Social Anxiety and Trypophobia: A Possible Link
In a 2016 study, researchers aimed to investigate the connection between trypophobia and social anxiety. Their focus was to determine whether trypophobia could contribute to the fear of making eye contact in individuals with social anxiety. The study revealed that feelings of disgust and discomfort intensified when participants were shown images containing larger clusters of eyes and faces. Moreover, individuals with social anxiety were found to be more likely to experience uneasiness when confronted with multiple eyes on a face. Although the full implications of these findings remain uncertain, they suggest a potential correlation between social anxiety and trypophobia.
Skin Diseases
According to several researchers, trypophobia may be rooted in a deep-seated fear of skin diseases. Their theories are based on the observation that clusters of holes on human skin trigger the strongest reactions. In a study comparing a control group to individuals with trypophobia, both groups expressed disgust when shown images of clusters related to diseases. However, those with trypophobia exhibited significantly stronger reactions. These findings indicate that trypophobia might be attributed to an exaggerated instinct to avoid diseases and parasites.