RAMON ALVARADO

        Have you ever gotten goosebumps when looking at a honeycomb? Have the little holes in strawberries ever made you feel a bit queasy after taking a closer look? If so, you probably have a case of trypophobia. What exactly is trypophobia? The phobia was brought to light by American Horror Story’s newest season, AHS: Cult, and has been giving viewers everywhere the creeps.

        Trypophobia can be described as a fear or disgust of closely packed holes. Lotus seed pods, coral, bubbles, clusters of eyes, the aforementioned honeycombs and strawberries are some of the things known to trigger the phobia.

        Goosebumps, distress, sweating, nausea, body shakes, panic attacks and “feeling your skin crawl” are said to be symptoms of the strange phobia.

        The promotional posters for American Horror Story: Cult featured images that would cause someone with trypophobia to trip. One featured a woman opening her mouth wide and licking her top lip, allowing the viewer to see numerous tiny holes underneath her tongue. Another featured a woman who seems to be getting smashed by some honeycomb walls; giving us a preview of what’s to come in the seventh season of AHS.

        One of the main characters of this past season of AHS, Ally (played by Sarah Paulson), has trypophobia herself, and has been triggered by tiny holes in her food, masks, and by the sight of honeycombs.

        While AHS: Cult has used trypophobia as one of its main tools to cause fear and disgust among viewers, it actually isn’t an officially recognized phobia. Healthline.com has stated that studies on the phobia are limited, and the research that has been gathered is unable to tell whether it should or should not be considered an “official condition.”

        Despite not being officially recognized as a phobia, some research has shown that trypophobia causes real symptoms that can possibly affect a person’s everyday life if triggered.

        Whether you have a case of trypophobia or not, there is an image of “closely packed holes” that’d make you feel uncomfortable somewhere on the internet. And whether or not trypophobia is real, American Horror Story: Cult  still used it to frighten viewers around the world.