Well, Koumpounophobia means the phobia / fear of buttons. They say about 1 in 75,000 people have this strange phobia.

The scary thing about this is, we're faced with buttons all the time. Even if its not us wearing clothes with buttons, but youre sure to soon meet someone that is. Even a trip to the shopping mall, that is quite often a pleasureable experience for most as you search for that perfect summer top to go with the jeans you bought in the sales last month or youre looking for something to spend your birthday vouchers on, either way its supposed to be a fun time but for anyone with Koumpounophobia it can be quite the oppisite. Every turn you make there is a shop front decked out with seasons new collection all with fancy buttons on the front; shiny ones, bright coloured ones and all shapes and sizes. This sight can turn a Koumpounophobic from a very normal person to a person with sheer terror. Their heart rate starts to pound, their body starts to shake and they begin to go out of control. Of course it isnt't like this for every Koumpounophobic as some have it slight but it still comes with its own problems.

There are treatments available for Koumpounophobia all with varying degress of success but depends on each indicidual as to what works best as what works for one doesn't necessarily work for the other. Hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and reiki to name but a few.

So when yo're next on your weekend shopping trip or doing up the buttons on your new shirt spare a thought for the people who find this task so difficult.

To find more information about phobias and to get advice from specialists visit
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