Trypophobia is a relatively new term to describe an irrational fear of objects with holes in them. People with this phobia have an irrational fear of objects with lots of holes and cause sufferers to experience anxiety and other negative effects. The impact of this phobia ranges from moderate to severe and various types of holes can trigger trypophobia. If you have trypophobia and its effects are affecting your daily life, you should seek help from a psychiatrist as soon as possible. Read this article to learn more about how to deal with trypophobia.
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Part 1 of 3: Understanding Your Fears
Step 1. Understand trypophobia
People who suffer from trypophobia have an irrational fear of objects with many holes. Examples of objects that trigger this phobia include sponges, lotus flowers, beehives, and aerated chocolate. People with trypophobia experience severe nausea, shaking and restlessness when faced with triggers. In contrast to some phobias that can dominate a person's mind, trypophobia seems to only affect sufferers when they see lots of holes.
Step 2. Recognize that trypophobia may have an evolutionary basis
Although the origin of trypophobia is unknown, some scientists speculate that this phobia has an evolutionary basis. Some poisonous animals have a pattern of clusters of holes in their skin. Therefore, the reaction that some people have may be a response to survival. For example, the blue-ringed octopus (blue-ringed octopus), and some poisonous snakes have display features that could explain trypophobia.
Step 3. Identify the triggers for your phobia
You need to know what type of hole group triggers anxiety and other negative effects so you can begin to deal with these triggers. Make a list of all the objects that seem to trigger trypophobia and how you might react.
- For example, do you dislike foam bubbles, or anything that resembles foam bubbles? Does the honeycomb pattern make you nervous or is it just a real honeycomb? Are you bothered by certain animals because of their skin patterns? Try to identify the triggers for your phobia as much as possible.
- Also try to explain the impact the trigger has on you. Do you feel nauseous? Are you feeling restless? Are you shaking? Identify the specific reaction you experienced because of the trigger.
- If one type of hole group pattern scares you more than another hole group pattern, try ranking your list. In this way, you can begin to address the triggers that are least frightening to you and work your way up to the triggers that scare you the most.
Step 4. Try to find the underlying cause of your phobia
Some people can trace their trypophobia to an incident, which can help understand and overcome your fear. Think back to when your trypophobia first started. Do you remember the first time you noticed that an object with a hole made you rebel and fear? As with all phobias, the answer is not just one. Everyone has a different answer. Try to find out what's bothering you, whether it's a bad memory or experience, or just disgust.
Part 2 of 3: Coping With Anxiety
Step 1. Add your insights
One way to reduce the anxiety caused by irrational fears is to learn the truth behind what you fear. You can clarify your fear by learning about the source of your fear. Learning more about the source of your fear is an effective way to overcome your phobia.
For example, if you feel nauseous at the sight of lotus petals, learn more about lotus flowers and why they have so many holes. What is the function of these groups of holes? Learning more about the function of the object that triggers your phobia will help you deal with the source of your fear and maybe even begin to appreciate its form and function
Step 2. Face your fears
Although your first reaction when you see an object with lots of holes is to walk away or close your eyes and try to distract yourself, this will only increase your fear. Instead, force yourself to confront the source of your fear and its impact. This method is a type of therapy called exposure therapy and is the most effective way to treat phobias. However, this method requires that you be exposed to triggers repeatedly. Over time, your sensitivity to anxiety triggers will decrease.
- For example, if you are directly facing an object with multiple holes that makes you feel uneasy, take a deep breath and assess your feelings. What does this trigger thing make you want to do? How do you feel? What is irrational about your feelings?
- Try writing down your response to the trigger object and re-expressing it as normal thoughts and feelings about the trigger object. For example, you might write, “I feel nauseous when I see a beehive. Seeing it makes me want to throw up." Then, admit that this thought is irrational and rewrite your reaction as if you don't have a phobia. For example, “I was mesmerized by the honeycomb pattern and the honey made me hungry.”
Step 3. Practice yoga, meditation, or another relaxation technique
If at first your anxiety is too severe to deal with the triggering object, try relaxation techniques to reduce your anxiety. Yoga and meditation are great relaxation techniques, but you can also do progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, or just taking a long relaxing bath. Find a relaxation method that works for you and use it to help deal with anxiety caused by your phobia.
Consider taking a yoga or meditation class to learn basic exercises that you can do every day
Step 4. Take good care of yourself
Exercise, a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep are components of your mental health. Trypophobia can take a toll on your life so you should try harder to maintain your mental health. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and adequate sleep can help control your anxiety. Make sure you get enough of your daily exercise, food, and sleep needs.
- Exercise 30 minutes every day.
- Eat a balanced diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat protein.
- Sleep 7-9 hours every night.
Part 3 of 3: Getting Help
Step 1. Determine if you need help from a psychiatric therapist
If your phobia is too severe and interferes with your normal activities and enjoyment of life, you should see a licensed psychiatric therapist. For example, if you avoid certain activities because of the fear caused by your phobia, you need professional help. Other symptoms that may indicate that you need professional help include:
- A sense of paralysis, panic, or depression due to the fear of the phobia.
- Feeling as if your fears are unfounded.
- Efforts to overcome fear have been going on for more than 6 months.
Step 2. Understand what you can expect from a mental health therapist
A therapist can help you understand your trypophobia better, and find ways to minimize its impact on your daily life. Don't forget that dealing with deep-seated fears takes a lot of time and effort. It will take some time to get your fear under control, but some people make dramatic progress in as little as 8-10 sessions. Some of the strategies your therapist may employ include:
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
If you are afraid of holes, you may have certain thought processes that increase your fear. For example, you might think, "I can't leave the house because maybe I'll see a flower that has lots of holes." The therapist will challenge you to realize that these thoughts are unrealistic, perhaps by saying that flowers can't hurt you. Then, you will be challenged to revise those thoughts so that they become more realistic, for example, “Perhaps I will indeed see a flower that has many holes. However, flowers can't hurt me and I can always look away if I'm bothered."
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Exposure therapy (Exposure Therapy).
If you are afraid of holes, you will tend to avoid certain situations, activities, and places that increase your fear. Exposure therapy will force you to face your fear head-on. In this therapy, the therapist will ask you to imagine situations you would normally avoid or ask you to actually put yourself in those situations. For example, if you have been refusing to leave your house for fear of seeing an object with lots of holes, your therapist will ask you to imagine yourself outside and surrounded by holes. Later, the therapist will challenge you to actually get out of the house and look at objects that have lots of holes.
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Treatment.
If your fear of holes causes you to have severe anxiety or panic attacks, your therapist may refer you to a psychiatrist who can prescribe medication that will help you. Do not forget, these drugs will only reduce the fear temporarily. These medications do not cure the root of your problem.
Step 3. Discuss your phobia with people you trust
It's a good idea to talk about your fears and anxieties with other people. Try opening up to someone so that you can start overcoming your phobia. Talk to a family member, friend, or counselor about your fear and its impact on your daily life.
