Be honest, if you hadn’t heard the title of this episode, would you have been able to guess that this person was talking about a belly button? She was a contestant on Family Feud Australia in 2017, and just hearing mention of the words “belly button” were enough to trigger her.

It might sound like an extreme reaction to a belly button, but she’s actually far from being the only person to have what’s called omphalophobia. Throughout history, people’s belly buttons were almost always concealed unless they were in the comfort of their own homes, but these days seeing girls in crop tops is really common, especially in summer. That’s not great news for those with omphalophobia!

How do you explain this phobia? Can it be managed? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

What is wellness syndrome?

What are the dangers of self-diagnosis?

Is scratching a mole really dangerous?

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 28/10/2023

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