland Syndrome / Exploding Head Syndrome too? I used to get AIWS very often while falling asleep as a child and I found it really frightening. I would feel like my body parts (frequently teeth/jaw, hands or feet) were too big and I was trying to do normal things like eat or walk or use my hands and it wouldn't work properly and it would freak me out.

There is an advert that comes up when playing mobile games - something about a fish eating tons of smaller fish with giant jaws - and I have to hide my phone screen as that gives me exactly the same horror feeling as having these huge teeth that I can't use properly. In fact you know I think this is what I'm trying to stop when I clench my jaw on seeing that horrible holey texture.

DS2 has absolutely exactly my trypophobia response to buttons. He won't wear anything with buttons on and would prefer nobody else did either.

There is an image (please god nobody put it on the thread) that comes up if you google trypophobia, which apparently invokes the feeling of it even in normal people if you REALLY want to understand OP!

MadeForThis · 19/03/2023 21:36

I'm also scared of heights and it's a completely different feeling. Fear of heights seems logical and easy to stop thinking about.

piano789 · 19/03/2023 21:36

I have this if I think about holes that are close together and ones I have seen it makes me feel all shivery all over and then my back shivers after. Never thought about anything coming out of them I just don’t like looking at them or thinking about it. My daughter also has the same. I also have ocd.

BertieBotts · 19/03/2023 21:36

And I did flag up OCD in my ADHD assessment but I don't have an OCD diagnosis.