iPhone 11 Pro Max triggers trypophobia - reports

According to news reports in various publications, many users have taken to social media to complain about symptoms of trypophobia after they started using this phone. Apparently, the 3 cameras clustered together is acting as a trigger to this condition.

People with this condition often irrationally feel disgusted or fear any kind of holes.

According to a study at Emory Health Sciences that was published in PeerJ, this fear, which is linked to a physiological response, is actually more disgust than fear. PeerJ is an open-access peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in the biological and medical sciences.

Trypophobia Pulse

Triggers of trypophobia

Anything that resembles holes can trigger this condition in people prone to it. Honeycombs, lotus seeds, coral, bubbles, aerated chocolate and even strawberries may act as triggers of trypophobia.

According to researchers from the University of Essex, the sight of clusters of holes in different formations can cause acutely unpleasant reactions in a person suffering from trypophobia. These reactions may range from severe migraines and panic attacks to hot sweats and increased heart rate. The Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, published this study.

This may actually be an overreaction to deep-seated anxiety about parasites and infectious diseases, say researchers, because many infectious diseases result in clusters of round shapes on the skin. Smallpox, measles, rubella, typhus, scarlet fever, etc. all manifest as circular marks on skin.

Symptoms of trypophobia

Symptoms of this condition are often uncontrolled body reactions to the sight of holes. You may experience an acute feeling of discomfort accompanied by a sense of distress. You may have goosebumps on your hands and a tingling down your spine. In severe cases, it can cause illusions and distortions of images and even panic attacks.

Participants of the above-mentioned study experienced disgust or disgust-related feelings like nausea or the urge to vomit even towards disease-irrelevant cluster images of bubbles. Only a small proportion described feeling fear or fear-related feelings. They reported feelings like skin itching, skin-crawling or even the sensation of 'bugs infesting the skin', say researchers.

Treatment options of trypophobia

There are no clear treatment options for this phobia. Most of the treatment plans seek to address the symptoms. Sometimes, repeated exposure to the trigger can desensitise a person to it. Cognitive behaviour therapy, any other forms of psychotherapy and relaxation techniques may also help in treating trypophobia.