So, hadn't played with balloons in around 6 months after having one pop on my pump and it throwing me off for a bit. Went in to town today and bought some. Got home, and got out the electric pump. For some reason I kind of expected the first balloon to pop whilst inflating, and it did, however I was wearing headphones at the time, and it really wasn't so bad. I blew up a few more with my hand pump, then a few with the electric pump. I noticed that a few were looking a bit suspect (those little light coloured spots that look like weaknesses). Usually I would just take a pair of scissors and snip the necks so as to deflate without the pop, but I thought "F it", took a dart and popped them. I'll admit these were 12" Uniques, which I understand have one of the softer pops in the balloon world, but still.
It was so liberating. With the headphones on it wasn't an issue, just a dull sounding "Thwump". I'm pretty sure this is the first time I have deliberately popped a balloon. Knowing that there really wasn't anything to fear, I blew up some more even tighter than I usually would (to the point they were just starting to get necks, which used to always be a red flag for me). It was thrilling.
I'm not suddenly a popper overnight (though I will admit, I did get a rush of power when popping them), as I will always prefer to inflate and play with a balloon than just senselessly destroy it, but I feel like this phobia I have lived with all my life might be at least manageable, if not cureable.
I plan to blow up and pin pop a few more in the coming days. I'm thinking I'll blow them to differing levels of inflation, maybe two to each level, then pop one whilst wearing headphones, then one without, working my way up to fully inflated. I doubt I'll ever be comfortable popping a Belbal 14" without protection as they are like bloody bombs going off, and I doubt I'll ever have the guts to B2P, but getting to a place where I'm comfortable with balloons would be amazing, especially given I have two young nephews, so will likely be in situations where there are balloons and I am not in control. I might always be a little on edge, but not to the point where I am constantly watching every balloon in the room for fear of it popping.
Another advantage, it might let me get up the courage to visit and escort and have her blow up and play with balloons for me lol
So yeah, phobics out there, it might be possible for you to overcome the phobia. I certainly never felt I would get to a point where I would willingly pop a balloon, but now I'm planning to do more so build up a tolerance for it.
It was so liberating. With the headphones on it wasn't an issue, just a dull sounding "Thwump". I'm pretty sure this is the first time I have deliberately popped a balloon. Knowing that there really wasn't anything to fear, I blew up some more even tighter than I usually would (to the point they were just starting to get necks, which used to always be a red flag for me). It was thrilling.
I'm not suddenly a popper overnight (though I will admit, I did get a rush of power when popping them), as I will always prefer to inflate and play with a balloon than just senselessly destroy it, but I feel like this phobia I have lived with all my life might be at least manageable, if not cureable.
I plan to blow up and pin pop a few more in the coming days. I'm thinking I'll blow them to differing levels of inflation, maybe two to each level, then pop one whilst wearing headphones, then one without, working my way up to fully inflated. I doubt I'll ever be comfortable popping a Belbal 14" without protection as they are like bloody bombs going off, and I doubt I'll ever have the guts to B2P, but getting to a place where I'm comfortable with balloons would be amazing, especially given I have two young nephews, so will likely be in situations where there are balloons and I am not in control. I might always be a little on edge, but not to the point where I am constantly watching every balloon in the room for fear of it popping.
Another advantage, it might let me get up the courage to visit and escort and have her blow up and play with balloons for me lol
So yeah, phobics out there, it might be possible for you to overcome the phobia. I certainly never felt I would get to a point where I would willingly pop a balloon, but now I'm planning to do more so build up a tolerance for it.
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