Balloon phobia..... do you have this??
By vikkiz
@vikkiz (518)
February 17, 2011 5:13pm CST
Today i had a panic attack, a big one.
I hear you ask why?? The answer would be, my sons birthday.
When i was 2 years old my god brother thought it would be a good idea to sneak up behind me and pop a balloon in my ear.
Bad mistake as i have been absolutely petrified of them ever since and it seems to be getting worse.
I cannot be around balloons? just knowing they are in the next room tightens my chest.
Its not so much the balloon but the knowledge that the balloon could pop!
Kids grab them and squeeze them and i quite literally cover my ears and make a dash for the nearest exit.
Tomorrow my son is 6, I had his birthday party yesterday (minus any balloons)
But tonight after putting decorations up, my mother showed up to give me a pack of balloons she had bought for me to put up, i could have killed her as she knows what im like.
I decided that im 25 years old and should be able to put up a balloon?!
I opened the packet and i was already very nervous, i took the balloon out the packet, I tried to blow it up and kept loosing my nerve thinking it would bang whilst blowing it up.
I summoned his dad who blew the balloons up and put them on the bench for me.
Next i attempted (and i stress ''attempted'') to put the first balloon on the wall, the tape got stuck on the balloon and i literally jumped off the sofa screaming for my life knocking my £300 canvas off the wall in the process.
I then decided it was time to give up before i had a heart attack.
It was when i decided to cook myself a late supper that i realised the balloons were in the kitchen and i had to put the hot oven on!!
I was practically crying to my partner to move them and then my chest went tight, i couldn't breath and i panicked!! My partner had to rush and get an inhaler from upstairs before i passed out.
The balloons are now floating around outside somewhere as i CANT have them in my house!
Does anyone else have this phobia?? I know its a funny phobia i just can get over it??
2 people like this
5 responses
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
18 Feb 11
Oh, you poor thing!
I too have a phobia when it comes to balloons, although it's not quite severe as that. I think it all started back when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old. A friend of mine and I had bought some "giant" balloons one day. When we got back to our street we started blowing them up. As we only had one each we'd let them deflate and then blow them back up.
Well, I was blowing mine up for the umpteenth time and I was letting it get pretty big when...BAM! it blew up in my face! Needless to say it scared the crap out of me! LOL I didn't like balloons much after that. Still don't. However, through the years there have been times I've put aside my fear and have been able to deal with being around them. I just usually plug my ears when I'm around them, at least when they are being blown up or I know they're going to pop, unless I'm the one popping them, that is. LOL Once they're inflated and tied, I don't have a problem with them.
This might sound crazy, but try popping a few...or more inflated balloons by stomping on them. It might just help you overcome your fear, or at the very least not be so afraid of them. Trust me, it works. After all, it helped me some.
Good luck and happy mylotting!
1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
19 Feb 11
Not to worry dragon. It happens to the best of us sometimes. 
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
18 Feb 11
I wish I'd read this before I posted because I said the same thing! It's all about taking power back.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
17 Feb 11
I never had this problem, but I know it can be very real. I have had balloons pop around me and it does bother me,, but it was never that bad for me. I have heard of people going through systematic desensitization. I could try to summarize what it says in Wikipedia, but it would be easier to include the link so I don't get it wrong: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systematic_desensitization. The way I see it, you might be able to learn the relaxation techniques it talks about and then expose yourself to a single balloon or have someone in another room pop a balloon. I don't really understand it, but who knows, it might work.
1 person likes this
@vikkiz (518)
•
18 Feb 11
I dont think ill ever overcome it, It really stresses me i was wondering if anyone else suffered from it, when i was younger it also made me scared of fireworks aswell, the anticipation of the bang but i seem to have overcome this, i still stand with my fingers in my ears but at least i can stand and watch.
With balloons it really freaks me out.
Plus im not a scared person ive never been put under anaesthetic as i cant withstand the pain, I also gave birth naturally nothing really phases me so a lot of people laugh that im afraid of such a stupid thing like a balloon.
2 people like this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
18 Feb 11
You've never been under anesthesia? That I find incredible! During my recent surgery, I had an epidural for almost a week and then they had me on pain pills until I was out of the hospital. I don't take them any more, but I don't do well with pain. I don't think that kind of fear is funny. I don't know if it can ever be overcome, but if you were able to get used to watching fireworks you might be able to some day get over a balloon. If not, don't worry about it! You are who you are and don't let anyone try to change you. If they don't like it, that's their problem, not yours. OK?
1 person likes this
@Tushavi (2077)
• Karachi, Pakistan
18 Feb 11
Oh! first of all I am feeling sorry to you, & I also have Instant Happening Phobia, do you know wat it is??? I am confused & shocked when something happens very fast or unexpectedly, I am sure your ballon phobia is kind of one, because you fear for fast & shocking situation,
@dreamnishu (1247)
• China
18 Feb 11
hello friend!
i do not any type of phobia about balloon i like balloon so much.oh i feel so sad about to know your discussion.now i also feel scary about balloons.i really try to be care full next time for balloon.no its not so funny.we should take care.
thanks a lot for your information.
