Trypophobia is characterized by a psychological disorder, in which the person has an irrational fear of images or objects that have holes or irregular patterns, such as honeycombs, grouping of holes in the skin, wood, plants or sponges, for example.
People who suffer from this fear feel bad and symptoms such as itching, tremors, tingling and disgust come into contact with these patterns. In more severe cases, trypophobia can lead to nausea, an increase in heart rate and even a panic attack.
Treatment may include gradual exposure therapy, use of anxiolytics and antidepressants or psychotherapy.
How to know if it is tripophobia
People with trypophobia when exposed to patterns such as lotus seeds, honeycombs, bubbles, strawberries or crustaceans, may experience symptoms such as:
- Sickness; Shivering; Sweating; Disgust; Crying; Chills; Discomfort; Increased heart rate; Generalized itching and tingling.
In more severe cases, the person may also experience panic attacks, due to an extreme level of anxiety. Know what to do during a panic attack.
What causes trypophobia
According to research, people with tripophobia unconsciously associate holes or objects with irregular patterns, usually related to patterns created by nature, with possible situations of danger. This sense of danger is triggered mainly by the similarity between the appearance of the holes with the skin of poisonous animals, such as snakes, for example, or with worms that cause skin diseases, such as passion fruit heel.
If you are curious, see what the passion fruit heel is, however, if you think you suffer from tripophobia it is advisable to avoid seeing the images of this problem.
Generally, people who suffer from this phobia cannot distinguish between situations in which there is danger or not, as it is an unconscious reflex that results in reactions that cannot be controlled.
How the treatment is done
There are several ways to treat this psychological disorder, with exposure therapy being the most effective way. This type of therapy helps the person to control the fear, changing his / her response in relation to the object that causes it, and must be done with great care so as not to cause trauma.
This therapy should be done with the help of a psychologist through exposure to the stimulus that causes the phobia gradually. Through dialogue, the therapist uses relaxation techniques, so that the person faces the fear, until the discomfort subsides.
This therapy can be combined with other techniques that help reduce anxiety and treat that fear:
- Take medication to help reduce anxiety and panic symptoms, such as beta-blockers and sedatives; Practice relaxation techniques like yoga for example; Practice physical exercise to reduce anxiety - see some tips to control anxiety.
Tripophobia is not yet recognized in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but some studies prove that phobia exists and causes symptoms that condition people's lives.
