http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/470774/Keeping-away-from-the-Kardashians-How-a-phobia-of-Kim-is-ruining-one-man-s-life
Keeping away from the Kardashians: How a phobia of Kim is ruining one man's life
SOME people would give anything for the chance to look like Kim Kardashian, but one man can't even bear to look at her.
By: Sarah Ann HarrisPublished: Wed, April 16, 2014
kim kardashian, kardashian, phobia, scared, afraid, kanye west, kim and kanye, sex tape, Mike Amess feels sick when he looks at Kim Kardashian[NEWS DOG MEDIA]
Mike Amess, from Exeter, suffers from a serious phobia which means he feel begins to shake and feel sweaty when he even hears the voice of a Kardashian.
The sight of a semi-clad Kim even makes him retch and vomit in disgust.
Mike said: "Just hearing the sound of the Kardashians' nasal voices or catching a glimpse of them on screen makes me feel nauseous and shaky.
"My hands get clammy, my breathing gets heavier and I start sweating. Sometimes, I get teary and want to retch."
Mike can trace his fear back to a time when he was struggling with his sexuality as a teenager.
Trying to repress his feelings, he forced himself to watch Kim's infamous sex tape.
His efforts simply had the opposite effect, leaving him traumatised.
The 24-year-old said: "I was raised Catholic and growing up, I tried to repress my sexuality and deny that I was gay.
"Loads of the boys at school were going on about how good Kim Kardashian's sex tape was. I thought I'd give it a watch in the hope it would turn me on.
"I downloaded the video and watched it secretly in my bedroom. But the sight of Kim writhing around with her huge bum and the sound of her horrible high-pitched wailing repulsed me.
kim kardashian, kardashian, phobia, scared, afraid, kanye west, kim and kanye, sex tape, Mike was sick when accidentally watched Kanye West's Bound 2 video [NEWS DOG MEDIA]
The sight of Kim writhing around with her huge bum and the sound of her horrible high-pitched wailing repulsed me
Mike Amess
"I really wanted to be aroused by her so I kept watching it but she made me feel more and more upset.
"By the end of the tape, I had burst into tears. The experience left me terrified and I never wanted to see Kim's face again.
"I have come to terms with my homosexuality now but my dread towards her has never left."
But now it's not just Kim who leaves Mike shaky and nauseous, as his phobia has extended to the whole Kardashian clan.
He said: "Kim and her sisters look and sound so similar - they're a mess. They make my stomach churn, I hate it.
"I dislike everything about them, especially their physical appearance. I don't understand how anyone could find them attractive.
"I can't stand their voices either. They're so whiny and shrill - it really gets under my skin."
Mike says that his phobia often makes life difficult, as he cannot avoid seeing Kim and her family on the covers of newspapers and magazine, as well as across the internet.
He said: "It's impossible to get away from Kim, let alone her whole family. Every website or magazine you read has them plastered all over.
"I really enjoy reading the news but if I see Kim on the cover of a newspaper or a big picture of her across a website, I won't go near it.
"It makes life really difficult. Sometimes, I miss out on a lot of important news or celebrity gossip because I have to avoid anything which features the Kardashians."
kim kardashian, kardashian, phobia, scared, afraid, kanye west, kim and kanye, sex tape, Kim and her family star in reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians [GETTY]
One of the retail assistant's worst experiences to date was when he threw up after accidentally watching the video to Kanye West's "Bound 2", which features the rapper being straddled by his topless fiancée.
He explained: "Seeing Kim naked, with her boobs bouncing about like that brought back memories of that horrendous sex tape. It was like reliving that incident all over again.
"Before I knew it, I was sweating like a pig and throwing up. When I hear 'Bound 2' on the radio now, I have to switch the station immediately."
Mike's phobia has even broken up relationships in the past and he is now single.
He said: "A lot of the gay community love the Kardashians so it makes dating tough sometimes.
"I've been romantically involved with several people who like them and each one of these relationships have ended badly.
"My last boyfriend watched all of their shows and kept up with the celeb gossip surrounding them. He thought the Kardashians were fascinating.
"We had a big argument once when he demanded to watch the latest episode of 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' whilst I was with him.
"We had a blazing row in which he called my phobia immature and attention-seeking. I ended up storming out of his flat.
"In the end, it became difficult spending time with him and definitely played a role in our break-up."
kim kardashian, kardashian, phobia, scared, afraid, kanye west, kim and kanye, sex tape, Mike tried to watch Kim Kardashian's sex tape when he was 17 but it left him traumatised [NEWS DOG MEDIA]
Friends also struggle to understand Mike's problem, sometimes mocking him for it.
He said: ""Although my mates are supportive, they always make fun of my fear and play practical jokes on me.
"Once, my friend put a picture of Kim Kardashian on his bathroom door so I couldn't go to the loo all night. It was unbearable!
"They find it hilarious but they don't realise how traumatic it is for me."
Although the phobia controls Mike's life, he is reluctant to seek medical help because he is scared of how doctors might react.
He said: "I don't know how I could face a doctor about it. I can just see them laughing in my face the minute I told them about my fear of the Kardashians.
"It would be totally mortifying."
