There are a few things on this green(ish) Earth that make me so irrationally uncomfortable that people look at me funny when it happens. I’m talking about stuff like closed shower curtains, thinking that there’s a spider in your shoe every time you put them on, and touching dryer lint. Ugh.
Well, time to add a new one to the list.
Today I learned about something called trypophobia, the irrational fear of closely-packed holes and bumps, and boy is it the absolute worst because it makes pictures like this one unbearable:
*shudders*
If you are someone who is unfortunately struck with trypophobia, then the sight of anything with bumps or holes in close-proximity with each other will make your skin crawl uncomfortably and/or irrationally itch. It’s like the “nails-on-a-chalkboard” sensation but for your skin.
Unsurprisingly, this little phobia has baffled scientists as to how it manifests or how to cure it and the closest answer they have is a shrugged “it just happens”.
Since it’s one of those irrational phobias that don’t really hurt anyone or anything, it’s probably also no surprise that scientists don’t have it as a high priority, which explains why the only cure they have come up with is “just look at a bunch of pictures of closely-packed holes and bumps, take a teaspoon of cement, and harden up”.
Whatever the doctor says goes, I suppose.
So in the name of helping out everyone struck with trypophobia, here are a heap of goosebump-inducing pics shared by other trypophobia sufferers.
https://twitter.com/lee_uh_725/status/1012829110572380161
Trypophobics are shook #trypophobia pic.twitter.com/KoUByxPHJE
— karleigh (@karleig75541616) July 27, 2018
Lasagne for dinner, yum. But thanks to the pasta used, it’s a #trypophobia nightmare pic.twitter.com/uCcYRqCjXA
— Alex Moyler ?? (@aeoye) July 29, 2018
My lunch is messing with my #trypophobia ??? pic.twitter.com/E0IahjlFv3
— Lorna Allan (@lorripop) May 1, 2018
What’s the opposite of #trypophobia ? I’m fascinated by all the photo examples. They are even calming. A tactile invitation to me. Esp coral and shower heads. pic.twitter.com/Y93t298mhu
— Raina (@raina11s) August 31, 2018
Seeing people squirm because of #trypophobia really satisfies my deeply buried sadist. pic.twitter.com/jDhfX9jqOq
— Dakota (@DakotaFrutchey) August 31, 2018
Welp, I don’t think that helped at all. Not one bit. It may have even made mine worse.
Fantastic.
What this means is every time I now have a shower, I’ll look at the shower-head and get super uncomfortable for the entire duration of what’s meant to be warm, heavenly bliss.