Let me just get this out of my system. In my honest opinion I think that trypophobia is not a real phobia, though I’m not saying it’s pleasant. Quite the contrary actually, though trypophobia triggers repulsion rather than fear. The feeling you experience is similar to fear, but you are simply disgusted by whatever you’re seeing rather than being genuinely afraid.
Let’s have a look at the… “Official” definition of trypophobia, shall we
• the fear of asymmetrical holes occurring either naturally or unnaturally.
Here’s my theory about this, I’m sure if you have ever googled this so-called phobia you have seen the clusters in people’s skin. Certainly something like that makes you believe it doesn’t it? Does it make us afraid, though? What is fear exactly?
• an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.
Certainly the emotion we experience when confronted with the subject of this phobia is unpleasant but if we compare it to the definition of fear, it doesn’t match up completely. Let’s have another look at the before mentioned definition of trypophobia, fear of naturally and unnaturally occurring asymmetrical holes.
Natural:
Beehives, Lotus seed pods, Lamprey eels and Surinam toads are classic examples used when describing naturally occurring asymmetrically aligned holes. (Part of the trypophobia definition)
Unnatural:
Manufactured patterns, warts, (photoshopped) clusters in the skin and the likes are examples of unnaturally occurring bla di bla (you should know by now)
Let’s talk about the latter. Why do clusters in the skin make our own skin crawl? Well, it’s because we unconsciously associate holes and the likes on the skin with disease. It’s like we are programmed to do so. Visible conditions (especially cluster-like shapes) on the skin naturally repulse us, and that’s perfectly normal. At this point I will slightly contradict myself but I will explain further, why are we repulsed?
• a feeling of intense distaste or disgust
Also associated with repulsion is the habit of avoidance. You typically avoid things that repulse you. This habit of avoidance is similar to fleeing from your fears, yet not entirely the same. Yes, it disgusts you, and yes you’d rather avoid being confronted by them. But things that repulse you don’t necessarily pose a threat, and so according to the definition of fear, do not scare you.
Experiences with trypophobia
• the feeling of the skin crawling
• shuddering
• itchy skin
• feeling nauseated
• they might “fall into the holes”
• thinking “something might be living in those holes”
Crawling skin, shuddering and feeling nauseated are associated with repulsion.
Itchy skin, the thought of falling into the holes and the thought of something living in the holes are fears. Though I should probably elaborate a bit here.
Itchy skin: the reason why the people asked felt like their skin itched is because of the fear of transmission of trypophobe phenomena. They are just scared that the same might happen to them. (Note: this was mostly said when observing the photos of skin clusters which are photoshopped, thus not real.)
Falling into the holes: this is a natural reaction. We all have a fear of falling, though some are affected by it more than others. In most cases, the thought of having acrophobia (fear of heights) is actually the fear of falling rather than fearing the actual height. This is simply instinct.
Something living in the holes: again, a natural reaction. Humans are either intrigued or scared by the unknown, and that’s what this is all about. We are mostly not aware of what is past the visible section of the fissures and it scares us that we don’t know. (Though this can be taken literally if the typophobe phenomena are bot flies, which lay their eggs in their hosts and thusly create cluster like shapes on the skin of their host, which triggers ” trypophobia”)
Trypophobia is a phenomenon (unofficially) considered a phobia. But is either repulsion or a collection of different phobia rather than the fear of the holes themselves.
