What is Koumpounophobia?
Koumpounophobia is an extreme and irrational fear of buttons. Its origins come from the Latin Koumpouno which translates to ‘buttons’ and the Greek word 'phobos' meaning to dread or to fear.
The idea of having a phobia of buttons may seem very strange and nonsensical to most people, however it is not that unusual. It can be explained as a persistent and irrational fear of buttons, and can vary drastically between sufferers. Whether it is a fear of touching buttons, looking at buttons, ingesting buttons or wearing clothing with buttons, a diverse range of different forms of this phobia exists. In some cases this phobia is not so much a fear but rather a sufferer can experience intense feelings of disgust towards buttons. This phobia can also link to Mysophobia, which is a fear of germs, as some are particularly afraid of old buttons and this tends to center around these buttons being dirty. The fear of buttons, depending on how extreme the case is, can often extend to a fear of small objects in general, which closely resemble buttons, such as coins and small disc-shaped items.
The idea of having a phobia of buttons may seem very strange and nonsensical to most people, however it is not that unusual. It can be explained as a persistent and irrational fear of buttons, and can vary drastically between sufferers. Whether it is a fear of touching buttons, looking at buttons, ingesting buttons or wearing clothing with buttons, a diverse range of different forms of this phobia exists. In some cases this phobia is not so much a fear but rather a sufferer can experience intense feelings of disgust towards buttons. This phobia can also link to Mysophobia, which is a fear of germs, as some are particularly afraid of old buttons and this tends to center around these buttons being dirty. The fear of buttons, depending on how extreme the case is, can often extend to a fear of small objects in general, which closely resemble buttons, such as coins and small disc-shaped items.
Interesting Fact:
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, reported that he was a sufferer of Koumpounophobia, and that his fear extends beyond just a singular fear of clothing buttons. This is quite remarkable, considering the invention of the iPhone, which is primarily based around its lack of buttons and the implementation of a touch screen. Perhaps we wouldn’t have had this technological game-changer if it was not for his fear.
Causes:
The causes for Koumpounophobia, similar to most other phobias, revolve around the sufferer having experienced a traumatic childhood event, in this case which involves buttons. Some sufferers report incidents surrounding choking on a button, not being able to do up clothing with buttons when they were children and the traumatic consequences that followed. Furthermore, if an individual was the victim of abuse and violence at the hands of an offender wearing clothing with buttons, the mere sight of buttons awaken memories of these horrific events.
Watching horror movies or reading thrillers which involve buttons can also have a grave impact, as they have the ability to invoke an association between buttons and negative events. The famous novel ‘Coraline’ and later adaptation into a blockbuster, shows a depiction of Koumounophobia. The threatening characters whose eyes have been replaced by buttons are members of a terrifying parallel universe, leading the lead character to develop a fear of buttons. Similar sentiments are experienced by many Koumpounophobia suffers, who associate eyes being replaced by buttons becoming terrifying and soulless.
Watching horror movies or reading thrillers which involve buttons can also have a grave impact, as they have the ability to invoke an association between buttons and negative events. The famous novel ‘Coraline’ and later adaptation into a blockbuster, shows a depiction of Koumounophobia. The threatening characters whose eyes have been replaced by buttons are members of a terrifying parallel universe, leading the lead character to develop a fear of buttons. Similar sentiments are experienced by many Koumpounophobia suffers, who associate eyes being replaced by buttons becoming terrifying and soulless.
Symptoms:
Koumpounophobia can affect the daily lives of sufferers in more ways that one may initially think; it can cause many issues around events that require formal clothing, such as weddings or parties, as clothing such as suits often have buttons. This feeling can transfer to other objects of a similar shape, which can make it very difficult for sufferers to shop for clothing, as anything with buttons or similar can trigger a reaction.
The sight of buttons can cause extreme reactions leading to individuals losing control and experiencing intense feelings of panic and anxiety, along with sweating and possibly nausea. Similarly, if a sufferer touches a button, they can often get the urge to immediately wash their hands, and as a result of the feelings of revulsion which follow. This fear can also prevent individuals from even being able to say the word ‘button’ or be able to write it down, which can prove debilitating and humiliating.
The sight of buttons can cause extreme reactions leading to individuals losing control and experiencing intense feelings of panic and anxiety, along with sweating and possibly nausea. Similarly, if a sufferer touches a button, they can often get the urge to immediately wash their hands, and as a result of the feelings of revulsion which follow. This fear can also prevent individuals from even being able to say the word ‘button’ or be able to write it down, which can prove debilitating and humiliating.
Why I Should Get Treated:
If you suffer from Koumpounophobia it is essential that this phobia be treated, as buttons are everyday objects that present themselves in many different day to day situations. It can cause further issues for sufferers if they are not able to go to places where people are wearing clothing with buttons. This could cause phobics to miss out on important events such as friend’s weddings or family functions. This can cause social isolation if the phobia is so severe that the sufferer avoids putting themselves in situations where they may be in proximity to buttons.
Why I Should See The Phobia Guru for Treatment:
I am often able to help people break free of their phobia in just one session, using the scientifically proven power of hypnotherapy combined with NLP and an immersive therapy option. My therapy skilfully combines these techniques uniquely to create the most powerful, effective and quickest way to beat a phobia. You will be in the hands of a trained phobia expert who will help you transform your mind and liberate yourself from even the most extreme fears.
Hypnotherapy is so effective with phobias because it tackles the underlying trigger of the phobia within the subconscious. Once a person has access to their subconscious they can eliminate their conditioned response to the stimulus. So instead of treating just the symptoms, hypnotherapy can heal the source for a lasting result. The best part about hypnotherapy and phobias is that often it only takes one session to completely get over the phobia so you do not have to spend a lot of money on continual treatment. The NHS also promotes hypnotherapy as an effective treatment for phobias.
Hypnotherapy is so effective with phobias because it tackles the underlying trigger of the phobia within the subconscious. Once a person has access to their subconscious they can eliminate their conditioned response to the stimulus. So instead of treating just the symptoms, hypnotherapy can heal the source for a lasting result. The best part about hypnotherapy and phobias is that often it only takes one session to completely get over the phobia so you do not have to spend a lot of money on continual treatment. The NHS also promotes hypnotherapy as an effective treatment for phobias.
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- Day 1: The Psychology of Fear and Phobias Video (Sold separately for £30).
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