I think I recall seeing somewhere that the open thread is a good place for potentially silly questions. So I’ve got one to ask.
As long as I can remember small things give me the willies. Objects around the size of a penny or smaller trigger a kind of revulsion response if I have to handle them. Things like small coins, those paper circles created when using a hole punch, those stickers that they stick on fruit. I’m not typically bothered by handling a lot of the objects at the same time, a handful of pennies wouldn’t bother me.
One thing that’s odd, well aside from everything else about it, is that it seems to be especially triggered by jewelry. Rings, basically any piercings, even smallish necklaces. I’m alright as long as they don’t get too close to me, but I start feeling weird if I have to interact with them.
Anyway, I’ve always thought this was pretty strange and it recently occurred to me that someone here probably has some idea of what’s going on. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Interesting. Great that you shared it. Have never heard of something like this. To me it looks like one basic fear pattern matching gone wrong (wired differently than usual in the brain). I mean there must be some pre-wiring of object recognition in the brain that triggers on e.g. spider-like and snake-like forms. Why should such a wiring go wrong (mutation or whatever) and pattern-match against small-ringlike.
Ha, it was actually looking through the Universal Experiences comments that prompted me to come here and ask if anyone had any experience with something like this. I didn’t see anything in the comments there that sounded similar.
I kind of doubt it’s related to fear triggers, because I don’t like spiders either, and my aversion to spiders feels very different from this. Interesting thing to think about though. Thanks.
I’m not a doctor, but this sounds like Mikrophobia. I do recognize you’re describing your feelings as a kind of revulsion, not fear proper, but still that’d the best pattern match I got.
I suggest you talk to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist about it, because if it is that, your issue is very solvable. Phobias are one of the easiest-to-treat psychological issues; desensitization and cognitive-behavioral therapy work quite well.
Interesting, not exactly the same thing, but it does sound similar. You’re probably right about desensitization, there are some rather small things I can handle without problem. I’ll have to give that a shot. Thanks.
My housemate has this exact problem- right down to the issues with jewelry in particular. If she has to shake hands with somebody who’s wearing a metal ring, she has to sort of ritualistically wipe off her hands afterwards. Metal in general seems to trigger the reaction much more strongly, so she’ll have problems with loose coins but not stickers.
It’s been persistent throughout her life, I understand, but exposure therapy has reduced its severity.
I was once hospitalized for months at 5 years old, and the had exhibitions on the wall of the small stuff kids stuffed into their noses or ears and had to be removed surgically. It was scary. I was afraid of them. The fact I still remember it means it may be traumatic, may have been something like that for you.
That’s an interesting possibility. I don’t have any particularly strong memories of being warned about choking hazards, about the only one I remember is warnings about plastic bags.
For lentils, I’m fine handling them in bulk, and eating spoonfuls of them doesn’t bother me. When most of them are gone, and there are only a few scattered in my plate or bowl they start to trigger the revulsion a little bit, although not nearly as strong as many other things.
This actually seems to suggest that there is some desensitization going on. I never had lentils until I was an adult, I have however been eating rice for as long as I can remember, and individual rice grains don’t trigger the reaction under most circumstances. Small candies, like skittles, m&ms, smarties, etc. don’t really trigger it either, in most circumstances, which again, I have been eating since childhood.
I think I recall seeing somewhere that the open thread is a good place for potentially silly questions. So I’ve got one to ask.
As long as I can remember small things give me the willies. Objects around the size of a penny or smaller trigger a kind of revulsion response if I have to handle them. Things like small coins, those paper circles created when using a hole punch, those stickers that they stick on fruit. I’m not typically bothered by handling a lot of the objects at the same time, a handful of pennies wouldn’t bother me.
One thing that’s odd, well aside from everything else about it, is that it seems to be especially triggered by jewelry. Rings, basically any piercings, even smallish necklaces. I’m alright as long as they don’t get too close to me, but I start feeling weird if I have to interact with them.
Anyway, I’ve always thought this was pretty strange and it recently occurred to me that someone here probably has some idea of what’s going on. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Interesting. Great that you shared it. Have never heard of something like this. To me it looks like one basic fear pattern matching gone wrong (wired differently than usual in the brain). I mean there must be some pre-wiring of object recognition in the brain that triggers on e.g. spider-like and snake-like forms. Why should such a wiring go wrong (mutation or whatever) and pattern-match against small-ringlike.
See also What universal experiences are you missing without realizing it. Where people mention a lot special things and maybe by now you can find something comparable to yours.
Ha, it was actually looking through the Universal Experiences comments that prompted me to come here and ask if anyone had any experience with something like this. I didn’t see anything in the comments there that sounded similar.
I kind of doubt it’s related to fear triggers, because I don’t like spiders either, and my aversion to spiders feels very different from this. Interesting thing to think about though. Thanks.
I’m not a doctor, but this sounds like Mikrophobia. I do recognize you’re describing your feelings as a kind of revulsion, not fear proper, but still that’d the best pattern match I got.
I suggest you talk to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist about it, because if it is that, your issue is very solvable. Phobias are one of the easiest-to-treat psychological issues; desensitization and cognitive-behavioral therapy work quite well.
Interesting, not exactly the same thing, but it does sound similar. You’re probably right about desensitization, there are some rather small things I can handle without problem. I’ll have to give that a shot. Thanks.
My housemate has this exact problem- right down to the issues with jewelry in particular. If she has to shake hands with somebody who’s wearing a metal ring, she has to sort of ritualistically wipe off her hands afterwards. Metal in general seems to trigger the reaction much more strongly, so she’ll have problems with loose coins but not stickers.
It’s been persistent throughout her life, I understand, but exposure therapy has reduced its severity.
That is very interesting. Kind of validating, and one more bit of evidence in favor of trying exposure therapy. Thank you for sharing that.
Maybe childhood training against choking hazards.
I was once hospitalized for months at 5 years old, and the had exhibitions on the wall of the small stuff kids stuffed into their noses or ears and had to be removed surgically. It was scary. I was afraid of them. The fact I still remember it means it may be traumatic, may have been something like that for you.
How do you handle eating or cooking lentils?
That’s an interesting possibility. I don’t have any particularly strong memories of being warned about choking hazards, about the only one I remember is warnings about plastic bags.
For lentils, I’m fine handling them in bulk, and eating spoonfuls of them doesn’t bother me. When most of them are gone, and there are only a few scattered in my plate or bowl they start to trigger the revulsion a little bit, although not nearly as strong as many other things.
This actually seems to suggest that there is some desensitization going on. I never had lentils until I was an adult, I have however been eating rice for as long as I can remember, and individual rice grains don’t trigger the reaction under most circumstances. Small candies, like skittles, m&ms, smarties, etc. don’t really trigger it either, in most circumstances, which again, I have been eating since childhood.