Americans' biggest fears REVEALED: DailyMail graphic details the most common phobias in the US READ MORE: You can overcome your phobias by breathing out of one nostril Do you have a health story? Email us at [email protected] By Cassidy Morrison Senior Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 15:07 EDT, 30 June 2024 | Updated: 15:08 EDT, 30 June 2024 e-mail View comments Most people are afraid of something in life — be it spiders, heights, or flying.
However, you may be surprised to learn of the fears that are most common among Americans, according to a new online analysis. Investigators looked at the volume of Google searches for 10 different phobias over the course of a month. According to the data, the most commonly Googled phobia is a little-known fear called trypophobia — being afraid of small holes or bumps clustered together.
Sufferers may find themselves revolted by foods like honeycomb and swiss cheese, and objects like sponges. The term comes from the Greek words for ‘hole’ and ‘fear,’ but the condition was only first described and named in 2005. Several celebrities have admitted to suffering trypophobia, including Sarah Paulson and Kendall Jenner .
Previous studies suggest it is surprisingly prevalent, affecting as many as 17 percent of children and adults – about one in six people, most of whom are female. Symptoms of trypophobia are similar to that of other phobias and anxiety disorders, including sweating, nausea, shortness of breath and dry.
