Trypophobia is a fear of packed holes. People suffering from this phobia feel queasy while looking at surfaces that have small holes assembled together. Some of the examples of this fear for holes trypophobia phobia are the head of a lotus seed pod or strawberry body that could make a person feel discomfort. It is to be mentioned that this phobia is not officially recognised. However I see at my London hypnotherapy practice many people who have a fear for holes. Indeed, it is very real for them. If you are looking for help resolve a fear for holes, try our hypnosis download today.
Studies on trypophobia are limited, and many types of research that are available have not categorically decided whether or not a fear for holes should be considered an official condition. There is not much known about trypophobia. Yet if you google ‘fear for holes ‘ or ‘phobia of holes’, literally thousands of people are looking for answers about this phobia.
What are common triggers for a fear for holes Trypophobia?
Common triggers for a fear for holes include things like lotus seed pods, shower plg filters or bumps by traffic crossings. Objects such as honeycombs, strawberries, pomegranates or bubbles can trigger a fear for holes trypophobia phobia. People also fear anxiety around air holes in a slice of bread, cantaloupe, a cluster of eyes, etc.
It is important to mention that animals, including, insects, amphibians, mammals, and other creatures that have spotted skin or fur, can also trigger symptoms of trypophobia, a fear for holes for some people.
Is a fear for holes Trypophobia real?
Trypophobia, is a phobia of holes or repetitive patterns of closely packed holes or protrusions. Yet is not recognised as an official diagnosis. It is considered by some experts to be a form of anxiety disorder. I would say that it is a real phobia as much as any other. It shares characteristics of a phobia. In my experience, using hypnotherapy, a fear for holes is resolved using hypnosis, like any other phobia.
Phobia symptoms
The symptoms of a fear for holes are triggered when a person sees an object with small clusters of holes or shapes that resemble holes. When a person suffering from a phobia of holes comes across a cluster of holes, they react with disgust or fear. Some of the symptoms include:
- Goosebumps
- Feeling repulsed
- Feeling uncomfortable
- Visual discomforts such as eyestrain, distortions, or illusions
- Distress
- Feeling your skin crawl
- Panic attacks
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Body shakes
Root causes of a fear of holes phobia
Research on this phobia is limited but there are some theories that explain why a fear for holes occurs.
Evolutionary Causes
As per this theory, this fear for holes trypophobia phobia occurs due to an evolutionary response. People have a response against the things which are either related to any danger or disease. The theory also suggests that a person will experience more disgust than fear when they will come across looking at a triggered object.
Associations With Dangerous Animals
One of the theories explains that there are some similarities in appearance. That some dangerous animals have clusters of holes over the skin and coat, and so it makes sense therefore, that people might also fear looking at such animals.
Associations With Infectious Pathogens
In a 2017 study, research concluded that after viewing patterns of holes, the participants reported skin-itching and skin-crawling. This showed that participants were inclined to react to patterns of holes, demonstrating a fear for holes. Participants also reacted to skin-transmitted pathogens. Researchers concluded that this phobia of holes is real and a fear for holes was seen in research participants.
How to Treat a phobia of holes?
Exposure therapy: In this therapy, an individual is repeatedly exposed to the objects which s/he fears. It is a good method for treating a fear for holes. This is a method I use during hypnotherapy at my London practice.
Flooding: the objective of this therapy is to desensitise the person of their fear for holes. This objective is attained by completely immersing the person in non-debilitating stimuli. The process is continued until the fear of the object completely vanishes. This process is used in conjunction with relaxation therapies to obtain positive results.
Cognitive behavioural therapy: the objective of this therapy is to change the perception of the patient arising from thoughts and emotions that are unsettling. Through this therapy, the patient learns to differentiate unreal situations from the real ones and gain perspective on their feelings and thoughts. CBT is a very common treatment for phobias
Hypnotherapy: I use primarily hypnotherapy for a phobia of holes. Hypnotherapy works to shift the subconscious thoughts and feeling about holes. Often just one session is enough to resolve a fear for holes trypophobia phobia. Let’s talk more about how a hypnosis download can help this phobia.
Fear for holes trypophobia hypnosis download
A hypnosis download offers a practical way to begin working with a fear of holes without needing to book an initial session in person. Trypophobia, as this aversion is often known, tends to develop through learned associations between clustered or irregular patterns and a sense of threat, even when no real danger is present.
Listening to a recording that has been designed specifically for this phobia allows the unconscious mind to be guided gradually toward a calmer response, using the same principles of relaxation and suggestion that I apply in clinical sessions. Repetition matters here. With regular listening, often over several weeks, the nervous system begins to recognise these patterns as neutral rather than alarming, and the automatic discomfort that once accompanied them starts to soften.
If you suffer from fear for holes trypophobia, help is available. Many people find a download particularly useful as a first step, since it can be used privately and at a pace that feels manageable, before deciding whether further support would help. Drawing on over sixteen years of experience as a clinical hypnotherapist, I have structured this recording to address the specific triggers associated with a fear of holes, rather than offering a generic relaxation track. For information about my our hypnosis download for a fear of holes, click here.
