Don't touch my belly button

pwd

This was discussed on the radio recently.
Some people really cringe at the idea of someone touching their belly button. Are there any psychological or psycho-analytic explanations for this?

Gordon

A friend of mine had a phobia about people even looking at her bellybutton. It was a shame for me at the time as I love bellybuttons. Her case was that she was tormented in her youth by her brother as he would always try to pin her down and stick things in her bellybutton. So she was traumatised presumably. Then again she has loads and loads of other quirks and physical maladies. All part and parcel of being an actress I guess..

azezil

I was with a guy like that one, he hated me going near his belly button... Of course I couldn't resist then!

I've no idea why thou, he never said.

Drag00n79

Gordon wrote:

she was tormented in her youth by her brother as he would always try to pin her down and stick things in her bellybutton

:eek:

ST*

pwd wrote:

Are there any psychological or psycho-analytic explanations for this?

I've got a thing about my belly button too. Theres no traumatic basis for it that I recall. Having the cord cut at birth - is that a possibility? We might have no actual memory of the event but it might be worth considering that detachment from the mother might have something to do with it.

Another thing thing I cant stand is my wrists or ankles being touched, couldnt tell you whats behind that one either.

Gordon

Shamrok wrote:

:eek:

Err, I mean things like coins and small pebbles..

lostexpectation

belly buttons are wierd things, their are a sensitive area

Eoghan-psych

I would hazard a guess that, because bellybuttons are the remains of something that was literally essential for life, they are very much 'ours', and not something for other people to be interfering with.

It possibly has something to do with them being part of our 'insides', in the same way that our nostrils are out of bounds.

simu

Well, they're ticklish to touch!

But, dictators never show theirs apparently - it takes away from the immortal aura they like to create, I guess. (I don't know where I read this - may be junk).




Waits for someone to pop up with a pic of Stalin in a bellytop

Goodshape

Faerie

Shock_treatment wrote:

I've got a thing about my belly button too. Theres no traumatic basis for it that I recall. Having the cord cut at birth - is that a possibility? We might have no actual memory of the event but it might be worth considering that detachment from the mother might have something to do with it.

Another thing thing I cant stand is my wrists or ankles being touched, couldnt tell you whats behind that one either.

Wow I hate my ankles and wrists being touched too! (I'm ok with bellybuttons though!) I thought I was a freak!
Wrists are the worst, I hate looking at mine and even other people's wrists, if someone touches mine I freak out, I don't even like the word wrist! The weirdest thing is it affects me more sometimes - sometimes I get hysterical, sometimes I just really don't like them - Do you get that at all?

I think it's because they are very vulnerable parts of the body. There are arteries and veins (ick!) close to the surface and if you cut yourself there you can die. Maybe people feel (subconsciously) that their bellybuttons are vulnerable because of the umbilical cord at birth.

Attol

Faerie wrote:

Wow I hate my ankles and wrists being touched too! (I'm ok with bellybuttons though!) I thought I was a freak!
Wrists are the worst, I hate looking at mine and even other people's wrists, if someone touches mine I freak out, I don't even like the word wrist! The weirdest thing is it affects me more sometimes - sometimes I get hysterical, sometimes I just really don't like them - Do you get that at all?

I think it's because they are very vulnerable parts of the body. There are arteries and veins (ick!) close to the surface and if you cut yourself there you can die. Maybe people feel (subconsciously) that their bellybuttons are vulnerable because of the umbilical cord at birth.

I used to freak out about my wrists too until I realised how unlikely it was that I could get them injured badly enough to bleed to death. Also the backs of my knees, the really thin, weak feeling bones scared me so bad when I was younger. I got over all that when I was about 15. I used to freak out with people touching my wrists and would kick and scratch anyone who tried to touch them. I had some really mean frieds who would try touch em.

1huge1

i hate people touching the part under my wrists
you know the place were if its cut you die or something like that
it freaks me out...
other thatn that though ive no problem really

pwd

you need to cut quite deeply in your wrist to hit the artery - even then you would be unlikely to die from it if you weren't actually trying to.

ST*

I'm actually quite suprised- there are a few people who feel the same way about their wrists and ankles. (dont ask any questions and you will be told no lies about this one ) but someone kind of held me by the ankle recently - I immediatly drew back, dont think it was noticed but it freaked me out.

I'd love to know what is behind it, and whether it has been looked into..that and the belly button thing. Seeing as it bothers me enough, I think I'll look into it.

Victor

Is the wrist thing a fear of being restrained?

Capt'n Midnight

If you unscrew your belly button your bum will drop off :eek:

Does telling kids stuff like that affect them later ?

PurpleFistMixer

I know lots of people who can't stand to have their wrists touched. I frequently write myself notes on my wrist as it's a handy place and reasonably flat, but people get freaked out at the sight of it.

I don't like people looking at my bellybutton much 'cause they tend to go "ooooh you've got an outie" which I'm not overly fond of. Don't think there's anything more psychological to it than that though.

topdog8

There could be a number of different reasons for no touching the belly button but a common one is, people may be concerned about there bodyfat and this may cause them to dislike people touching the bellybuttons and over a period of time actually begin to hate it all. As for wrists this is a very sensitive area for alot of different reasons. its most commonly known that ur main life lines for ur body are found in ur wrist by even putting a little pressuse on the underside of it can make a person go unconscious. also the whole clostrophobic side of it as they are most commonly used in restaint

Tobias Greeshman

Shock_Treatment wrote:

Another thing thing I cant stand is my wrists or ankles being touched, couldnt tell you whats behind that one either.

I can't stand anyone near my wrists or ankles. I think it could be down to the achilles heel for my ankle, as it's a very sensitive part that is vital to being able to walk. As for my wrists well they're sensitive too and the idea of something sharp or pointy near them would freak me out. The poster that said about writing on his wrist with a pen, would just freak me out to watch.