Trypophobia

[Cambridgeskip]

Morning all

Bit of a longshot, but has anyone had experience of a child with trypophobia? Just had last minute notification that one of my new scouts has it before camp this weekend. The wikipedia entry (yes, yes, I know, it's Wikipedia) certainly suggests it's an unusual one. Trying to get hold of parents to discuss but any word on the practicalities?

[qwazse]

Every specific phobia is unusual. (If one were usual, not being afraid would be given a disorder name in pop. Psych.)

 

And, they can be culturally based. (E.g., We had a Korean scout who was terrified of spiders because, growing up he was taught to avoid them because most of the species there were dangerously poisonous to humans.)

 

Scouting is a form of exposure therapy. Youth are presented with a panoply of revulsions in a context where they have to deal with them, while supported.by their pears. We have scouts afraid of heights that stare at that climbing wall until they are ready to belay on, afraid of guns until the day they load their first round. Bugs, snakes, big hairy scoutmasters who don't cater to your fears .., we have it all. My latest scout from southern Italy, brimming with enthusiasm, stopped us while we were planning campouts through November and December and said "Guys, I'm really afraid of the winter, l never experienced this kind of cold."

 

The best you can do is tell a kid with a specific phobia "Yes, you may have to face that stuff. But, we'll be right here with you when we do."

 

For the Italian kid, I told her that this time of year, when I start to load my backpack with winter gear, I feel my body screaming: aren't you too old for this yet? Then I step out into the woods hike the hills, and take in the beauty. And those screaming fears subside.

[NJCubScouter]

Morning all

 

Bit of a longshot, but has anyone had experience of a child with trypophobia? Just had last minute notification that one of my new scouts has it before scamp this weekend. The wikipedia entry (yes, yes, I know, it's Wikipedia) certainly suggests it's an unusual one. Trying to get hold of parents to discuss but any word on the practicalities?

 

I think what the Wikipedia entry suggests is that it is not generally regarded as an actual "phobia".  But I suspect you probably wouldn't make too many "points" with the parents by mentioning that, if that is what they believe their son or daughter "has."

 

I have never heard of this before.  We have had enough issues in our troop dealing with situations for which kids have an actual professional diagnosis and treatment attached to them, without people making up new things to put roadblocks in their own way.  (If trypophobia does happen to make it into the medical literature at some point, I take back that last part in advance.)