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.

An ex work colleague had this, she was delighted when waterfall cardigans became fashionable as she had never been able to wear cardigans before due to the buttons on them.

It’s not as much of an issue for me any more as I don’t have to wash or deal with school uniforms which was torture for me. Just touching the tops made me feel ick.
ive always had it since i was small, i think it stems from being forced to wear wooly cardigans with them on, the cardigans were a sensory nightmare for me (im autistic diagnosed as an adult) and no one understood and thought i was just being difficult.
some are worse than others, I particularly hate the sort of see through white ones that are on cheap school shirts 🤢.
I don’t love poppers but they are preferable to the normal ones, toggles are ok- ish.

Does anyone remember Don’t Try This At Home with Davina McCall? They had a segment on there where they’d put people with phobias in a box filled with whatever they had a phobia of. Classic 90s tele!

Anyway I distinctly remember one of those being someone sat in a box full of buttons. So you can’t be the only one OP!

I have trypophobia myself and another “phobia” (that would be too outting to share as I definitely am the only one) which makes me dry heave if I encounter the thing! So I fully understand the feeling of being physically repulsed by something completely harmless.

@TheyRepulseMe i think it’s spelled koumpounophobia btw.

My SIL has this - I had no idea until she had a baby and freaked out over some of the clothes people had bought for her. She can just about tolerate buttons of a certain size or type, but small buttons, very flat (!) buttons or poppers are a massive no-no.

I've never met anyone in real life. Although it could be because people with this phobia are probably too scared to admit it! I'm mortified by it! My husband doesn't even know. Neither did my dad. The only person who knows is my mum!

DS had this when he was little- not sure if he's overcome now or not but it was a major issue when he was younger - school uniform was a nightmare for him!

I don't have this, or any other phobia. However, if it's real to you, then it's real. I can't really give you any constructive advice; therapy, I suppose, which is expensive and may help you to understand why you feel like this, but won't necessarily help you overcome your phobia.

I don't think you should feel embarrassed or ashamed about it, and I don't think your phobia is unreasonable.

Yes I know two people with this. I don't think it is as unusual as another poster pointed out! One friend had help from hypnotherapy.

Its not actually. Its a very common one, I know 2 people with it, its definitely out there!!

Yes. My son. School uniform was a nightmare. We never managed to find out what started it, there hadn't been any issues with choking or putting one in his mouth as a baby. It seemed to start before he could even walk and talk. I searched through all of his games, toys, books but there was nothing that I found that would constitute such a visceral reaction. Very odd. He's an adult now and come to think of it, I only ever see him wearing casual (zippered) clothes so I presume it's still an issue.

Yes I had a good friend at uni who had this. It is fairly common. Does it impact your day to day life?

A friend of mine at uni had it. She could handle the ones without holes, but the holey ones were a huge No.

I have a phobia of a certain kind of plastic toy. Those long wobbly strands of rubbery plastic all fastened together in a bunch. Can't stand beside them.

My friend has this. She never wears clothes with buttons, just zips, tie belts etc.

I love buttons but I don't wear my shirt dress when I meet her, in case she finds it difficult to see. She told me about her phobia after I'd known her for a long time, and never mentions it otherwise.

Funnily enough I was going to post about I wonder if they are related? Aversion to round things, either repeated or not. So holes, and buttons.

I am a slightly trypophobic, although it seems to be lessening.

What about chocolate ones? 🤤

Same here with the trypophobia, I feel sick whenever I walk past the crumpets in Tesco!

I have the opposite of this phobia. There's nothing I love more at the haberdashery than perusing their buttons, they're so unique and cute.

I collect them and keep them in a tin, they'll probably never get used, but they are there if the occasion arises.

You'd be safe in my house, as long as you don't open the button tin!

Ds2 had it I think he's ok now? School uniform was a problem. He's 25 now and doesn't have to wear clothes with buttons that often.

I think he'd almost choked on one at playgroup and that triggered it?

Do you think it's linked to trypophobia ie small holes, shadow patterns etc?

Selfishly, I'm so glad that trypophobia is common knowledge now. I grew up feeling repulsed by certain things but always thought it was me being weird so never told anyone. I had this toy that sat on a shelf that made me feel sick but I couldnt bring myself to touch it to move it. So I tried to just look at the floor all the time. 🤣

Me too! My mum used to take me to a haberdashery every Saturday and I was obsessed with their button display. Little clear plastic tubes (about the size of a kitchen roll inner) with a sample of the button each one contained attached to the lid, all laid on their sides with the sample button facing out.

I especially loved the ones with little printed bunnies or kittens on, shaped ones and those leathery ones that have a cross scored on them and are found on old bloke cardigans. My very favourite buttons in my own collection are my nativity buttons - they give me so much joy!

My childhood best friend's mum had a button phobia! She was fine with ones sewn on, but not loose ones. I've never heard of anyone else having this phobia, it's so random!

@nomas I have trypophobia too - it's fucking hideous, because so many social media posts that just pop up on feeds unexpectedly can trigger immediate and absolute revulsion.

@TheyRepulseMe how does this phobia manifest?

I worked with a lady who had this. I didn't know she had it until I came into work with a bag that had a big button fastening. She asked me to turn it round so she couldn't see the button.

but obviously she sees smaller buttons on people's clothing all the time and she's alright with that.

OMG, I have never met anyone who has this like me. It is quite manageable but there is a sense of revulsion when looking at something that so obviously triggers it.

Interestingly, I know exactly how it started... an incident from childhood (I don't want to relate it, in case it upsets you). I feel that knowing how it started helps me deal with it

Sympathy to @Whatafustercluck also

<sad eyes of Button Moon characters>