I get this too!
Also on boats.
I vividly remember fighting a strong desire to chuck my phone in the sea when I was leaning over the banister on the boat going to Bestival.

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SAME!!!
Solidarity x

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Yes to all of this. I’ve been in that same situation in clothes shops many times and the worst is when you put your hand in a rail of clothes of pull something out and your hand lands on a button. Instant recoil in horror every time.

Any idea what your phobia is rooted in? Im not really sure where mine comes from. I think there’s an element of the constriction/being trapped that being buttoned into something represents and then maybe the physical repulsion at the sight of them developed from there. They’re truly horrible things to look at though. Ugh…

On a similar note to your chocolate present, on my stag do I was presented with a flat cap to wear which one of my friend’s partners had carefully sewn dozens of buttons all over the surface of. Every shape and size imaginable. Literally the stuff of nightmares.

It resurfaced again from somewhere on my wedding day. You can’t see many of them fortunately, but enough to get the idea. Someone had to put it on for me. To the clear amusement of Mrs Z:

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I don’t think I have any. I’ll cross over the road rather than walk near a group of pigeons, but that’s not really a phobia - just a calm, logical reaction having been hit by panicking pigeons so many times in the past.

I think mine might be to do with perceived uncleanness maybe, like there could be nasty stuff hidden in the decorated bits or in the holes? I think I might connect them with a smell or something from childhood too, like I think my older relatives who wore horrible perfume or just smelled strongly wore clothes with embellishments like buttons on them. Dunno really. I get a similar feeling with cutlery that is decorated or textured and always go for plain cutlery if I can.

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my mate has this

edit: could be @profk too

led to the discovery of one of amazon reviews hidden gems

don’t think I have any actual phobias. bit scared of being on the surface of deep open water but that’s a rational fear of the unknown, not a phobia.

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This is really useful thank you for sharing

wouldn’t say it is a phobia but I can’t be in the same room as a moth, dont get why people are scared of spiders, they just keep to themselves, moths want to enter your skull

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they are fine, I feel an affinity with the feeblest of earth’s creatures

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Does everyone realise that you’re scared of spiders because your dickhead parents acted like an idiot when they saw one when you were young?

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People always take the piss about this, but I feel panic at the sight of snails. Can’t imagine ever touching one and any gardening type activity is fraught with anxiety. Also a nightmare if I have to walk down a rural-ish road at night after rain too.

Not keen on sticky labels either, but that’s more of a feeling of nausea than a phobia.

yes

Good

I’m absolutely fine with spiders- prob due to growing up in a rural environment with a parent with a farming background. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been scared by an animal :heart_eyes:

Can’t be in the same room as someone holding a bottle of novichok

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Spiders are brilliant. They eat horrible, dirty flies.

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I am repulsed by stickers too! Whenever anyone finds out they take the piss and I’ve had people chase me with them on their fingers :cry: I’m not scared of them, they just disgust me! Peeling off all dirty :nauseated_face:
When you’re made to wear name labels and you have to eat a meal with people all around you with their dirty labels peeling off :face_vomiting:

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Even worse when you get something like a new mug, use it and when washing it realise there’s a barcode sticker on the base :nauseated_face:

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All the best people have mega in their phobias.