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Scientists discover 'fear of holes'


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A previously unrecognized phobia of objects filled with holes could be a human survival instinct.

A peculiar new phobia known as trypophobia has emerged following research by British scientists this week. The fear typically involves an irrational aversion to objects that are clustered with small holes such as crumpets or even bubbly chocolate bars.

Read More: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/254309/scientists-discover-fear-of-holes

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I've had that fear (not yet phobia) since I saw that picture with lotus pods. I get chills through my body whenever I come across that!

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I fear holes in things that shouldn't have holes... Such as a wall or a stone. Who knows what's in there... (-_-;)

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I can't believe people get paid for this,how does this help mankind move forward? Surely that's what scientists should be looking to do

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I know it sounds funny but it must be difficult to live with phobias that are totally irrational, like having a phobia for baked beans, bananas, feathers, etc.

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I fear holes in things that shouldn't have holes... Such as a wall or a stone. Who knows what's in there... (-_- ;)

Like patches of holes on face from skin acne?
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Fear of holes is a new one for me, now if there was a duck in there spying,.......

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So, I am trying to relate to the notion that this is a primitive evolutionary response. When we see these holes are we seeing a gaping mouth or mouths ready to take a chunk from our hides? I do like crumpets ... maybe the butter and jam is a way of appeasing those holes.

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in a word-wide recession, THIS is what we're paying ''scientists'' for??

shame the money couldn't have gone into proper medical research instead.

'scandalous' is a gross understatement.

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“Cole believes that the phobia could be a natural survival instinct because objects of this nature share several of the visual characteristics of poisonous animals.”

I needed help following this visual connection of objects full of holes to visual characteristics of poisonous animals. I looked up most poisonous animals and there are a few obvious contenders, I guess, like the patterns on blue ring octopus, poison arrow frogs, puffer fish, maybe spider's eyes? But would these few (limited range) have created an evolutionary phobia to aide survival? How old are these species?

Maybe a few snake skin patterns? I don't know...

Anyone else's thoughts to help clarify what I'm missing here?

"The visitor mentioned that an image of an [blue ring] octopus had triggered intense revulsion."

Was it the animal itself, octopus are quite bizarre looking, or the pattern?

Edited by QuiteContrary
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Don't you mean English muffin with all those nooks and crannies.

You'd think... but no, I'm craving a sesame seed bagel. Maybe it's because if I slice it open, it has a bunch of holes in it. The English muffin pictured has too much butter. I mean, I love butter but sheesh!

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I have a fear of holes in my pocket, especially when I have loose change in them.

Oh, and dog treats. It's not a good experience when your Lab does something awesome and you go to reach into your pocket and find there is a hole and no treats. The look of dog disappointment is awful!

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I think that I can kind of relate to this in a way. I am extrememly afraid of bees, wasps, hornets, and other stinging insects of the sort. In the same way, just looking at a honey comb or wasp nest makes me feel squemish, dizzy, etc. Even the empty ones. So maybe this has something to do with the holes/poisonous animals connection? However, it is probably just my mind making the connection between the insects and their nests, rather than the design of the nests themselves.

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I think that I can kind of relate to this in a way. I am extrememly afraid of bees, wasps, hornets, and other stinging insects of the sort. In the same way, just looking at a honey comb or wasp nest makes me feel squemish, dizzy, etc. Even the empty ones. So maybe this has something to do with the holes/poisonous animals connection? However, it is probably just my mind making the connection between the insects and their nests, rather than the design of the nests themselves.

Well, I guess that's two of us. I have always hated pictures of honeycombs and the insides of melons, where all that tangle of "melonstring" is, makes me slightly ill as well. I always thought I was the only one.

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I like the look it reminds me of meteorites. What gets me is mixing natural looking things with unnatural especially liquids. When my second son was being born, his hair came out first. All was good I have seen this before, then the doctor threw a muddy looking liquid ( iodine I think) between my wife's legs. The blood with the chemicals and the hair collapsed the room down to pinpoint. I never thought it possible to bring me to a point like that with something visual.

Edited by White Crane Feather
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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Nathan DiYorio

Would the "Trypophobia" definition include grooved objects as well?

If so, it would explain why I feel so sickly when I see such images.

Edit: Images such as this avatar I found whilst mining the forum:

av-19778.jpg?_r=0

Edited by Nathan DiYorio
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I so have this, have now just figured out what it is and identified it. There's a innate need for me to "destroy" or reconfigure the hole patterns in certain things I couldn't understand at the time.

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No wonder no-one likes those damn Aero Chocolates.

800px-Aero-Bar-Split.jpg

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when it's just one hole i am ok but when it's a ''whole lot of holes''......well :o

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I can't believe people get paid for this,how does this help mankind move forward? Surely that's what scientists should be looking to do

It's impossible to predict what area of research is going to help mankind. Some of the great discoveries in history were made accidentally while trying to discover something else
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No wonder no-one likes those damn Aero Chocolates.

800px-Aero-Bar-Split.jpg

Lol if their marketing department knew about this research, watch them suddenly lose the air holes and become solid. I have to say i don't have this phobia but the airy holes in chocolate i don't like the texture of in my mouth, so maybe it is signalling that old prehistoric instinct somewhere. Same reason i couldn't stand custard as a kid, or thick milk shakes, the lumpy holey textures made me feel so repulsed there was a lot i wouldn't eat.

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