Unexpected Trypophobia Moments That Sent Shivers Down People's Spines main image
Scroll Down To Continue

Unexpected Trypophobia Moments That Sent Shivers Down People's Spines

Believed to have been coined back in 2005 via an online forum, the term trypophobia has gained a lot of traction since, as many have come out describing a similar fear. Trypophobia refers to the psychological phenomenon characterized by an intense and irrational fear or aversion to clusters of small, closely spaced holes or bumps. While not officially recognized as a diagnosable phobia, it is, nonetheless, a prevalent fear that many share worldwide.

People with trypophobia may experience various emotional and physical reactions when exposed to triggers, such as beehives, lotus seed pods, or coral reefs, but usually they amount to extreme disgust. Research on the phobia is limited, but some experts believe it may be related to the brain's natural response to potential dangers or the innate aversion to harmful patterns found in nature such as spider eggs and honeycombs – and the like. While not everyone experiences trypophobia, those who do may endure anxiety, nausea, sweating, and even panic attacks when encountering trigger stimuli.

Not sure if you, too, suffer from trypophobia? It’s time to find out. Here, you’ll find 10 unexpected trypophobia moments that sent shivers down people's spines. But don’t say we didn’t warn you…

Lotus Pod

Lotus Pod

Beneath the beautiful lotus flower of East Asia, also known as Nelumbo nucifera, lies one of the most horrifying sights you have ever seen. The seed pod of the lotus flower is covered in deep dark holes, and who knows what’s living in them! Seeds…maybe…but we aren’t taking any chances.

Even scarier is when the lotus seed pod dries up just like this, looking like a showerhead for imps in Satan’s bachelor pad. We aren’t saying that the lotus flower is the worst flower in existence, but it sure gives the corpse flower a run for its money. So keep it away from us.

Image via: Walter Isack (isiwal), CC BY-SA 3.0 AT, via Wikimedia Commons; H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Movie Makeup

Movie Makeup

Movie makeup can produce some pretty horrifying results in an effort to shock and disgust audiences, and it's occasions like this where they take things a little too far, in our opinion. Like, what sadist even comes up with stuff like this? Did their parents even love them?

Seriously, if my hand looked like this, I'd have it surgically removed. Sure, having hands is nice and all, but this is nightmare fuel. Movie studios, please don't go any further with this. I don't want to endure years of therapy just because I was trying to beat the heat by sitting in the theater one day. My mistake.

(Image via Midjourney)

Morels

Morels

If The Last of Us wasn't proof enough that mushrooms are freaking disgusting and need to be eradicated, here we have further proof with the Morchella, an edible fungus found in a variety of countries around the world.  Who would want to eat this is beyond me, but if I were you, I certainly wouldn't.

 

You would think its honeycomb pattern would warn people to back off, but nah, some weirdo was like "Hey, I'm going to eat that," and now look where we are. This is utterly disgusting. Doesn't presentation matter anymore? I suppose half the recipes on TikTok are evidence that it doesn't...

American Lotus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Injera Bread

Injera Bread

What was wrong with normal bread that someone had to turn it into this monstrosity? Who could take one of the most beautiful culinary creations and create something as horrifying as this flatbread layered with holes? The Ethiopian sourdough flatbread is enjoyed in other variations across Africa.

Thankfully, it’s not common in the United States. We prefer our bread look a little less lived-in. We can’t imagine anyone wanting to bite into this spongy bread without worrying about finding some surprise protein in there. I’m quite fine with my regular ol’ sourdough. More for you Ethiopians I guess.

Wasp Nest

Wasp Nest

If this is alarming to you, it's probably because it's supposed to be.  It is a wasp nest, after all. So don't try to pick this and give it to your mother or try to eat it. In particular, this is a hornet's nest. 

Interestingly, it's closely related to the yellowjacket, which is also considered to be a wasp. Their sting is easily more painful than a yellowjacket as their venom contains a large amount of acetylcholine. Not that you really want to get bit by anything either way. I'm just saying, you know?

Dried Bamboo

Dried Bamboo

It's a trypophobic's worst nightmare and also a panda's - a collection of dried bamboo. It almost looks like the hornet's nest only on a much larger, more terrifying scale. The cobwebs surely aren't helping, either. I certainly wouldn't want to know what you would find if you put your hand down any of those holes.

Either way, sticking your hand down the tone is a losing lottery, but you could make a drinking game of it. Whoever doesn't get bit by a poisonous spider has to take a shot. But nah, there are probably a lot better ways to spend your Friday night than that.

Toad

Toad

This toad should seriously think about seeing a dermatologist because he's seriously freaking us out. If you have trypophobia, this could be your worst nightmare - or if you are just afraid of frogs. But someone is clearly not afraid of him because it looks like someone has been using him to scrub their dishes or something.

And does anybody know the difference between a toad and a frog? We'll this dry, bumpy-looking skin has a lot to do with it because all toads have it. And no, it's not the prettiest of all god's creatures, but what can you really expect from a creature that lives near a swamp?

Pomegranate Chia Seed Pudding

Pomegranate Chia Seed Pudding

Someone actually chose this meal. They took one of the most delicious desserts, pudding, and turned it into nightmare fuel. This is not only a problem if you suffer from trypophobia, but also if you can't stand ungodly textures. Someone woke up and chose violence.

But for real, this is supposedly a great snack for weight loss as the chia seeds are loaded with fiber, and the pomegranate seeds are loaded with folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin K. But disclaimer, we haven't certified nutrients here, so don't take our word for it. In fact, we are telling you to run away and eat chocolate pudding, a parfait or something actually delicious.

Rocks

Rocks

Some rocks are absolutely beautiful but these formations are decidedly not. Is this what the netherworld looks like? Because we imagine it would be pretty similar, only with maybe more fire.  Honestly, what kind of sick joke is this? Imagine hiking only to discover this along the trail. At least there's an excuse to go back home.

Holes in rocks like this can be caused by a number of things like circulating water and wind erosion, or even small creatures burrowing. Sometimes they are formed like this during the lava stage when gas bubbles form. But don't ask me which it is in this case, okay? I'm not a geologist.

Sunflower

Sunflower

Thankfully, we have come to an end. If you've made it this far, you probably don't have trypophobia or you'd be rocking in the corner of your room somewhere begging for someone to come hold you like I am. But for real now, it's truly amazing how ugly some of them most beautiful things on earth turn once they wither and die.

The good news is that despite all the hideous holes of this sunflower seed pod, this sunflower gives us open of the most delicious snacks out there.  And also nutritious! And also really gross when people go around spitting the shells everywhere. Please stop doing that.