I've had a very... unique phobia, since I was a very small child and I think it may be somehow related to trypophobia. My phobia is completely irrational, and somewhat embarrassing - especially when I come face-to-face with it.

Since I was very young, for as long as I can remember, I have been afraid of photograph film. Any kind of film strips, especially negatives that one usually receives in a pack of newly developed photographs.

I am nineteen years old now, and my phobia is still here. It always intrigues me, and I try to find somebody with a similar phobia, to know that I'm not alone, or to try and find some kind of insight as to why I feel like this.

When I see a photograph film strip, especially in person, I become lightheaded. It's a very strange feeling to put into words. My breath catches in my throat and I freeze. This is only the extent of my phobia if somebody is holding it, or I know that it is in a controlled environment that will not come near me. However, if I'm digging through a drawer at home, or if I come across one on the floor, my reaction is much more severe. Not too long ago, I found a negative on the floor of my room, it must have fallen from the inside of my closet where my mom has a lot of old stuff messily thrown around in boxes. When I saw it, I immediately froze and I started crying.

It's a strange feeling. I'm over-analytical about my emotions, and I know what it feels like to cry for a reason. When I see a negative, I feel like another part of my brain is at work. It's very, very unusual.

I could never, ever touch one. I can't even... think about it. In the events that I find one and it needs to be removed, I ask somebody else to do it. I don't think I have ever touched one. After knowing that one was nearby and could have come into contact with me, I feel a similar sensation as one might who is afraid of bugs. I tense up and get goosebumps, and feel like they're on me, crawling on me or something. I get itchy and extremely jumpy and everything I see out of the corner of my eye might be another negative.

Now, like I said, I'm a very over-analytical person. Naturally, I've tried to analyze and figure out what exactly it is about the film that makes me feel so uncomfortable. This is where I surmised the connection to trypophobia.

As you all know, on the edges of photo film are small holes. They are tiny, neat, square holes all of the same size and running along the edges of the film. These contribute mostly to the queer feeling I experience when I see them. I also feel somewhat disturbed by the brown filmy color of it. So I would say it's a combination of the two.

Regular holes don't really bother me. I find lotus pods a bit eerie, but I have no problem touching them or looking at pictures of them online.

There is one other thing that bothers me in the same way as a negative - and this is even more embarrassing. It's a children's toy that isn't even around anymore - however, I used to have them when I was small and they didn't bother me. I used to play with them, and then one day it seemed that I woke up and suddenly found them terrifying.

It's called a View Master. They're small, round, white discs made of cardboard-like material with black squares of film around the edges. If you google it, I'm sure pictures will come up but most people probably know what these are. Sometimes I'll come across them in stores and they'll make me feel dizzy - thankfully I don't have to worry about coming across them at home. I can't touch these either, or even think about it. When I was little, I would fear the small black squares would come out of the little holes. And I remember having recurring dreams (not since I was little) of being in the car and reaching for my seatbelt, but instead a long strip of film would come out, instead of the seatbelt.

If anyone has any insight toward this very strange phobia, or would like to share any kind of similar experience, please feel free. I'm researching phobias for my psychology class at the moment, which is what promoted me to post this here~

Welcome to Ofear

I must admit that you are the first person that i have known to suffer from this phobia.

I guess now the digital age is upon us, things will improve but i certainly can remember things like the kids toy and it never occurred to me that this could cause such an issue.

I hope your research goes well and please, when complete, how about considering posting in the forum. We would setup your own page for you and the world can see your research and hopefully it will assist others that may suffer from the same thing

From what I've heard people say on this forum, the thing that sets Trypophobia apart from other phobias seems to be the reaction you get when you're subjected your fear. Most phobias cause severe anxiety/panic attacks, you actually fear the object of the phobia. Trypophobia doesn't directly cause anxiety though, it causes the "bugs crawling on my body" feeling that you described. That feeling, in turn, can cause anxiety, but not the holes in themselves (if you get what I mean). In other words, you fear the sensation you get, but not the holes themselves. I haven't heard anybody describe any other phobias in the same way. I'm no exper though, so don't take what I say as fact.
From what you described, it really does sound like some specialised form of trypophobia. Which is quite interesting. I've never heard of that before. I do have a pretty mild form of trypophobia; certain hole formations really get to me, but I can't say that film strips affect me at all.

Do you have any idea how the fear started? Another interesting thing about trypophobia is that the thing that triggers the fear for a lot of people seems to be a dream. The first time I got the insecty-crawling feeling was when I had a dream about holes as a kid. I get uncomfortable around holes ever since.

Hi. Oh wow. I'm so sorry that you have to deal with this but I'm so glad I'm not the only one. I've never had it with film negatives, but I absolutely have the hole problem. It's really bad. I know the exact feeling you're talking about. I've tried to rationalize it many, many times and the more I think about it, the worse I feel. (nauseated, etc.) It started when I was maybe ten and I saw a bunch of pipes stacked on top of a truck driving in front of us and all the holes a big group. Then, the first time I saw a cross-section of cow bone (bone marrow holes), I got it again. Then, as I've gotten older, I've had disturbing dreams about it, etc. It's so exhausting because I see things that threaten to trigger it constantly in my field of work. (biology related) I've found a way of successfully taming it through prayer and strict mental discipline, but it's so frustrating sometimes when I can feel it hovering in the background waiting to catch me at a moment of mental weakness.

Just know that you're not alone. I know how you feel and don't think it can't be overcome.

That is amazing jharris that you have this phobia yet have to deal with it so much in your work! I could only imagine how often you come across it and I could not imagine having to deal with my phobias on a daily basis!!

(10-04-2011 04:03 AM)faburizu Wrote:  I've had a very... unique phobia, since I was a very small child and I think it may be somehow related to trypophobia. My phobia is completely irrational, and somewhat embarrassing - especially when I come face-to-face with it.

Since I was very young, for as long as I can remember, I have been afraid of photograph film. Any kind of film strips, especially negatives that one usually receives in a pack of newly developed photographs.

I am nineteen years old now, and my phobia is still here. It always intrigues me, and I try to find somebody with a similar phobia, to know that I'm not alone, or to try and find some kind of insight as to why I feel like this.

When I see a photograph film strip, especially in person, I become lightheaded. It's a very strange feeling to put into words. My breath catches in my throat and I freeze. This is only the extent of my phobia if somebody is holding it, or I know that it is in a controlled environment that will not come near me. However, if I'm digging through a drawer at home, or if I come across one on the floor, my reaction is much more severe. Not too long ago, I found a negative on the floor of my room, it must have fallen from the inside of my closet where my mom has a lot of old stuff messily thrown around in boxes. When I saw it, I immediately froze and I started crying.

It's a strange feeling. I'm over-analytical about my emotions, and I know what it feels like to cry for a reason. When I see a negative, I feel like another part of my brain is at work. It's very, very unusual.

I could never, ever touch one. I can't even... think about it. In the events that I find one and it needs to be removed, I ask somebody else to do it. I don't think I have ever touched one. After knowing that one was nearby and could have come into contact with me, I feel a similar sensation as one might who is afraid of bugs. I tense up and get goosebumps, and feel like they're on me, crawling on me or something. I get itchy and extremely jumpy and everything I see out of the corner of my eye might be another negative.

Now, like I said, I'm a very over-analytical person. Naturally, I've tried to analyze and figure out what exactly it is about the film that makes me feel so uncomfortable. This is where I surmised the connection to trypophobia.

As you all know, on the edges of photo film are small holes. They are tiny, neat, square holes all of the same size and running along the edges of the film. These contribute mostly to the queer feeling I experience when I see them. I also feel somewhat disturbed by the brown filmy color of it. So I would say it's a combination of the two.

Regular holes don't really bother me. I find lotus pods a bit eerie, but I have no problem touching them or looking at pictures of them online.

There is one other thing that bothers me in the same way as a negative - and this is even more embarrassing. It's a children's toy that isn't even around anymore - however, I used to have them when I was small and they didn't bother me. I used to play with them, and then one day it seemed that I woke up and suddenly found them terrifying.

It's called a View Master. They're small, round, white discs made of cardboard-like material with black squares of film around the edges. If you google it, I'm sure pictures will come up but most people probably know what these are. Sometimes I'll come across them in stores and they'll make me feel dizzy - thankfully I don't have to worry about coming across them at home. I can't touch these either, or even think about it. When I was little, I would fear the small black squares would come out of the little holes. And I remember having recurring dreams (not since I was little) of being in the car and reaching for my seatbelt, but instead a long strip of film would come out, instead of the seatbelt.

If anyone has any insight toward this very strange phobia, or would like to share any kind of similar experience, please feel free. I'm researching phobias for my psychology class at the moment, which is what promoted me to post this here~

Hi!

I am also a Psychology Undergraduate, and my dissertation is about trypophobia as well. Would you like to discuss findings and ideas? My studies so far has been about analysing trypophobic images, and some characteristics are quite interesting. I have also quite a few ideas how to appoach the phobia and unresolved questions. Please email me at le.an@live.no if you would like to co-operate!

Kind regards,
An Le