People generally go through anxiety and certain kinds of fear every day. When you are traveling somewhere alone or starting a new job or appearing for an exam, you might get anxious or even scared. Such kinds of anxiety and fears are quite normal in our everyday life of struggle. However, these fears often turn into phobias and hold the capability of hampering our daily life. Trypophobia can induce that kind of life hampering fear. Most of the people suffering from Trypophobia really do not realize it until they have undertaken the Trypophobia test. This test is all about showing its viewers random pictures of clustered holes. This is kind of an extreme exposure test where the person undertaking the test is faced with images that make him go nuts.
Given the fact that Trypophobia refers to the fear of holes, only after you take the Trypophobia test you will know if you have that fear or not. It is not possible for anyone to know if they are scared of a cluster of holes without viewing random pictures of holes at different places.
Causes of Trypophobia
Before knowing about the Trypophobia test it is important to know about its causes. Researches related to this condition are very limited in number. However, despite that, there are certain causes that can be mentioned behind making Trypophobia happen. Some of these causes are mentioned below.
Causes related to evolution
One of the most popular theories related o Trypophobia says that it is an evolutionary response to items that are related to disease or decay. The holes that cause fear or disgust in Trypophobic people signify parasites, diseases skin and other various infections of the skin and the body. This gives the basis to the theory of Trypophobia being related to evolution.
Association with pathogens that are infectious
A study conducted in the year 2017 showed that participants connected to holes sown in the images with pathogens that are skin transmitted. Many of them reported to feel skin irritations like itching or crawling on the skin while viewing the images. In the case of these people, disgust was the dominant factor over fear. They were not exactly scared by the images but were deeply disgusted.
Fear or disgust towards a threating condition is a natural evolutionary response. In many situations, such feelings help us to get out of danger. The researches believed that in case of Trypophobia, the people suffering from it were only an example of this natural response gone exaggerated and overgeneralized.
Association with vicious animals
There is another theory related to his condition that states that the cluster of holes are somewhat visually similar to the skin of certain vicious animals. People suffering from Trypophobia might unconsciously be scared of these animals and thus relate the patterns to them and feel scared.
A study conducted in 2013 found some proof to prove this theory. In the study, a group pf people were shown the image of a honeycomb (a typical image for Trypophobia test) and the response among people were starkly different. People who did not have Trypophobia associated with the image with harmless bees and honey. However, people who are affected with Trypophobia thought of rattlesnakes that share the similar patterns on their skins. The association was purely unconscious but that might be the cause of their disgust or fear.
Association with other issues
Researchers have claimed that Trypophobia is also associated with anxiety as well as depression. His means people who have Trypophobia are most likely to suffer from the symptoms of both these psychological problems as well. Trypophobia symptoms have also been found to be long-lasting and having long term damaging effects on the daily life of an individual.
Effect of visual characteristics
There is also a theory that suggests that Trypophobia is induced mainly because of the mages themselves. This study claims that these patterns are uncomfortable in themselves and thus people feel that disgust or fear. The study does not acknowledge the association of these patterns with any kind of wild animals.
However, if this theory is to be believed then Trypophobia should be considered as a normal response to certain images rather than as a phobia.
Symptoms of Trypophobia
You will not be able to understand if you are Trypophobic unless and until you know the symptoms. The major symptoms of Trypophobia are similar to those of any phobia. Some of these symptoms are discussed below.
Disgust
If you feel intense to moderate disgust while seeing pictures of clustered holes then you might be Trypophobic. The level of the condition varies from one individual to another and it depends on your capacity of viewing the images at a stretch without a twitch.
Intense breathing
While viewing the images of clustered holes, if you find that you are breathing heavily and rapidly then chances are high of you being a Trypophobic. This is one of the most common symptoms of Trypophobia and can be seen in severe to moderate Trypophobic people.
Goosebumps
Many people experience having goosebumps while going through the images of holes on different surfaces. Not all Trypophobic people might experience this, but it is quite an alarming sign of being Trypophobic.
Itching
Given the fact that Trypophobia induces more disgust than fear in some people, one might feel itching on the skin while seeing the mages. Such people generally associated those images with skin problems and other disgusting ski infections. Thus, they feel like their own skin is itching or having irritations when they are seeing the images.
Shaking
People with extreme Trypophobia might feel shaking of their bodies and have panic attacks. Such people generally do not manage to make far through the images as their body reacts against it. For them, the effect of Trypophobia is not only psychological but also physical.
Vomiting
In some cases, Trypophobia might induce vomiting in an individual. It is generally seen in extreme cases of Trypophobia where the person is engulfed by disgust and fear.
Changes in behavior
Apart from these easily noticeable changes, some people might have certain behavioral changes as well. For example, if a person is avoiding a certain kind of food or an object with a specific kind of hole patterns then he might be affected by Trypophobia. Such symptoms should not be ignored and he should undergo a Trypophobia test.
Details about the Trypophobia test
The process regarding the Trypophobia test is very simple. It only needs the individual to sit in a position he is comfortable in and then look at as many images as possible. These images are of course of small and clustered holes on various surfaces.
If you can complete a single video of random images with holes without feeling even slightly uncomfortable then you are not Trypophobic. In a survey, each image of holes as shown in a gap of two seconds to thirty seconds.
The most common images included in a Trypophobia test video are strawberries, honeycombs, pomegranates, lotus seed pods, bubbles, condensation, bumps or holes on flesh, coral, eyes of insects, holes in rotten fish, sea sponges, seeds of fruits, bubble warps to name a few. These are the typical contents of a Trypophobia test video and if you can make it through them then you can be certain of not having this condition.
Things to keep in mind
When you are sitting for the Trypophobia test there are certain things that you should keep in mind. Some of these things are mentioned below.
Sitting position
You should have your body relaxed and your shoulder and elbow close to your body when appearing for the test. If you remain in a tensed state even before starting the test, it is very likely that you will feel even more uncomfortable with the images on the screen.
Position of the arms
Your arms should remain parallel to the floor. It is best if you keep your arms on an armrest while taking the test. It would help you to keep your body relaxed.
Screen level
The screen showing the images should be at your eye level. You should not have to strain your eyes to view the images. It would cause unnecessary tension and affect the results.
Comfortable seat
The chair you will be sitting on should have a backrest where your lower back will be rested. The claves should remain at a proper angle that does not create a strain on the legs. Lastly, the chair should be of a height that allows your sole to touch the floor. The soles of your legs should remain flatly on the floor.
Treatment of Trypophobia
After taking the test, if you find that you are Trypophobic, then you will have to know about the treatment of Trypophobia. There is no specific treatment of Trypophobia that has been discovered yet. However, certain therapies are used to help the condition and some of them are discussed below.
Exposure therapy
As the name clearly suggests, this therapy is all about gradually exposing a Trypophobic to his objects of fear. It is done with the hope that over time, facing the fear will help to demolish it. The process is slow but steady. It starts with the person imagining the objects and then gradual proceeding to view them. The therapy is successful when the patient can even touch his objects of fear without any discomfort.
Relaxation methods
Various relaxation methods are also often used to fight Trypophobia. Visualization, muscle relaxation, and deep breathing are some of the relaxing methods that are used in the process.
In this method, you can imagine an object that soothes you when you are faced with an image of clustered holes. The technique of diverting your mind so that it does not get affected. You can also look away at other items when you feel uncomfortable while looking at specific objects.
These methods of diverting the mind help the body to relax and thus subside the symptoms of Trypophobia.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy refers to working with a therapist who will help an individual to resolve the issues leading to Trypophobia. The therapy sessions might consist of talking about unrealistic thought patterns, some deep-seated fear of various objects and animals, etc. The therapist generally tries to replace these kinds of thoughts with realistic ones and thus overcome the fear.
One of the dominant reasons behind experience any kind of phobia is the association of the object to something dangerous. With therapy, the individual understands that there is nothing to be afraid about that object. In this way, he gradually progresses and finally wins over his fear.
Medication
If the Trypophobia hampers the daily life of an individual badly then in some cases medicines are prescribed. Generally, anti-anxiety or anti-depressants are prescribed to help the condition of Trypophobia. In most of the cases, these medications are prescribed along with expose therapy or CBT.
These are the basic facts to know about Trypophobia test. In case you are interested in knowing if you are Trypophobia or not, you can take a test. There are several tests available online and you can select one among them easily. However, make sure you are comfortably seated and are in a soothing atmosphere. It is best if you take the test in your own home as nothing will be a more comfortable place than you home.
While taking the test if you feel even slightly uncomfortable at any stage then you should immediately stop the test. There is no need to push yourself as it might have various adverse effects on your health.
In case you find out that you are Trypophobic there is no need to get too much worried. A study conducted in 2013 said that Trypophobia was actually pretty common. The severity of the phobia, of course, varies from one person from another but the condition is not rare. However, if you are immensely Trypophobic and find that it is affecting your daily life then you should get professional help. You can always start with therapy and proceed as your therapist advice.
