Trypophobia

[3][4][5] Although not clinically recognized as a mental or emotional disorder, it may nonetheless be diagnosed as a specific phobia in habitually occurring cases of excessive fear or distress.

[3][4] In the few studies that have taken place, several researchers hypothesized that it is the result of a biological revulsion, causing the afflicted to associate trypophobic shapes with danger or disease, and may therefore have some evolutionary basis,[1][4] and that exposure therapy may be a possible treatment.

However, it may fall under the broad category of specific phobias when it involves excessive, persistent and possibly irrational fear, and is associated with significant distress or even impairment.

[1][8] Other reported symptoms include goose bumps, body shakes (i.e., cringing), nosebleeds, emotional or visual discomfort (e.g., eyestrain, distortions, illusions.

[4][11] Martínez-Aguayo et al. described trypophobia as usually involving "an intense and disproportionate fear towards holes, repetitive patterns, protrusions, etc., and, in general, images that present high-contrast energy at low and mid-range spatial frequencies.

Based on the imagery's visual cues, An Trong Dinh Le, Cole, and Wilkins developed a symptom questionnaire that they believe can be used to identify trypophobia.

[7] Groups on social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram exist for self-identified trypophobics to share and discuss images that they say induce the reaction.

[7][12] Because trypophobia is not well known to the general public, many people with the condition do not know the name for it and believe that they are alone in their trypophobic reactions and thoughts until they find an online community to share them with.

[13] Writing in Popular Science, Jennifer Abbasi argues that emotional contagion within such social media groups may be responsible for some of the averse reactions to such images.

[13] Some users responded to the September 2019 release of Apple's iPhone 11 Pro, which features three closely spaced camera lenses, with comments that it triggered their trypophobia.