This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Imagine you're scrolling through TikTok and come across an image of a lotus seed pod or sponge. You might not think much about it, but some people instantly feel sick.
Their skin crawls, they feel nauseous, disgusted or very uncomfortable, and quickly swipe away. So why does it trigger such a strong reaction? This reaction is known as trypophobia, an aversion to clusters of holes or circular patterns.
About one in six people have at least some degree of discomfort when seeing these patterns. Despite the "phobia" in its name, trypophobia is not simply a "fear of holes." It is also not recognized as a standalone mental health disorder. Unlike many phobias, disgust (rather than fear) is often the more dominant emotion.
Common triggers include lotus seed pods, honeycomb and everyday objects such as sponges, crumpets, bubbles, aerated chocolate or strawberries. For most people with trypophobia, these reactions are mild and can include disgust, nausea, a skin-crawling sensation, fear and anxiety. But for a small group, symptoms can become so distressing that they lead people to avoid particular images, objects or situations.
This is a level of avoidance usually seen in specific phobias, such as arachnophobia, a fear of spiders. In my own research, some participants avoided strawberries, cooking or baking, clothing and even showers because of trypophobia-related triggers. These examples show trypophobia can sometimes significantly affect a person's life.
The short answer is social media. Media stories, TikTok videos and online communities helped make trypophobia mainstream. Shared images are often digitally altered to maximize discomfort and provoke strong reactions.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
