Undoing the Phobia of Buttons

It is possible to have a phobia of virtually anything. We can avoid dogs, spiders, snakes and public speaking. When it comes to buttons that becomes much more difficult. Take a look at what you, or the people around you, are wearing. Do you see any buttons? Take a look around you and notice any items of clothing, perhaps a coat, a shirt or blouse, or maybe a dress. Any buttons?

The fact is they are everywhere in society, at home and in the workplace. They are extremely useful things and a key element in many items of fashion. So why and how would anyone develop koumpounophobia?

Why Buttons?

Bad experiences in childhood are usually, but not always, the genesis of most phobias, even if they don’t become a problem until later in life.

• Embarrassment

Something as simple as an embarrassing button malfunction as a child can lay the foundation for a fear of buttons to develop. A later repetition of such an event can turn an anxiety about buttons into a full blown phobia.

• Trauma

If someone were abused or bullied as a child, there is a good chance that the abuser would have been wearing clothing with buttons. This may be just one of the characteristics to which the victim becomes sensitised.

Choking on a button can be a very real possibility for a small child that has been sucking on an item of clothing, maybe for comfort. The powerful emotions around such a traumatic event can cause the idea and sight of buttons to be a future source of anxiety or even terror.

• Learning

Nevertheless it is possible to learn a phobia from a loved one such as a caregiver, or a sibling like an older brother or sister, especially when that person already has koumpounophobia. I believe this is what gives rise to the idea of button phobia being an inherited fear.