Omphalophobia
What is Omphalophobia? It's an irrationally extreme fear of bellybuttons.
I've had this phobia my whole life. Anybody who does anything the least bit intimate or naked with me knows of this phobia. I've put duct tape over it on some occasions when I couldn't speak during a scene so I wouldn't think about someone touching my navel, even unintentionally.
While it doesn't affect my life that much overall, it is something I can't forget about in the most intimate moments. I want to think navels are sexy as some others do, but I can't. The nerves just feel too raw and sensitive even for me to touch my own bellybutton. Even seeing someone else touch their own or someone else's is repulsive to me. It makes me gag and retch and want to get far, far away.
The thought of an outie bellybutton is abhorrent to me. The mere thought makes me cringe with revulsion, hide and cover mine, cupping over it with both hands, hunched over my body to add extra protection.
I've considered getting the nerve disconnected, getting a skin graft over it, getting it taken out somehow, sewing it shut, and a whole bunch of other extreme solutions to the problem.
Fucked up, isn't it?
In an attempt to rid myself of this phobia, I tried hypnosis with a trained hypnotherapist. It actually worked somewhat for a few months, but it faded away. The same hypnotherapist was sure she could fix the problem for good after that, but her second attempt did nothing at all.
I recently began doing some research on this phenomenon. I was gratified to find both that it has a name and that there are others who experience the same thing as I do, in very similar ways. Here are a few examples, in case it's of interest to you. I'm putting them in here mostly for my future reference, to avoid searching for them at a later date.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
In one of the links I read, someone said that the way they solved the problem was to get a navel piercing. While the idea initially freaked me out, it occurred to me that, if nothing else, it might desensitize her to the feeling of having something touch it. I don't know that it would have the same curing power, but the idea of not being so sensitive to anything coming near that vulnerable spot has some appeal.
At the same time, my delightfully devious partner was beginning to become quite enthusiastic about the possibility of getting that same piercing for himself. It occurred to me that it was something the two of us could do together, which meant I wouldn't be going it alone and I'd have support in case I suddenly lost my nerve.
I let him make the arrangements.
We both got our navels pierced in Woodstock last Saturday.
I have a navel piercing now. I'm as surprised as anybody else would be. I'm frankly surprised at my chutzpah at doing this to myself.
So far, the result is that I have an absolutely constant awareness of my navel. This is NOT the intended result. I'm very hopeful that this constant awareness goes away sometime soon. In addition to having the constant feeling that something is touching me there, it's also quite tender, which only heightens this feeling.
And yet, I'm stubborn enough to try to ride this out until I'm desensitized or think it will never happen. If that's the case, then I'll take the piercing out but will have at least tried to rid myself of the phobia or sensitivity or whatever the heck it is.
Wish me luck!
I've had this phobia my whole life. Anybody who does anything the least bit intimate or naked with me knows of this phobia. I've put duct tape over it on some occasions when I couldn't speak during a scene so I wouldn't think about someone touching my navel, even unintentionally.
While it doesn't affect my life that much overall, it is something I can't forget about in the most intimate moments. I want to think navels are sexy as some others do, but I can't. The nerves just feel too raw and sensitive even for me to touch my own bellybutton. Even seeing someone else touch their own or someone else's is repulsive to me. It makes me gag and retch and want to get far, far away.
The thought of an outie bellybutton is abhorrent to me. The mere thought makes me cringe with revulsion, hide and cover mine, cupping over it with both hands, hunched over my body to add extra protection.
I've considered getting the nerve disconnected, getting a skin graft over it, getting it taken out somehow, sewing it shut, and a whole bunch of other extreme solutions to the problem.
Fucked up, isn't it?
In an attempt to rid myself of this phobia, I tried hypnosis with a trained hypnotherapist. It actually worked somewhat for a few months, but it faded away. The same hypnotherapist was sure she could fix the problem for good after that, but her second attempt did nothing at all.
I recently began doing some research on this phenomenon. I was gratified to find both that it has a name and that there are others who experience the same thing as I do, in very similar ways. Here are a few examples, in case it's of interest to you. I'm putting them in here mostly for my future reference, to avoid searching for them at a later date.
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
Example 4
In one of the links I read, someone said that the way they solved the problem was to get a navel piercing. While the idea initially freaked me out, it occurred to me that, if nothing else, it might desensitize her to the feeling of having something touch it. I don't know that it would have the same curing power, but the idea of not being so sensitive to anything coming near that vulnerable spot has some appeal.
At the same time, my delightfully devious partner was beginning to become quite enthusiastic about the possibility of getting that same piercing for himself. It occurred to me that it was something the two of us could do together, which meant I wouldn't be going it alone and I'd have support in case I suddenly lost my nerve.
I let him make the arrangements.
We both got our navels pierced in Woodstock last Saturday.
I have a navel piercing now. I'm as surprised as anybody else would be. I'm frankly surprised at my chutzpah at doing this to myself.
So far, the result is that I have an absolutely constant awareness of my navel. This is NOT the intended result. I'm very hopeful that this constant awareness goes away sometime soon. In addition to having the constant feeling that something is touching me there, it's also quite tender, which only heightens this feeling.
And yet, I'm stubborn enough to try to ride this out until I'm desensitized or think it will never happen. If that's the case, then I'll take the piercing out but will have at least tried to rid myself of the phobia or sensitivity or whatever the heck it is.
Wish me luck!