For me, certain sounds are actually painful...like someone is plucking nerves out of my spine!!! The dentist can't use dry cotton in my mouth. AAAHH...the thought makes my ears, bones, teeth, all over hurt! I am biting my cheeks just thinking about it! Some other bad ones: when the metal of a pencil scrapes against the paper, a dry napkin touching someone's teeth, or coins on certain table tops. Agony! I don't understand why some people find it funny to tease about it. I'd honestly rather be punched in the face than hear any of those sounds! It's so weird.
It's a real phobia by: Mee Myself
I am afraid of cotton balls. The noise, texture, and the sight makes me want to cry and it makes me feel sick. Michael Jackson had the same phobia. It is known as well i cant remember how to spell it so look up cottonball phobia.
yay i'm not alone X_X by: natasha
cottonballs, qtips, yarn, i can't take up knitting because the feel of yarn on my fingertips makes my skin crawl lmao it's so wierd
cotton is ubsurd by: Gwen
HOLLLLYY... i honestly thought i was the only chick that hated cotton ... people never undserstood why i an unable to go near nativity scenes at christmas... or take an advil out of a bottle... i honestly am disgusted by the texture, the sound it makes if someone touches it, the look of it .. it makes me want to throw up>> ugh i dont even like saying the word
Death to Cotton balls by: Anonymous
Just reading these comments about touching cotton balls is making me sick. Finally found out I'm not the only cotton ball phobic in the world.
coped with a headache by: Anonymous
I too am sickened by the texture of raw cotton balls. I have coped with mega-headaches for hours because I couldn't pull the cotton out of a tylenol bottle... Not even with a pencil. The feel of cotton pretty much makes me mental.
Proof I'm not insane by: Chris
Finally somewhere other people have this! I have been telling people for years we almost throw up every time I touch cotton balls.
What is this called? Cottonballphobia?
Not Ony Cotton Balls.. But Napkins. by: Anonymous
When I Rip A napkin.. I Cringe. I Get That Annoying Tingly Sensation >.< Its Horrible.
Cottonballs are the worst! by: KBTX
My husband just cannot understand how I hate cotton balls so much. The texture is awful! It's like nails on a chalkboard. And sorry to gross all the guys out but tampons are that same texture and even thinking about a tampon makes me feel lightheaded and I've even felt like I was going to pass out before! Worst texture ever.
uhg by: Anonymous
Uhhgg i get the same thing with carpets (wool) and velvet and nylon stockings and towels. But especially cotton balls and q tips. I hate hate hate the texture, and my teeth literally hurt. Nobody understands. I am an otherwise normal teenager, all honors classes blah blah blah...I don't have autism or anything like that. Uhg.
I'm so happy im not alone! by: Brandi T.
people always look at me like im crazy when i say cotton balls make my teeth hurt.I HATE COTTON BALLS! when i remove the nail polish of my nails with cotton balls my teeth hurt so much.it's just ugghhh
cotton ball hater by: Anonymous
whenever i touch a cotton ball and rip it apart, i have this tingly feeling its like i want it out right away... i agree and secretly like the taste but when you think itsa used to absorb thing usaully used in hospitals the thought makes you sweat..
Hate Cotton by: Anonymous
So Glad I am not the only one. I hate the feeling just everything about cotton balls, i also hate the feeling of pulling on a carpet, wet sweaters, anything with that gross texture yuck!
Soft stuff! by: Anonymous
Omg, Ok, i've always got goosebumps and cringed if I rubbed my hand across carpet, but lately, it's been everything soft. My clothes, covers, cotton balls, my own hair..I get goosebumps everywhere, cringe and make a weird face uncontrolably. Is there a cure or anything for this? It sucks!
cotton balls are disgusting to touch and look at by: Anonymous
I HATE COTTON BALLS SO MUCH! the sound when you rip them apart makes my teeth hurt and chills all over my body. ew
I feel your pain !!! by: Amy P.
Ever since I can remember I have HATED the feeling of cotton balls! Anyone I admit this to seems so amused by chasing me with them (thanks sis!). Just the thought of them makes my teeth hurt and makes me want to flick my fingernails on my teeth. I can only use a Q tip if I wet it first and even that is horrible! I don't understand why people find it so funny to see my reaction, it really is horrible!
Wow! by: Macey
I didn't realize this was a real phobia! But I have it! I kind of found it by accident and now i feel much better.Everyone thought I was just being "difficult". My mom still thinks it's crazy. And lots of people torment me about it. I hate doing my nails because I can't remove the old polish. I make my mom do it because I can't touch cotton balls. And it isn't so much a fear as it is a sensitivity. Well, it's not a fear at all. I'm not scared of cotton balls. Haha! i can only imagine a giant cotton ball chasing me through a forest, not like that at all. It sends shivers. Same as nails on a chalk board. Crazy thing, that doesn't bother me so much. Cotton balls and boys are my weaknesses.
GAHH by: Austin
Everyday at school my amazing friends bring bags of cotton balls and chase me in band... so much fun. i just cant touch them sends shills down my spin. IM NOT WEIRD
ahh by: Niki
From the first post: "That sends shivers down my spine and makes my teeth hurt."
OMG I have the SAME EXACT PROBLEM :( I get the oddest pain in my teeth, goosebumps, shivers... I hate cotton/wool textures... ugh
disgusting by: Anonymous
so I have alawys had a phobia persay of cotton balls. No one under stands me when I try to explain to them. Even thinking about it make me want to vomit and I get goode bumps. I especially hate the sound it makes when you rip it. my sisters think I'm lying so she got her bf to throw them at me and I started hyperventilating..
21 yrs. From California by: Jennie
My husband hates cotton balls i tell him "its ok nothing will happen." i ended up useing a cotton ball to heal his cut. he looked at me and said "i hate cotton bolls it feels like the friction is to much!" i think its strange but i guess its like i hate worms!! "EWW"
by: Anonymous
I HATE COTTON BALLS!!! im not afraid they are just terrible!!they think im scared of them so they throw them at me!!! I will cry if i have to touch it!!!!! im soo glad i found this! i thought i was the only one!!! do yall here it squeak when you pull it apart?!?! eww!! but seriously if yall can hear it squeak tell me in a comment because people think im crazy!!!
Totally With You by: Anonymous
I'm so thankful I don't have some of these symptoms! However I do have a really big fear of dry cotton balls. People look at me strangely when I cringe because of cotton. Q-tips don't usually give me any problems, unless the cotton on them I'd pulled apart. I can tolerate wet cotton balls and I can hold some of the cotton pads. My biggest issue is when I'm trying to wipe my nail polish off, because cotton is the most absorbent. I'm really glad I'm not alone.
I live a cotton ball free life by: Anonymous
As a child I had numerous earaches and my mom used cotton in my ears to hold the medicine in. Now I hate the stuff. It has a sound that's worse than nails on a chalkboard to me. It feels so dry and gross. I have a fix though. If I see it, I have to immediately plunge my hands into water or lotion. If my hands are dry when I see it or (God forbid) it touches me , I'll run or scream. I wouldn't be able to control myself. During cotton harvest season, there's little tufts of it on the road. In my mind, cotton right off the plant didn't feel the same. One day I tried to prove this to my spouse and pulled the car over to touch some. WRONG.It's exactly the same. Now seeing it on the side of the highway is very uncomfortable. I just look away.
Phobia by: Anonymous
I have this phobia. As well when I touch any cotton or even the thought I get goosebumps all over my body.
Fear of Touching Cotton Balls by: In KY
Wow...all these years I thought I was nuts and could not figure it out. I react to vinyl which is used in books, bookcovers, chairs (way back when), tableclothes, etc. The thought just gives me goosebumps. To touch it or hear it if someone scratches at it almost paralyzes me. I get goosebumps, my jaws tighten up (as if I had something sour), mouth waters and I can barely talk. Unfortunately my kids are aware of this and sometimes use it to their advantage even though I beg them not to. It is a horrible feeling. I would like to find the root cause and get cured. I am not bothered by the chalk board thing vinyl and it you take dimes or quaters (the rough edges) and rub the edges together have the same effect on me. I completely understand those that suffer from this.
Cotton Balls are Vile. by: Jojo
I AM NOT ALONE! :'D My friends are so cruel about it. The second one of them finds out about my fear of cotton balls, they try and chase me around the house with them. Here's the thing. To me, it's not an irrational fear (or should I say immense hatred). I hate the way they look. I hate their wispy-ness. I hate the sound that they make when touched or rubbed. And I HATE how they feel. It makes my skin CRAWL. Having to pull out the cotton from a medicine bottle is like Saw for me. I'm fine with bugs. I'm fine with snakes and reptiles. I love spiders and tarantulas. I'm chill with heights. I'm fine with public speaking. Hell, death doesn't even phase me that much because it's inevitable. But if you really want to fuck with my well-being, all it takes is a little cotton. Disgusting.
ew. by: Anonymous
I'm 13,and have hated the stuff for as long as I can remember. I can't touch it,and the sound of ot tearing makes me want to be sick. I thought I was the only one,and people look at me as if I'm mad when I tell them.
eww by: Sarah Dill
For many years i would get tormented with cotton balls from my sister. I can look at a cotton ball but i get goose bumps. The thought or sight of one being torn apart or the sound sends my body into a shaking spasm with goosebumps pain in my teeth and my eyes start to water. Its horrible. If i where to touch one i geek out and my hands tense into fists and i shake. Idk y it all happens im just glad im not the only one with this fear.
I dont know what to do anymore by: Anonymous
Hey. Everyone Makes Fun of me for having this phobia. Im not afraid of them, i just hate the sound they make and when ever i see one i get chills and me teeth feel funny. And NO it would definetly NOT be funny if you put us in a room with cotton its a sickness so shut up! I dont know what to do any more!!!
Ughhh! by: Samantha
I cannot believe how many people have this problem! I don't know anybody personally with it and everyone looks at me like I'm a freak if i bring it up. Not just cotton balls bother me though. I would have to say that TOWELS are the worst for me. I dread getting out of the shower & having to dry off, it's terrible. Just the thought of it makes me cringe. I don't know how long exactly I've been like this but I do remember the first time I noticed it. I was about 10 & I'm 19 now & it's only gotten worse! At first it was just the cotton balls & the ends of q-tips but now it seems like I'm finding more & more things I CAN'T touch. Ex. Chalk, sweaters, wet clothes, certain blankets, cardboard, that "snow" like packaging stuff, rugs, & the list goes on & on. It's sickening! Why hasn't anyone found a reason or a cure for this yet?! Lol.
Cotton Balls are Nasty by: Sydney (12)
I hate touching cotton balls! I can wear cotton shirts and use cotton pads, but not cotton balls. I can only touch cotton balls when they're wet, and I can barley stand to clean my ears with those swab thingys. One time at camp, there was this game that you had to rub vasiline on your nose and stick a cotton ball on the end of it. Every time I think about cotton balls, I feel like I'm eating one. It's really bad! Cotton balls are just nasty!
Scared of Cotton Balls by: Erin
It isn't just the texture of cotton balls I can't stand. I cannot be in the same room as them. I feel like if I touch them, they will stick to me and then I'll suffacate. Or the will go into my nose or mouth. I also have high anxiety.
licking? by: Anonymous
anytime my girlfriend touches cotton or anything super soft she had to lick her fingers. Its actually funny as hell, well at least for me. Oh and anytime her feet touch something super soft she has to lick her fingers and then touch her toes...Needless to say i fuck with her from time to time. I googled her condition and stumbled upon this site. Im very happy to know that shes not the only one that cant touch cotton.
omg!! by: victoria
i thought i was the only one afraid of cotton balls , but one time in 7th grade i met this girl and she was afraid of them too! omg i really cannot touch them. Everytime i spaz out when i seea cottom ball and brothers like" wow your so stupid"
All my life by: Anonymous
I have hated cotton balls for as long as I can remember. I am not afraid of them, they just make me cringe. Cheap fleece, ice cubes crunching, dry snow, q-tips that unravel, and some unmentionables. It has eased up as I have gotten older, but the cringing will always be there I think. I use a lot of lotion and can't stant dry skin. It almost burns. I wonder if that has any connection. Feel free to email me with any personal experiences.
I HATE COTTON by: Anonymous
Yes im not crazy there is other people that hate cotton!!! every thing about it!!
I dont feel so alone now. by: Anonymous
I have had this issue for as long as I can remeber and have always been made fun of for it. But its not just cotton it velvet, fleece and other soft stuff. I also have this issue with velcrow and things that make that type of noise. I would live to be rid of this if there is any way to we need to find it
Thank God, there are other people who feel this way! by: Anonymous
Touching cotton makes me cringe every single time. I am a pharmacy technician, so all day long I am pulling cotton out of pill bottles. I also cannot touch a piece of paper after just washing my hands. I have to put hand cream on the tips of my fingers before touching any paper. I went to a restaurant this past weekend, and they had these weird, thick cotton napkins, and I just could not use it. I had to ask for a paper napkin. I am so glad to see I am not the only one who feels this way. I suddenly don't feel like a big freak!
OMG! by: Julia
I can't stand the touch of cotton balls, but not that as such. It is mainly Paper and sand, when I touch something soft or smooth, rocks, my hands start to rub againt my other hands and I get shivers.
A new name is needed by: Anonymous
This is definitely reassuring for my own sanity. No one gets it unless you have it this affliction, and I really do feel it is an affliction. This was a really tough read, because like many of you, just imagining cotton balls or q-tips makes me incredibly tense and uncomfortable.
But, like others posted, I don't fear or run away from cotton balls. I don't see it as a phobia, but more like an allergic reaction or tactile reaction to a certain fabric.
It is more likely "Sensory Defensiveness" which Wikipedia sums up, but unfortunately, doesn't really provide an answer. It could be genetic or learned behavior. It all depends.
cotton ball phobia by: Anonymous
I hate touching cotton balls and am constantly teased and torminted by my co-workers for it. Im a phlebotomist which means I draw blood for a living and am constantly using cotton balls. Im fine as long as Im wearing latex gloves but cant stand touching them with my bare hands and forget about removing the cotton from a medicine bottle ewwww! That sends shivers down my spine and makes my teeth hurt.
Cringe by: Lizzie
People think I'm weird when I freak out about touching a cotton ball, it's the same effect I get when hearing someone scratch their nails on the board, my teeth feel weird and I keep biting my tongue. I'm not afraid of cotton balls I just can't touch them or cotton shirts. I just had to pick up a cotton ball a few seconds ago so I used tweezers. Ps i also can't stand the sound of cotton balls being ripped!!!!!
soft,smooth textures by: logan
cotton balls are terrible, but thats not the only thing that urks me, cardboard, velvet,felt,satin, anything really soft or smooth drive me crazy.it makes my hands and feet sweat uncontrolably, ad gives me chill bumps at the same time
IT'S NOT FEAR OR PHOBIA by: dmtutu6t6
Are there ANY doctors out there with this condition? If so, please speak up! This is not a phobia. I am not afraid of cotton balls.I don't think cotton is gonna GET ME!I'm not afraid of heights, not afraid of the dark, not afraid of clowns and not afraid of public speaking(all phobias). I have a physical sensory issue with cotton and sometimes certain types of paper. Calling it a phobia is completely wrong. I am sorry so many people have the same problem that I do but it is comforting to know that my sister and I are not the only ones. My wife started to read this page but stopped and said we are all a bunch of wierdos. However, she doesn't think it's wierd at all that she and countless others can't stand the scratching of a chalk board. IF THIS CONDITION IS GONNA HAVE A NAME, LETS GET ONE THAT MAKES SENSE!!!!!
Hmm by: Anonymous
It would be funny to put all of you cotton ball fearing people in a room, and dump cotton balls all over you. SWIM IN COTTON!
I can't touch coton balls or anything like them by: Anonymous
When I try to to touch a cotton ball, it makes my teeth hurt. It's like the feeling one gets if someone scrapes a nail across a chalk board. When my babies were little before Pampers and the like I could not fold or touch the just washed cotton diapers without putting lotion on my finger tips. Sometimes I have even spit on my own fingers if there is no one around to take cotton balls out of my medicine bottles. I really think it has something to do with how we are each "wired" nureologically. That is my uneducated guess.
Cotton balls are disgusting! by: Anonymous
I'm 15 and I HATE cotton balls. Not like a cotton shirt, but the cotton pads and balls. Whenever I see one I have to walk away from them. They are just gross feeling and looking. When I saw Elf he ate the cotton ball and I flipped. I'm glad I am not the only one! They make me want to puke:(
I'm not the only one???/ by: Rukayat
I'm not afraid of cotton balls, but I can't touch them, and don't even use q-tips to clean my ears *shivers*. And I hate touching wet sweaters, lol
Cotton Balls by: Anonymous
WOW!!! Here I sit googling all of the things that my body seems to have no tolerance for and I decide to google cotton balls. My mouth waters and I get the chills when I even think about cotton balls. UGH.... I am cringing as I type this. Ironically enough, my Grandma was the same way with felt and I have to agree that felt makes me cringe too. What a relief to see all of you out there who share the yicky feeling of touching a cotton ball. I don't even want to talk about static electricity. I cary Static Guard in my purse and dowse myself with it daily. HA.
Cotton--balls.. eww! by: Anonymous
i seriously thought i was the only one who hate the touch of cotton balls.. people make fun of me for it, but i have NEVER liked them. when i get the medicine things and they have the cotton balls on top, i freak out and make my dad take them out. the last time i touched one, i wanted to cry. the feeling on my skin just repulses me. and, the crunch of the snow.. i don't like that one bit, but i never put the two together. and, i live in Alaska, so i kind of have to get over that one..
SICK!! by: Anonymous
Im Not The Only One!!I HATE Cotton Balls!!They're So Gross!Some Guys At School Found Out I Don't Like Cotton Balls So They Brought A Whole Bag Of Them To School And Tortured Me For Like A Week Til They Ran Out:(
holy crap me too!! by: Callista
I totally have this exact problem. I can't STAND even the thought or feeling of dry cotton balls! I can handle dry ones, but my aunt has the same problem and can't stand dry OR wet ones. And the snow thing is so true too. Not necessarily the sound, but the FEELING is just disgusting. Everyone makes fun of me for this. But it's like the equivalent of someone scraping their fingernails across a chalkboard. It gives me those chills.
Cotton balls:/ by: Kaley (15)
I'm sooo glad I'm not the only one, everyone in my grade teases me, one day this kid brought a bag of cotton balls to school to scare me, I ran out of the room screaming! Everytime I see a cotton ball touch a cotton ball I get the heebie jeebies and goosebumps all over, some clothing makes me do the same, I can't read a book with out putting lotion on my fingers or vasaline or something to make them wet, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who freakkkks out about a simple little cotton ball
cotton balls are evil by: Susie
I knew other people shared this fear but never knew there were so many others out there like me. I attribute my fear to having many ear infections when I was a child. My mom would shove cotton balls in my ears and the noise was maddening!
COTTON BALLS...YUCK by: Kricket0417
I ABSOLUTELY HATE COTTON BALLS like to no end. I hate how they sound, feel, look, anything about them i hate. I have no idea why they bother me so much. I hate them and i hate ppl who make fun of it. Regardless if it is something that could physically hurt me or not it still is a phobia! Ppl dont understand and i hate when ppl think they can solve your problem by throwing it in your face. ex: episode on maury where the women has a phobia of cotton balls an he brings out a giant cotton ball man! That was literally painful to watch. Poor women was TERRIFIED!! as was I cause i had to change the channel. Im happy there are ppl out there who understand what im going thru. I appreciate ALL of you.
i hate cotton balls by: Anonymous
Its not only cotton for me...i hate fleece and cardboard. Just the thought of cotton balls, extremely soft material like fleece, or the sound of cardboard boxes being opened makes my head tingle and my teeth hurt. I knew I wasnt the only out there...im just glad to have found this site so I dont feel so weird about it.
Not Alone by: BHA
I really don't mind comforters, clothes, socks, carpets, or other things that are made of cotton. I also love snow, so the crunch when you step on it doesn't bother me either. However... cotton balls are of the freakin' devil. I literally can't stand to even hear the crunch or "squeak" when someone ELSE smooshes them. A friend of mine didn't believe me when I told them about this embarrassing fear until I held one infront of them. They could see goosebumps all over my arms, face, and even legs. My hand even started to shake. She still picks at me about it, and so do some of my other friends, but at least they believe me! I really don't know why I hate them so much. It's not like they're scary or anything like that. It's just a horrible, vile, unnatural object in my opinion, and I've thought that about cotton balls since I can remember. It seriously makes my heart race a little to even imagine touching a cotton ball. Thank God I'm not the only one with this problem!
Yay by: Anonymous
This makes me crazy happy, I have had this fear for as long as I can remember. My grandmother had this white fluffy rug, I while everyone else loved the feeling of it, I had to jump over it. I hate cotton balls, the only way I can touch them is if they are wet, I am always worried when I get things out of the washing machine because something might feel like it, and a lot of time I have to have someone with me shopping so they can test whether or not an artical of clothing is going to freak me out. I always get teased, people don't take it seriously as a phobia so they always chase me with cotton balls when they find out, so I have to keep it a secret. I hate going to the doctor and having to explain why they can't touch me with cotton. I am just really glad that I am not the only person.
Also, I hate stepping on cruchy snow too! someone else said they did, me too!!! I don't know if anyone else has this also, it falls in the same category of feelings, but I really hate sand on the beach that isn't wet, but isn't dry, like that slightly wet sand, ick!
So super happy!!!
wow by: NP
i have had this problem for my entire adult life. I am in the health care profession, so this can really be a challenge. My worst experience is when I need dental work. I gag uncontrollably if gauze or cotton is used!
UGH! by: Tamsy
I have an extreme fear of cotton balls weather they're wet or dry I hate them... A few years ago I told a friend about this and she chaised me around her apartment trying to touch me with them, I seriously started balling my eyes out. It is comforting to know that I, however, am not the only one with this strange fear.
The feeling makes me want to vomit by: Anonymous
Im so glad im not alone on this I thought it was just me cas none of my friends or family have this they think its funny to tease me about it and shove them in my face.I dont mind when they are wet but the feeling of them when they are dry makes me want to vomit or chew on my tounge and its not just cotton balls its also things like towels and that lining u put in duvets.I think we need to make this problem more herd about so we dont get made fun of and so we can be taken more seriously about this!
what a relief..! by: Jaz
I am so happy to have run accross this site.. It's a relief to know that I am not the only person with this embarrassing problem. Cotton balls, themselves do not scare me because generally when I use them, they are wet (using nail polish remover, peroxide, alcohol etc..) but the mere thought of pulling my clothes out of the dryer makes my heart race, palms sweat and the sensation that seems to run from my fingertips up to my teeth makes me either want to chew my tongue or gag! LoL..The only thing that makes me feel better in situations like: folding clothes, writing, reading a book, making my bed etc.. is to put enough lotion or vaseline on my fingers (particularly my knuckles) that my fingers are slippery..If i even SEE someone wipe their hands accross a bed spread or carpet or something, i get the chills from the inside out and imediately i am vigorously rubbing my hands together and making weird faces trying to avoid chewing my tongue..LoL..Well, glad to know I am not alone but as many have said. I , also can and will get through it without surgery..Good luck all.. I think we need to reach out to someone like Dr.Oz or someone who can bring it to the world as a serious neurological episode as opposed to a phobia... I bet there are millions and I would like to know the statistics myself, as to how many of "us" there are..just a thought
Me Too! by: Anonymous
I am 15 and have had this fear for as long as I can remember. I get teased for it, I am so glad to know I'm not the only one! The feeling and the sound from cotton balls is horrible! I also don't like when you walk on snow, that crunchy sound and feeling reminds me of cotton balls.
i hate cotttton ballllllls!!! by: felicia
this can't be serious i cant count how many people think im so weird cause im deathly afriad of cotton balls & any cotton feelings . KIM i hate he sockkk thing tooo !!
I don't like touching cotton balls!!!! by: Erik
I was just joking with a friend of mine who shares the same phobia of touching cotton balls. I told her "I wonder if we're the only two people in the world who has this phobia". Luckily we are not alone. I've had this phobia since I was a little kid and don't know why. Another thing I don't like doing is stepping on snow. I hate the crunching sound of snow. I'm glad I don't feel like a weirdo...LOL
ewwww.... by: KIM
YAY I'm not alone! I can stand cotton clothing but I absolutely cannot stand touching cotton balls. Just thinking about now is giving me goosebumps all over my body and making me cringe! I work in a pharmacy so you can only imagine what I have to go through on a daily basis. I also can't stand when people rub their socks together with their feet!
Hate by: Cletus
Cotton balls make my spine shiver and I don't know how people can stand the squeaky feeling they have when you Touch them. There are some kinds I can touch that don't squeak. I only know one other person who feels the same way.
Cotton by: Anonymous
This makes me feel so much better. My husband and all of my family thinks I am so wierd because I refuse to touch a cotton ball. When I do I get goosebumps and have a strange feeling all over. When I buy medicine I will make sure that it is not the kind with cotton at the top of the bottle. I had to once pull cotton balls apart for work when I worked in a kindergarten classroom and it took me 40 min to do it. When I told the teacher why it took me so long she just gave me a puzzled look.
the fear by: Lauren
I read about some people teasing their friends or loved ones with cotton. My boyfriend used to do this to me all the time. Now he knows how frightened and sick I get from it. It's not a funny thing to do. The thought of raw cottom makes my teeth hurt. Once I'm around it my teeth hurt even more, I shake & I get this weird piercing sound in my ears. My Mom said I've been like this my entire life, I'm 28 now. But when I find the cotton in the pill bottle I lose it. I have to wait for someone to take it out for me. Q tips must be wet also for me to use them. But I've made it this long with the fear so I guess it's ok.
My husband too by: Anonymous
My husband has the same problem, plus he cannot stand fleece. Can u imagine a NO-Fleece environment with a new born? There are so many baby items made of feece! It is a pain, coz he wouldnt touch anything that's made of fleece. I gotta b careful so one of these days he doesnt drop the baby coz she's dressed in fleece... I am super playful and I just cant resist to put some cotton or Qtips close to him every once on a while ;)
Look what my fear made me do... by: Joy
One day I picked my daughter up from preschool and she handed me one of those Santa faces where the beard is made out of (my heart is beating fast now...)cotton balls. Needless to say, I threw it down, screamed, and heart pounding leapt into the car, dragging my daughter in with me. As I sped away, heart racing, I will never forget the tears streaming down her face as she watched us drive away from her Santa which was now half-submerged in a muddy snow-puddle. I felt like the worst mother ever! She is now 11 and is very understanding about my sensitivity thank goodness. Even her doctor has a note written on the front of her file: NO COTTON. MOTHER HAS FEAR.
i am glad by: heather
For years i have had this fear and was mocked and teased by many boyfriends about this fear i am so glad to know i am not alone.. thank you
Horay, my freakishness isn't unique by: Davis
I find my throat gets super dry the millisecond I touch cotton balls or any kind of "soft cotton".
I hate them by: Anonymous
I love you all. I'm not the only one.
cotton balls by: Anonymous
Wow. Thought it wad just me. The thought of cotton balks creep me out. Makes my skin crawl. Can't stand to touch them. Good to know its not just me.
My girlfriend by: Anonymous
So I just found out my girlfriend hates cotton balls! I've never heard of this before so I stumbled upon this website to see if other people had this fear as well.
o.O by: Kelley
I cringe at the word 'cotton balls'. I saw my mother taking some out of a medicine bottle and I couldn't stand to be in the same room. I CAN'T STAND THEM! Just how they feel when you touch them disgusts me! And all of my friends make fun of me for it too. I'm glad I'm not the only one.
I do too! by: Anonymous
I too have the phobia! I'm the only one if my family and I don't know how I got it! Ive had it as long as I can remember! Strange huh?!
Me too! by: Lorafina
I have the same thing. I'm a teacher...I told my students and they think it is absolutely hilarious. They ask me explain why and I tell them that I can't get into details because if I think about it too much, I'll have a reaction! I couldn't even read more than two comments on this page because it was starting to get to me!
I told you! by: Anonymous
I have the lady at the counter remove the cotton when I purchase advil. They love me at Walgreens.
Cotton Balls {{cringe!}} by: Tanya in Colorado
Wow, I can't believe there are so many others out there that also have Bambakophobia or Sidonglobophobia. I didn't even know there was a name for it until today. I read over the past comments and I guess some people have it worse than me. I don't get sick when I touch cotton balls, but I do break out in goosebumps and get the shivers. Even seeing, or thinking about cotton balls makes me cringe. I can not touch cotton balls at all. Q-tips are pretty bad too, but I can use them as long as I get them wet first. Cotton clothes don't bother me like it does some people, but the heavy cotton blankets are a NO-GO with me also.
I'm not a freak! by: Anonymous
Ok, i'm so glad i found this site. my parents have been calling me weird for the fact that i can't touch cotton balls, or clothing that it 100% cotton. I cringe and get nauseous. I'm very picky about my clothes, and i can hardly wear socks because they make me feel like i'm gonna get sick. it almost hurts in a way. glad to know i'm not the only one!
cotton and gloves by: Anonymous
Everyone things its weird that I won't touch cotton. I get this weird feeling in my fingers and then I start to cringe. I absolutely will not get a piece of cotton out of a medicine bottle. If I have to touch a cotton ball and (off subject-SOS pads) I have to put on at least 4 pairs of gloves. I am glad that I don't have this fear alone.
I'm with all of you by: Anonymous
As long as I can remember I've had a phobia of cotton balls. It has actually progressed to the point that I can't buy the more expensive brands of toiet paper or paper towels. It may be genetic because my grandmother had the same phobia and I've met one other person who also did. I did a little research and found one article that said it was a brain defect caused by some cross wiring in the brain and could only be cured with brain surgery. As much as I am afraid of cotton balls I think I'll skip the surgery..
cotton fear by: cheli beli
my friend made me touch cotton balls and i couldnt take it and started rolling around on the ground crying and screaming it was embarrassing and at my church i help out with vbs and the kids in my group have to play a game with cotton balls and my job is to set the game up over and over again but i dont think i can do it... i dont want what happened with my friend to happen in front of all the little kids =( *tear* *sob* *waaaaaiiiiilllll*
I can't stand them! by: Anonymous
I don't like cotton balls. I hate the ones that come in the medicine bottles. I get sick when I touch them. I feel this strange feeling all over my body! I even lose my strength from my hands. It feels horrible! I thought I was the only one. My friends and family don't believe me!! Glad to know I'm not the only one!
Cotton Ball Cringe by: Anonymous
I have this too... even reading about cotton balls makes me cringe.
I only have two phobias and this is one of them.
ES Savannah
:/ by:
just thinking about cottonballs and the way they feel makes my hands and fingers go crazy and i start grinding them together in an attempt to get rid of the gross, squeaky feeling thats stuck in my mind. even now, it makes me cringe. even thinking about it. people find it funny, but its really not..its something only some people will understand. if someone brings any near me, i scream and want to cry. its discusting.. sometimes its clothes.. i can only physically touch clothes with my hands for a short amount of time. i can't wear cotton gloves, or the toe socks because the gross feeling in between them. jdsoaivnhjasdklvaewml yuck.
sqeeky coton wool by: Anonymous
yuk gives me goosbumps it sqeeks i allways had this phobia i think their is a name fore it cheril cole girls aloud has it
... by: Normada
My phobia isn't about fearing of cotton, But I couldn't find something similar to it so ... I can't stand touching scratchy towels when my hands are dry. first I must wet my hands with water and than touch and wipe with it. it's so ... exhausting . wet my hands ,touch towel , wet my hands touch towel ... sometimes I feel like a crazy person. but ok Google consoled me , I'm not the only one =)
Amazing by: Anonymous
This site is amazing! My friends all make fun of me because of this but even just reading the comments on this site make me want to vomit. I can't stand to think about cotton balls. My worst day is when I have to get Tylenol or some pills that have that awful, disgusting cotton in the bottle. Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one!
OMG me too by: nicole
Even reading the other comments make me cringe. I swear pure cotton/cotton balls has a sound that when i see it it pierces my ears and i feel it in my teeth (i want to grind them) and i get chills. I totally freak out. oh and the worst is a bottle of pills, some come packed with cotton on the top, no matter what i have my husband open all pills in fear that there might be cotton in them.
I wish i could get over this fear, any ideas. i have a new baby and it seems like cotton is used for everything, i need to be able to assist baby.
its not just the cotton wool by: Anonymous
i've had this phobia of cotton wool balls and wet wool as long as i can remember it only seems to be when i compress it down between my fingers to the core where it squeeks and makes me want to vomit, my teeth are itching just thinking about it. in the last 20 years or so i found another issue with the feel of the squeek in fresh snow as it compacts under your feet and walking bare footed in very dry sand. whilst trying to be rational about this i belive its some kind of nerve thing and i'm not sure if its related but in my life i've had a lot of problems with the nerves in my teeth and its my teeth that start to feel funny with the thought of cotton wool. Your not on your own
cotton balls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by: bryon
I had to google to find out if I was a weirdo or such and it is good to know I am not a crazy freak!!!!! everyone laughs and does not understand why the thought or touch and feel of cotton balls makes me tingle and I have to lick my fingers, it sends chills up my spine!!!!!!!!!!
I hate cotton balls!!!!!!!!!!!!
im in shock thought it was just me by: new orleans rose
When I think about cotton it gives me chills and goose bumps. Like someone is scratching on a chalk board. I hate cotton even though I wear it! When I get my nails done I tell them don't use the cotton honey! That's one thing people don't know about me..I hate COTTON ewwwwwww.
Ugh I HATE cotton balls by: Anonymous
I can't stand the feeling of cotton balls. The nucleus bothers me the most.. you all know what I'm talking about. The mere thought of it gives me the heebie-jeebies.. So glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Cotton clothes, towels, etc are fine. Flannel sheets bother me a little bit too I guess. I swear I'm a totally normal woman! But ick. Cotton balls freak me out.
Cotton will be the death of me by: Robert S.
Ever since I can remember, I've had a fear of cotton. The noise it makes and when I touch it, my heart beats faster and I get chills with goose bumps across my body, but the worse is that I start to lose my breath, I never understood why. I thought I was the only one so I kept it to myself. Just for kicks I googled it and it brought me to this site and found that I am not alone. Happ to know I'm not crazy :)
yeah by: Anonymous
Yeah, I can't stand cotton balls either. Cotton fabric is OK to me, but cotton balls, and especially the cotton that is stuffed in the top of pill bottles, I just can't do. The texture just really bothers me to the point that I'll make someone else take the cotton out for me. Keep in mind, I'm a 30 year old man. Same goes for cotton candy, the texture just makes me cringe, like getting tinfoil on a tooth filling. I can't believe other people have this same problem.
I thought I was the only one... by: Amy P.
As long as I can remember I have been unable to touch cotton at all. Even thinking about it makes my teeth hurt and makes me want to flick my fingernails across the bottom of my teeth. Totally weird, I know. When I got my wisdom teeth pulled, all the drilling and pulling didn't bother me too bad, but when the dentist tried to pack my mouth with cotton I grabbed his hands and freaked out and they had to pack my mouth with paper towels. Good to know I'm not the only one with this weird phobia.
Chills by: Coach Gonyea
Just the very thought of cotton balls sends chills up my spine and I get nauseated...
it's a terrible disease by: Kaya
Hello fellow sufferers. I believe my problem with this abonation of a substance is derived from my uncle as he is also a sufferer of this tragic and disturbed ailment. The pillow I sleep on is not made out of cotton but latex. I frequently have nightmares of eating cotton drowning in cotton and having cotton shoved down my throat. I hate the way it feels looking at something harmless and feeling hopeless. I would rather die than touch cotton. Dead true. I hate the spongy feeling of it and thinking about it makes my heart beat faster. It is disgusting I never use it and I had a panic attack when someone threw it at me. Xx to all out there who know what it feels to b ruled by a fluffy piece of white fabric the only known cure is brain surgery
yuuckk by: Anonymous
okay. this might sound wierd, but whenever i see/feel cotton it makes me sick.. sometimes it only makes me feel sick, but other times i actually get sick. just reading this stuff about cotton is making me feel a little sick.
ME TOO! by: Chase Harvey
I also have the weird phobia of cotton balls. Im 13 years old and at school working on projects I refuse to work on them! is there a cure?
cotton by: Anonymous
From the time I can remember, I can not touch or even be in the same room with some one that is handleing dry cotton. If i think about it or even see someone touch it. My teeth start to hurt. I know it sounds crazy, but im glad to read that there are others as myself. I have yet to find out why and or what the phobia is called.But I cant open an advil bottle without someone taking the cotton out.
eww yucky cotton by: Anonymous
oh gosh everyone always teases me about this.... ever since i can remember i have hated cotton when u touch it, it makes this squeaky disgusting sound and the feel is so horrible its almost like ur squeezing a baby bird.... oh gosh my throat is tight explaining this.... i remember when i was young my family wrapped a present for me with cotton it was horrible! meanies! ok i must stop my hands are getting sweaty and i feel grossed out... im happy to know there are others out there like me :)
ewy! by: teresa
i have a fear of cotton balls to me they're disgusting. i gag when i touch them or even when i touch a bag. i can handle them wet but other then that i get chills or goosebumps. i'm glad im not alone cuz my friends laugh at me and touch me with them...EWWWWWY!!!!!
Cotton ball . by: Anonymous
i absolutely hate the way cotton balls sound ! people may look at me like im stupid , but that noise makes me shudder and get the goose bumps . your not the only one out there !
me too by: Anonymous
I thought it was just me too. Although I read this book called "This Book is Not Good For You" and they said one of the characters had the same problem but it was not a phobia but a nerve disorder. What ever, at least i am not the only one.
COTTON BALLS by: DROCK
I hate them as well thought i was alone
Bambakophobia by: Ivy Gray
WOW. for the longest time i have been called a freak for not being able to tollerate cotton balls. they give me a queezy feeling in my tummy. i also have to get the very hard q-tips. they cant be loose woven, i made that mistake of buying those one time and when i put it in my ear it made that horrifying noise. it made me sick. ewwww. well its good to know im not the only one.
yuck by: Anonymous
My daughter and I both have this phobia, me to the point in my profession that I have to double glove when needing to use it!! ick!
Glad I'm not alone by: Anonymous
I thought I was all alone in my "fear" of cotton balls! Like most people here it's only cotton balls that I simply cannot stand to touch. Q-tips or even wet cotton balls are ok. I can stand to have them placed on me only when getting shots, when the nurse puts one under a band-aid. All my friends think I'm a total freak, and some have told me they think I'm making it up. Just the thought of touching one or hearing one being pulled apart makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I wouldn't say I'm scared of them, but that I have an intense aversion to the texture of cotton balls. It's so comforting to know that not only are there others like me, but many others!
No kidding by: Super Chicken
I'm 54. And have had a tough time with cotton for as long as I remember. How about a sweater coming out of the dryer. One of my sisters is the same. Also one of my sons.
yikes! by: Anonymous
i cant touch them either!!! EWWW! like fingernails on a chalk board!!
Same Fear by: Anonymous
I recently explained this fear or dislike to friends. I explained it as the same sound a thick snowpile of snow makes when you step on it...
I have a hard time bringing myself to touch dry cotton balls and in no can "tear" one from the package, pull them apart etc as the sound and feeling is too much for me to take. I also can handle wet / damp ones as the sound and feel is dampened.
To test me, me wife even pulled a cotton ball apart as I had a blanket over my head, I not only recognized the horrible sound but it was like pain / being tickled at the same time. I could not tolerate the sound at all.
Apparently your daughter and I are not alone in this strange fear.
Glad to know I'm not the only one!!! by: Anonymous
I am 14 and I also have this fear. It is not as severe as some cases, but I absolutely cannot touch cotton balls, and I can't stand the sound they make when you rub them together. For the longest time my parents didn't believe me when I said I was afraid of cotton balls. Cotton clothing is okay, and I can use Q-tips, because the texture is a little bit different, and they don't squeak, but the thought of cotton balls gives me goosebumps. I was thrilled to learn that I am not the only one with this strange fear. My friends think that it is really funny, and try to tease me with the cotton sometimes. So, it was nice to know that I am not alone and that there is a name for this fear. Nice to know I'm not crazy!
cant shack the feeling by: vchri92
every time i think of cotton i clench my teeth and i tense up, i think that the cotton will get caught in my nails or teeth and pull them out, i cant explain why i fear something so rediculouse but i do and i cant shack it no matter what i do, i once tryed to get rid of my fear by stuffing cotton balls in my shirt and i freaked out so much i riped the shirt off and actually hurt myself because it caught on my arm.
I'm just so relieved by: Anonymous
No one understands this. My mother has been calling it a phobia for years, but really, I know what a phobia feels like, and this isn't it. It's not that I have an irrational fear, it's that I HATE them. I hate touching them, and LISTENING to them, and I hate thinking about them. They're terrible, and there's nothing irrational about hating something that hurts every nerve in your body when you use it. I don't hate cotton clothing, or q-tips, but cotton balls and cotton pads are the WORST.
get them away from me by: Anonymous
Lke everyone here I have bambakophobia. I at least know where it started. When I was little my mom put on a circus with her class. They made fake cotton candy and ....I forgot it was fake and took a big mouth full. It's pretty bad I can,t wear anil polish because you have to take it off with cotton balls. I can manage but it is hard.
AHH!!! by: Hayley
AHH is how I feel when I even try to think about a cotton ball. The thought of squeezing one makes me cringe. I get goosebumbs and feel like I can feel the hair on my head grow. This fear of how things feel is the worst. It comes when I least expect it. Like shopping and I touch something and I get the urge to vomit. I can't even touch paper sometimes if my hands are dry. I have the same thing about how some food feels in my mouth. I don't know what's wrong with me!! My friends think I'm nuts.
EWWWWWWWW!!! by: AnnaBanana
omg they hurt to touch its like screeching on a chalk board but 100 times worse. All i have to do is look at it, think about it or shake the medicine bottle when i know its in there. It has a squeeky sound horrible. I talked to a psychic once and she told me that i worked on a cotton farm in a past life and it was the crossing over of the past life. She said i exsperienced so many horrible things (i wont go into them for time sake) that i couldnt let go of. I wanted to remember always, and so not to let such ignorance repeat itself. well who knows. I cant even touch wet yarn yucky
cotton ...please help by: Jess
I'm twenty and i also have this "phobia".I'm not scared of them asi in fearing them...i just cannot stand the sound or feel of them..i cringe when thinking of ppl putting a cotton ball in their mouth.It once go t so bad as a teen that i wouldnt even eat cotton candy. i have to let it sit in mouth for a sec so its not as "cottony?".When i get out of the shower and i have a towel on my head i freak out if someone brushes the towel against my ear!!!!some times b4 i can even touch a towel when getting outta the shower i have to put lotion on my hands to kinda make it better..i thought i was the only one until about a year ago when my aunt said she also has that fear!!!! ive been trying to look up cures and more info about it...but im not sure if its a phobia as much as it is a sensory thing....plese help me to understnd this or understand why im like this...i have 4 siblins and none of them have this
Meee toooo!!!! by: Anonymous
I also have this phobia, and so does my mom, and my my maternal grandmother had it also.
I can touch qtips, because they don't squeak. But cotton balls, cotton gauze, anything like that.. eww. I have to use tweezers to get the cotton out of pill bottles.
My dad used to tease us by chewing on a cotton ball. I could hear is sqeaking in his mouth and my stomache would churn, and I felt like I was going to throw up. It's horrible.
Bambakophobia by: jamie
i am 22 years old. i have had this fear since i was a small child. I remember making cotton ball lambs in kindergarten and it made me sick. I hate touhing anything that feels like cotton balls i feel sick. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I have bad dreams about drowning in a bowl of cotton balls. My husband this its funny to tease me with cotton balls. But i am truely scared to touch it. I never knew there were other people out there that suffered from the same fear. does anyone else know where there fear started?
Someone else 2! by: Shelby
i'm 11 and i have this 2! i can't stand them my mom thinks i'm like kidding or something i just get freaked out by them
bambakophobia -fear of cotton balls by: Anonymous
I thought I was the only one! I told a friend about not being able to touch a cotton ball because they "squeak" and they would make me shiver and my stomach would feel " bunched up" she laughed at me and said that I was crazy!
Bambakophobia by: Elizabeth
I recently saw a therapist to help me with my lifelong phobia of certain fibers, including raw cotton and wool, and she had no idea how to help me. All she could do was refer me to other psychiatrists, none of which were taking new patients, so now I am on my own trying to figure out what to do. I am terrified of the idea of getting over this phobia by being around it, but I don't think medication will really solve this unusual problem, either. I know the phobia stems from childhood when I would dream about grinding cotton balls in between my teeth. I decided to try and get help because it has started to effect my everyday life, including school, and I hate having to explain it to people when there's a situation. When I recently had surgery, they had to wrap my foot in gauze and I nearly went insane. Taking off the cast and the gauze made me have an anxiety attack. Now I have to explain to my university why I can't take a class because of this phobia and I don't know what to do.
i have this phobia too! by: CHLOE
i am 22 years old, a female, and have always had this phobia. the verfy word sends chills thru my body and my eyes tear up. i felt crazy and alone growing up and just kept it hidden away until someone would bring it up and ruin everything. my email is tynybubz 2 yahoo.com so anyone wants to talk more that's cool.
FEar of Cotten by: TVMusic
My daughter has this phobia... if she touches cotton in a bag or cotton balls, she immediatly starts to gag uncontrollably..... Only the feel of cotton does this. If I try to fool her with something different she does NOT react at all to the substitute,.....
I find this phobia amazing.....and would love to talk to others who have it
Lanzaman at aol.com
Bambakophobia by: Anonymous
I have this same phobia , its called Bambakophobia which is a fear of cotton balls or cotton.
