Here is some information about the phobia called Trypophobia, this is the fear of holes.

The phobia of holes. Specifically, naturally occurring holes whether in clusters or not.

Here are specific types of naturally occurring holes which are gross in the extreme to anyone who suffers from this phobia. Due to the nature of the phobia and the nature of the holes which occur in different types of tissues, human and animal, this is quite a big category. In types of meat holes are found and I think these are to allow veins through. There are lots of completely disgusting holes found in various types of offal. I believe that sweetbreads are particularly good for finding holes in (if you fancy this). Human pores on their skin, if enlarged, blackheads, pockmarks left by acne or other skin disorders. Holes in skin caused by creatures that may have eaten through the skin creating a hole. The most gross thing I've seen recently is the holes left on my skin by recently succumbing to that most childhood of illnesses, chickenpox!... ...Cheese that has holes may seem the most obvious, but I understand that this doesn't affect everyone. However, blue cheeses have the mold injected into them. The holes created by the mold working its way through the cheese are revolting... ...Those dried seed pods you get in pot pourri... ...Holes that are either naturally occurring in rocks or are created by the flow of water... ...Corals that contains holes. Natural sea sponges... ...Holes created in ice and snow as it melts.

This phobia was given the name trypophobia on 23rd May 2005 by the Oxford English Dictionary.

What types of holes is it that you have a problem with?

Anything to do with holes in skin, meat, wood, plants. Natural things. Like, a speaker doesn't bother me. But an ant hill or rotten wood will. But what also bothers me is slit-type things. Like gills on fish and under mushrooms.

For the trypophobics here...do you actually understand what kind of holes that make you feel this way?
Because sometimes I'll see holes and clusters of holes that don't really affect me much, but I also come across some that gives me a strange feeling all over the body. I just don't see why some make me feel strange and some don't make me feel much at all

I was just driving home from the store, and suddenly I saw this kinda deep hole in the road with a couple of stones sticking out from it. It made me feel so strange that I almost drove out of the road
The hole kinda made me think about skin and seeing that hole in the skin...so there has to be a connection between flesh/skin and the holes making me feel so strange

Does anyone else get really itchy when they see the holes that make them nervous. I just realized that I may have trypophobia because when I see holes in skin especially (also in certain foods, in the ground, and bee hives, etc.) I get super jittery and itchy. I came across that awful photoshop of the breast and the lotus flower a few years ago and I swear I couldn't sleep for days. I shutter just talking about it.

Hiya Dressagequeen77 and welcome to Ofear

As you can see there are quite a few people here with this phobia which before starting this forum I didn't even know existed so at least you're in the right place to hopefully get some help and advice.

How long ago did you realise you had this particular phobia?

Hi dressage queen
Yeah that's pretty much how I would describe my..."sympsoms", I get all itchy too
That's the reason I never thought about it as a phobia before, because it's not exactly anxiety or fear...it's just that itchy feeling.

Where do I start? Last night, my father and I were sitting at the dining room table discussing life. We started talking about things that tripped us out and, of course, the 'holes' subject came up. So I decided to Google it for the first time. And I found this site. I started reading, and I was amazed. I am NOT the only one. The only other person I know personally who has this phobia is my father. Is it hereditary?

The one that gets me the worst is the dried seed pod. I get itchy all over. I get the chills, and get goosebumps. I've started crying on a couple occasions. All of you have these same symptoms. I WANT HELP. I am tired of feeling like a freak.

We should all try to find professional help; someone who is interested in odd phobias. Let me know if any of you find someone.

Yeah ... if I see one I'll let them know.....


What am I?

Scotch mist?!




Actually, I should point out - I have no idea on where this fear might originate from. I have some speculation - but, and as far as I know, there isn't much of a true understanding of the origins of trypophobia - in fact some places still haven't heard of it!

The brain is a very complex, beautiful thing. Any speculation as to where this phobia came from would be helpful. I'd like to hear from everyone. Ideas, thoughts, cures.

I am 25 years old and have been experiencing this phobia along with my best friend since junior high. I'm not sure when we first realized we both had the same fear, but we thought we were the only ones until recently! This site is a gift!

Certain patterns that may gross me out, don't always gross her out and vice versa. For example, one thing that really gets to her are the arrows that sometimes show up on certain weather maps. They show the direction of the wind, or something, and there are a bunch of arrows pointing in the same direction. That doesn't bother me so much, but the flax seeds chips are disgusting to me!

Before finding this site I found a description on another that said the fear was holes arranged asymmetrically. This site is more accurate to me because i've found that the phobia really varies. Symmetrical patterns definitely give me the creeps too. I cannot look at honeycombs....EW! It started for me with holes, or a bunch of dots whether arranged symmetrically or not, but I began to notice it in other patterns. I'm a fan of the show Lost, and one of the places on the island has this tree with all these long white roots showing, and I cannot bear to look at it!

I don't experience physical reactions such as itching, I just shudder and have to look away. I've tried to control it now that I know it bothers me so much. I just try to avoid looking at patterns that will affect me. It's when I'm feeling like I need to figure it out, and I start staring at something for a while that I get really bothered.

It's very hard to explain to other people because when you say its a phobia, they think its like being afraid of spiders where you sream and cry and run away from it. I know its not going to hurt me, I just cannot bear the sight of it! I do freak out if I think about something with a bunch of holes touching my skin, but I'm not going to run away from a picture of it or anything like that. It is definitely a strange phobia, but at least it has a name that I can use now! Whew!

Well, I can't find the link now. But if you search trypophobia in Yahoo (I tried google, but doesn't seem to show up there) and a few links down there is a result Trypophobia WO9 1 and there is a survey that askes the survey taker to answer some basic questions, and then look at series of 20 pictures. Granted, it was difficult to complete because they had some disgusting pictures, but I thought it was worth it. It said they were trying to collect data about the little known phobia we have. I don't know anything about the survey group because I can't seem to get back to the survey since I already completed it, but I thought I'd throw it out here anyway.

Well if you want a totally random speculative guess:

The brain perceives and interprets information.

Things in 'patterns' are generally ok for the brain - as are things random.
However, holes like honeycomb and the like are neither - they are randomly patterned repeated objects.

So when looking at holes etc, it is possible the brain has an issue with computing this and so intensifies the eyes to 'gather more intel' on the subject matter which begins the downward spiral - intensified vision, concentration, increased blood flow and activity in the active areas of the brain.

I will set up a small example study for anyone who wants to 'trial' my theory - There will be several small patterns and people can rate if they feel differently about the various patterns.

Click here if you wish to participate

Note: the 'study' is open to both those who think they have trypophobia and those who do not and would benefit from all input.

Really the only thing that gets me is small clusters of holes with something in them (Lotus Pod, Surinam toad, etc). Thats when I get a major reaction. Although, what I've been doing is finding what really disgusts me, and just looking at them, and realizing that there is nothing to be afraid of, and that the fear of it is just stupid.
=/

I can't stand honeycombs, swiss cheese, blastylocysts in biology, groups of cells, thinking about it disguisting me. Holes in stereos, even my keyboard sometimes, but it's mainly just circular things.

I didn't realise it was a fear, I thought I was just overly disgusted for some reason.
It really makes me want to throw up. It makes my skin crawl.

I just saw a picture of swiss cheese and I can't go to sleep because I just really don't want to dream about them.

I don't know what this is, or why it is, or what I can do.


I also like to pull out my hair and do it mindlessly sometimes. I hate diagnosing myself, but I think it might be a mild case of trichotillomania. Any possibility that's related?
Maybe they're both forms of OCD or something.
I mean, it's not a big big deal. It's not hindering my ability to function, but I'd like to be able to go to biology class without cringing and hiding my face and just feeling entirely too disgusted to function when we look at cells. I kind of need to see these things.

Hello Everyone!

I am 27 years old and have a trypophobia. I've suffered with this since I can remember. I don't have to bad of a problem with some things, like the holes in a washing machine don't bother me but I hate the site of HoneyCombs, Veins in Meat, Bone Marrow, Snake Heat Pits (the holes in the sides of their faces) and a couple of other things that I cannot remember which is good because thinking about what makes me shiver is making me shiver. I get uncomfortable with the sight of those things. In fact, when every I buy London Broil at the store, my husband has to trim off the fat if I catch a glimpse of the vein.

While checking this forum out and reading more into trypophobia, I also have to say that Swiss Cheese, Seed Pods, Open Pores from freshly tattooed skin and Blackheads are also on my list of icky-ness. My uncle does tattoos and sometimes I check them out on his website and have to skip the pictures of the people who's pores have opened from the tattooing.

I am just happy to finally know that I am not the weird one in my family and that there are people who also suffer from it too. And, that this visual abnormality has a name.