Need help with a ridiculous phobia

georgie262

I have something similar. I wouldn't call it a phobia because I'm not scared of them but I cant stand being around them. I can't even say when it started because I think I was fine as a child and I'm fine with those expensive foil ones it's the rubber ones I can't stand. My son was given one at a restaurant the other day and I 'accidentally' popped it. Urgh! I hate them.

picklekin

meritaten wrote: »

Northern - NO phobia is a stupid phobia!

Even Anatidaephobia?

(Sorry OP, I don't mean to mock your phobia, I know its very real to YOU, it did make me smile though, but not in an unsympathetic way!)

Northern78

Thanks everyone, it's nice to know it's not just me that breaks out into cold sweats at the sight of kids playing with balloons!!

Picklekin that made me laugh! Now that really would impact my life as we seem to spend most of our life feeding the ducks with DS

Errata

Northern - as you can see, what you experience with balloons and fireworks is very common. The only advice I can offer is that you clench your teeth and grin and bear it - that will be good practice for when your LO turns into Kevin the Teenager;)

Stevie_Palimo

There are some very strange phobia's when you think about it and I am not taking the pee.


I had a ex partner who would avoid cracked paving slabs which I could never figure out and in the end just left her to it.


Some strange phobia's below :-


http://www.buzzfeed.com/justinabarca/weird-phobias-that-you-may-not-even-know-you-have

hunnie

Hello,
I have never liked balloons, especially as a child when it seemed I was expected to like them!


I have, however managed to have them at my children's birthday parties by :
Not inflating them too much
Having them high up as decoration not to play with
Giving them out to take home as the children left


Nowadays Helium filled ones are a good idea as I don't think they 'pop' the same.


I hate fireworks also, so went to organised displays with the bairns so that they wouldn't miss out but always stayed well away and watched from a distance really!
Never had any myself in the garden.


I am sure you will find ways to cope as the need arises.
Regards
Hunnie

Sandhy

OP, I have the same phobia as you. No advice though
Just to say you're not alone :grouphug:

Roxie

I had a silly phobia about a specific toy for years and I eventually got treatment for it. Now although I don't like the toy, it doesn't bring up the 'fight or flight' response and I even bear to pick it up.

I do remember the therapist asking what I thought would happen to me if I couldn't 'escape the toy' (ie I would run out of the room and lock myself in the toilet) as I truly thought I would have a heart-attack and die the fear was so great She said that actually no, you won't, when you reach the peak of fear your heart rate will then slowly stabilise and the 'analysing' side of your brain will start to cope and make sense of your responses, rather than the 'response' side of your brain which activates the fight/flight.

This did make sense to me, and with help and slowly being de-sensitised to the toy I got over the phobia. You could try it yourself if you can bear to have an uninflated balloon in the room with you? When you are used to this, get someone to slightly inflate it and gradually build up the inflation and your exposure to it.

If you cant face this then do go to your GP who will refer you, I had cognitive behavioural therapy, you CAN get over this

Northern78

Roxie do you think a doctor would be interested? What I mean by that is it's not like it's a life affecting phobia as in something I have to deal with every day. I'd hate to think I was wasting their time. I'd be more than willing to pay for some help privately but I'm just sceptical about finding someone who is reputable and not just going to take advantage.

I don't want to end up doing chicken impressions everytime someone mentions the word balloon!

meritaten

Northern - you could ask your GP if they know of a good hypnotherapist if you would like to try that first. tell them you are willing to go private of course. other than that its 'yellow pages' and take a chance!