I have had a phobia of buttons ever since I can remember (I'm 33
now). I didn't actually realise it was a phobia until I was maybe 16
or 17. I had grown up being very afraid of buttons, & couldn't
understand why no one else seemed to be. It seemed to me to be
something which everyone should obviously be afraid of. Can't
explain it at all.
It's the smaller, shirt-type buttons that are the worst. I would
never voluntarily wear any clothing with buttons - that to me is
just unthinkable. If I'm in a room with clothes lying around, or
even hanging up, I will always re-arrange everything so that no
buttons are showing anywhere.
I too was amazed to find out recently that there are actually other
people with this phobia. I have only ever told one person about this
ever (an ex-girlfriend), as I would find it too embarrasing to tell
friends etc., & I'm scared people will think it's just too weird.
Which it probably is, I suppose.

--- In unusualphobias@yahoogroups.com, "Jen" <clemie44@y...> wrote:
> i could not believe it when i searched the internet looking to see
> if anyone else shared my fear of buttons. i was surprised to find
> that there are other people like me, and im pretty much the exact
> same as what u described. ever since i was little i have hated
> buttons, i hated even looking at them, and touching them was by
far
> the worst! i remember if i was eating my breakfast in the morning
> and my mom or dad were wearing buttons, i would put the cereal box
> in front of me so i wouldn't have to look at them and be grossed
> out. i could never touch them, and if i did, i would wash my hands
> before i had something to eat. i remember one time too, in grade 3
> when we had to play a game in class involving buttons, and they
were
> large ugly ones, and i had to touch them cause i didn't want
people
> knowing about my weird phobia. my family could not understand why
i
> didnt like them, my mom would always say that i would wake up one
> morning and she would have buttons all over my bed just to freak
me
> out, and it would for sure! fortunately she never did, lol. im 19
> now, and im better than i was when i was little, i'll wear buttons
> if i absolutely have to, but it still bothers me.
>
>
>
> --- In unusualphobias@yahoogroups.com, Raquel DApice
> <TheUglyVolvo@y...> wrote:
> > Haven't heard of any treatments. I don't believe phobias can be
> genetic since all fears (withthe exception of falling, I believe)
> are learned. That's odd that both your wife and son are afflicted
> though!
> >
> > I had a fear of buttons that popped in around the same time-- 2
> and a half. I just refused to wear what had previously been my
> favorite dress since it had buttons up the back. We have no idea
> what happened. Nothing traumatic has ever really happened to me.
> > I'm only moderately afraid of buttons now-- I'm fine with larger
> ones and although I don't really like small ones and it bothers me
> if I hear them clinking on the table if someone puts a shirt on a
> hard surface or if I feel them against my arm. So I wouldn't put
my
> hand in a vat of buttons or anything, but it's much better than it
> used to be. Unfortunately, this is mainly because it turned into
a
> full-blown fear of jewelry.
> > Maybe the two are connected? I have no idea ;o(
> > Good luck figuring it out.
> >
> > -quel
> >
> > petethomsen <pthomsen@u...> wrote:
> > Both my wife and 3 year old son are afraid of buttons and I'm
> hoping
> > to find a way to cure them of it. My son has had it since he
was
> 1-
> > 1/2 to 2 years old when he was able to say "no" when we tried to
> > dress him in clothes that had buttons. He also hates it when I
> wear
> > buttons to work and he won't come to me or let me hold him
unless
> I'm
> > not wearing buttons. Everyday he says "Daddy, will you wear a t-
> > shirt to work today?" When I ask him about it he can't explain
> why
> > he is afraid. Since both my wife and son have it and neither
has
> > memory of a traumatic situation involving buttons I'm beginning
to
> > wonder if it's genetic. I wonder if there is a gene that gets
> passed
> > down that causes people to be fearful of buttons? It would be
> really
> > cool if there was a study done to figure this out. Even better
> would
> > be if there would be a way to cure it.
> >
> > Has anyone found any "treatments" for this phobia? Is there a
> name
> > yet?
> >
> >
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