The Trypophobia test shows whether or not you have a fear of holes or patterns. It is a safe quiz with 20 questions for those who already have the condition. So, you can take it to evaluate the intensity of your phobia as well. Answer 20 anxiety-free questions to come up with an accurate result.
This Is a Safe Trypophobia Test
Some images disgust and scare Trypophobic people. That is why the quiz on this page does not include any content that could make you feel bad. It is a safe Trypophobia questionary to evaluate your condition without exposing you to your fears.
Of course, some questions are about patterns and holes in general. However, they do not describe any particular shape or image. So, you do not have to imagine things that you do not like.
Other online tests are a set of Trypophobic pictures, making it almost impossible for people with this fear to participate. But that is not the case on QuizExpo.
It Measures the Intensity of Your Fear of Holes
It is not difficult to realize whether or not you have the condition/phobia. Your reactions to patterns could reveal that. However, it is not easy to determine the intensity of your feelings. The Trypophobia test on this page helps with that—as it assesses the severeness of your condition.
You should know how bad things are so that you can ask for professional help—or learn to deal with it.
Answering the following 20 questions is the safest way to examine your anxiety level.
How to Tell If You Are Trypophobic without a Test
Some might not be willing to take any quiz as it could make them feel disgusted. And it is okay. You do not have to do that if you do not want to. However, another 2-step way to answer the big question, “am I Trypophobic?” (See below).
Step #1: Think About Your Worst Memories
Here is a simple question to start with, “Have you ever felt something strange watching or seeing a set of holes?” If yes, what was it like? You should think about your feelings and thoughts as you were exposed to such an image or scene.
Step #2: Analyze Your Symptoms
Write down the exact emotions and physical reactions you went through during that particular memory. People with this condition usually have the following symptoms:
- Feeling of disgust
- Fear
- Itching
- Goosebumps
- Crawling
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Panic attack
Having more than four of the above symptoms indicates that you probably have a phobia of holes.
But keep in mind that the safe Trypophobia test offers more reliable results. So, take the quiz if you still doubt your condition.
Things to Know About the Trypophobia Test
It is not based on the DSM-5
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition) does not define Trypophobia as an actual phobia—or irrational fear. That is because it is a strong feeling of disgust and not terror. So, the quiz on this page does not include any information or description from the DSM-5.
It contains no triggering content.
You are not going to see any Trypophobic pictures during the test. It is a memory-oriented questionary. So, all you have to do is to think about your experiences.
It is not a diagnosis.
Only a trained medical expert can diagnose you with such a condition. So, do not confuse the test results with the actual diagnosis. The purpose of the questionary is to give you an idea of how slight or severe your disorder is.
You should talk to a therapist/psychologist if the feelings are intense.
If the Trypophobia test result says your fear is on a worrying level, you might want to talk to an expert. A therapist or psychologist is the most reliable option here. That is because irrational fear is usually associated with other mental disorders such as GAD (General Anxiety Disorder).
I Took the Test. Turns Out I Am Trypophobic. What Now?
The next step is to learn how to deal with it. Several methods claim to be effective on phobic people. Here are the top three self-applicable and scientific methods of controlling or curing phobia of holes.
Best Method: Talk to a Therapist
A trained person is your best friend when it comes to irrational fears. Talking to a therapist helps you find the root cause of your condition—which indeed makes it easier to deal with it. Data shows that such disorders are more common among people with other mental states, such as severe depression or anxiety. However, a therapist could help you start the CBT (or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). It is the most unfailing cure for fear of repetitive patterns of clustered holes.
Easiest Method: Try the 5s Technique
The 5s is a well-known approach to control panic attacks. So, it works for those who have severe fight-or-flight responses when exposed to patterns or holes. The idea is that you should breathe for 5 seconds. Then, hold your breath for 5 seconds. And finally, exhale for 5 seconds.
Follow the three steps whenever you feel panicked to keep things under control. But bear in mind that it is not a treatment. So, if you feel like your anxiety is taking over your life, see a trained therapist and seek professional help.
Ultimate Method: Expose Yourself to Your Fears
One of the most controversial treatments for Trypophobia is the exposure technique. The idea is that you can make your fear go away by exposing yourself to it. Of course, the whole process should be under the supervision of a professional. However, some claim that they had successfully doctored themselves using the same method.
It would be best if you started with small steps, though. Psychologists suggest that the exposure process must begin with “thinking about holes and patter.” The next step could be watching images of your phobia for a short amount of time. And finally, the last step could be facing your fear (e.g., touching a set of clustered holes).
Is the Trypophobia Test Scientific
Yes and no. You cannot find any Trypophobia quiz that is 100% scientific. That is because scientists are yet to conduct enough studies on the topic. However, the questionary you are about to take is based on scientific data on how people with this condition react to certain things.
What Causes Trypophobia?
It is not clear what causes Trypophobia. However, scientists suggest the following theories.
Theory #1: Evolutionary Reasons
One of the most popular ideas is that people are afraid of clustered holes because of evolutionary reasons. Most dangerous animals have similar patterns to keep the predators away. So, the idea is that some human beings feel frightened when they encounter such images as a fight-or-flight response.
However, studies on children show that most of them are not aware of such signals in nature. So, many of them do not fear patterned animals. That reduces the actuality and accuracy of the theory of evolutionary Trypophobic reactions.
Theory #2: Inherence
Almost 25% of Trypophobic people have someone with the same condition in their family. So, another theory is that their fear is hereditary.
Theory #3: Frequencies
Dr. Arnold Wilkins & Dr. Geoff Cole claim that disgust when seeing clustered holes is related to frequencies and contrast. They conducted a study on people with a Trypophobic background to find a relation between their reaction and the stimuli.
Later, the two doctors found out that the contrast and frequency of triggering images are on the same level as danger-evoking pictures. They concluded that such patients’ brains link the triggering images with real scary and dangerous things that could happen to them. And that is why they cannot stand them or go through panic attacks when exposed to them.
Note: Trypophobia test is not based on any of the said theories.
How to Play?
Playing personality quizzes is straightforward: Choose the option that’s true about you—or you relate to—and select “Next.” Unlike trivia quizzes, personality tests have no right or wrong answers. But the questions are in forced-choice format. The point is to push you to choose an option that makes the most sense, not the one that’s 100% true. For the most accurate results, don’t overthink your responses. Go with options that you “feel” are the best.
Questions of the quiz
- 1Let’s start simple; have you ever felt bad after seeing a patterned image?
Yes
No
Maybe
- 2Did that picture contain any holes? (Select NO if you answered no to the previous question).
Yes
No
Something like that
- 3Do you feel like your body reacts to images that show clusters of holes?
Yes
No
Sometimes
- 4How does your body react to those images? (i.e., pictures of clustered holes or patterns).
I panic
I feel disgusted
Nothing special or specific
- 5Have you ever felt like you might throw up after seeing a patterned image?
Yes
No
Probably yes
- 6Which of the following sentences do you agree with the most?
Some patterns scare me to death
Some patterns make me feel sickened
I don’t think patterns could make me feel bad
- 7Do you only feel bad when there is a cluster of holes on someone’s body?
No. I hate holes in general
Yes. Most of the time
I’m not sure. But the idea sounds sickening
- 8You wake up early in the morning only to realize a cluster of holes on your palm. What do you do?
I call an ambulance
I probably pass out
I freak out and scream as loud as I can
- 9Which one is the worst idea for a wallpaper?
An image of a deep, dark hole in the bottom of an ocean
A series of weird lines that shape a scary figure
An image of a cluster of holes on the back of a frog
- 10A giant spider attacked your best friend. You have to stare at the spider’s eyes to save your friend. Could you do that?
No. I can’t stare at such stuff
Yes, I can do that
I would probably fail
- 11There is a cluster of holes on one of your fingers. Doctors say that your finger will function despite the condition. But would you want to keep it or to amputate it?
I’d rather amputate it
I would keep my finger. But I’d find a way to hide it
I would most definitely keep my finger
- 12You have become a homeless person. But someone is offering you a free room. The only problem is that its walls look like a bee have…
No, THANKS! I’d rather remain a homeless person
I’d accept it. But I would cover the walls
The free room would be all I worry about. I don’t care about the walls
- 13Have you ever felt like you cannot breathe after seeing an image that others find normal?
Yes
No
I experienced something slightly similar
- 14Your partner (for some reason) insists that you have to wear a dress they gave you. But the problem is that the dress has so many hole-like shapes on it. What do you do?
No one can force me to wear that dress. NO!
I’d feel bad to wear it. But I might say yes
It is not a big deal. I’d say yes
- 15Would you rather have an extra five years added to your lifespan or remove all the clusters of holes from the planet earth?
Live five more years
Remove the holes
It's a hard choice
- 16How often do you find something to be disgusting while others disagree with you?
Quiet often
Once in a while
Rarely
- 17What is scarier?
Being sucked into a tiny hole
Having a rare skin disease
Losing someone close to you
- 18How often do you think about the disgustingness of some particular patterns?
Quiet often
Sometimes
Rarely
- 19Do you think that Trypophobia should be considered a real phobia? (scientists don’t categorize it as a phobia).
Yes, sure!
I don’t know
No
- 20Last question; do you feel like your fear of holes is stopping you from living a normal life?
Yes
No
Maybe (sometimes)
