Koutoumouphobia. Does anyone else have it?

[TheyRepulseMe]

Phobia of buttons.

I can barely type the word.

It's not that I'm scared of them. They just physically repulse me. Make me feel sick.

I hate them I hate them.

Wow that's a funny one! Well not for you I suppose. How much of an issue is it for you? As in is it ok if you don't have to use them yourself, or does just the sight of them set you off? How do poppers sit with you? Are there any types that are OK (like the wooden peg things on duffle coats) or is anything even like a you-know-what a hard no?

Have you always had it or has it come on you later in life? And if always, how did you manage with school uniform etc?

Sorry for all the questions i'm just fascinated.

I know someone who has that phobia too, she particularly hates big buttons.

That is unusual. Is it the shape, did you choke on one as a kid? They seem so innocuous I'm trying to work out what it is about them that's so repulsive.

How does it affect your day to day life?

Yes, I have many of the same questions (and that might be the best username ever btw)

It’s actually not as unusual as you’d think! I’ve met two people who have this same phobia and when I mentioned this to a friend, she said her colleague has it too.

I would also love to know how this becomes a phobia and I can only imagine that it must stem from babyhood when babies are being held by people with buttoned clothing or something - some residual subconscious thing?!

I have this. I hate them. I don't know if it can be classed as a phobia because I have clothes with them on and am able to just get on with it if I am helping my kids get dressed etc, but I particularly hate translucent ones. I especially dislike seeing them if I am eating. I don't really like any of the paraphernalia you might find in a haberdashery shop and I hate sewing kits (and even the words associated with these things - stitches, sewing, buttons etc). It is weird and I don't know where it comes from.

Yes.

I hate them. I hate seeing them. I hate the word and I hate pictures of them. I've been like it since I was a child. No idea why and it's quite hard to answer questions about it without thinking about it.

I just buy clothes without them generally. I can just about tolerate them on shirts occasionally but nothing else.

It feels like a really embarrassing phobia to have, because it's so stupid.

Yes! Also coins but small light ones...any small round light objects. My DD decided to make a headband full if buttons! Ah it's awful atm buttons everywhere. I will throw buttons away if I find them.

Also loose ring pulls from cans!

When I was a teen I was part of a youth theatre group where the woman who did the costumes had this phobia. Everything had to have zips.

Not something you were born with (being dropped and loud noises are) so it was developed at some stage during your life. Hence it's possible to reverse it, if it's affecting your life too badly.

Koutoumphobia seems to a one-word googlewhack unless my google is broken 😂 maybe you’re the only one OP.

Sidenote why do phobias always have such long names. Just call it button phobia??

I think it's spelt 'Koumpounophobia'. No 'T'. Also, you notice how most phobias come from Greek? I've never heard of an irrational fear of buttons before. I guess chocolate buttons are being avoided, then 😂

Fascinating! Yeah, it's like what could a b word possibly do to harm someone? Other than choking. Or there is that creepy cartoon with people who have button eyes...that is really disconcerting actually!

As PP says. I can cope with small ones on shirts etc but would never buy a cardigan with big buttons. It is random loose ones that are the problem.

I've got a friend with this phobia.

All clothes are buttonless or zipped.
She won't touch them.
Her phobia extends to earrings too.

There’s dozens of us! Agree, vile little things

Yes!! I hate the things they make me gag.

Quite funny that it’s so bizarre but also not so uncommon. I wonder if parents were scared of their children choking on them so shouted NO, DANGEROUS every time their child tried to pick at a button?

Used to threaten our stepmother with the button tin 😂

No. I'm the polar opposite of this. I love them, collect them and sometimes sew extra ones on to garments to embellish them.
B's and tassels are among my favourite things.
I think I was perhaps a stripper in a former life.

Because medical terms for phobias all come from Greek language.
Koumpi means button in Greek.

Ooh, that's an interesting phobia. I think I have the opposite - koutoumouphilia.

[Trigger warning for the next para if you have this phobia]

I have a button box that used to be my mother's - about 10 oz of the cutey little creatures. I used to love playing with them as a child and I still enjoy searching through them when the need arises. Very tactile.

I see your button phobia and raise you my trypophobia. Way worse. Sorry.

I'm here right with you. It's genuinely fucking terrible. Especially because people who don't have it think it's hilarious and show you photos of things (probably as they do with the button phobia).