Fear of Loud Bangs

[fluffyfred]

I did a search but it brought nothing up.

Anyhow, is there anyone here who like myself, has a phobia of loud bangs? In particular Fireworks and Balloons.

Does anyone have friends or family who have this as I don't know anyone else who has this phobia and I am fed up with people at work thinking it's hilarious when they decorate the office with balloons.

And for those who have unusual phobias, what do you say to people who make fun of you?

[meesey]

hi, i dont have a phobia of loud bangs as such , but they do make me really edgey... no idea why, must just be my nerves, take care, paul

[studiophil]

Globophobia, Fear of Balloons

[Rennie1989]

I hate thunder because I had a bed experience when I was 6 because we had a flood. I hate the noise!

I also hate firworks and balloons popping. It frightens me :( lol

Scooter Girl AKA Jade

[Piglet]

I don't think it's at all unusual to be scared of balloons and fireworks - I have several friends (who DON'T have anxiety problems) who jump out of their skins at loud noises and my youngest loathes fireworks.
I'm not scared of fireworks but dropped to the ground outside, like in a battlefield when one went off in a nearby garden recently, much to the amusement of all!
I think when you have anxiety you are more sensitive to things like this and think its just you - but that's not true at all, its a very normal reaction.
Perhaps your phobia is more about the noise they make than what they are - bet if you had earplugs in you wouldn't be bothered.
Love Piglet

[weeble]

<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I did a search but it brought nothing up.

Anyhow, is there anyone here who like myself, has a phobia of loud bangs? In particular Fireworks and Balloons.

Does anyone have friends or family who have this as I don't know anyone else who has this phobia and I am fed up with people at work thinking it's hilarious when they decorate the office with balloons.

And for those who have unusual phobias, what do you say to people who make fun of you?

<div align="right">Originally posted by fluffyfred - 09 October 2004 : 22:13:01</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote"> No prizes for guessing why you posted this in October, from a fellow sufferer who takes extreme avoidance action and usually plans to be out of the country by Nov 5th! I hate balloons / fireworks / sounds of shooting (even distant) - even the cozy log fire that everyone else finds so relaxing can be a torture if the wood spits too much or too loudly. I used to love theatre, but don't go any more because of the potential for gun shots / thunder noise effects and the like. You might be interested in the RNID (Royal National Institute for the Deaf) website and search "Hyperacusis" which may - if you have a general low tolerance to loud sound - offer part of the solution - but if you're like me it will only be with a good dose of phobia management thrown in. Best of luck.

[Craig]

Just read this. I thought this was only me!

I cannot stand loud bangs (feels like I'm being shot whenever I hear one). This is even to the point that if there is a baloon in the house and it is in danger of popping, I sit there very uncomfortably for ages.

Funny though, handling baloons myself doesn't bother me (I'm not going to pop it!). But any impending loud noise (fireworks, baloon in hands of children/manic uncle, someone blowing up a baloon, etc..) is really really unfortable for me.

[LisaJ]

I hate Balloons, try getting me in a room when someone is blowing one up...forget it I'm outta there.
I'm lucky that my family understand it, I did have a really bad experience with a balloon when I was a kid so they take that as my reason for being the way I am. Doesn't help when you go somewhere strange and theres balloons everywhere, I just leave the room/building, and dont care what anyone else thinks, I can't stand it that much I dont hang around to see what others think. So you are most definatly not alone with this one.

Thunder at night I hate, but thats more the lightening that the thunder that I dont like.

[fluffyfred]

I'm so chuffed that there's others like me around!

I just recently started a new job and they're big on balloons when doing their incentives. My supervisor thought it was really funny at first and sat there rubbing a balloon, but she soon got the hint and has been very understanding since.

I don't know what caused mine, I used to be fine handling balloons but now I just can't. I touched one when I was helping to decorate a room for a family party and it burst in my hand, I've not touched one since.

I have a memory of asking my dad for fireworks when I was about 4 and I didn't like them but I was forced to stand outside and watched them so I think that could be a reason why I don't like them.

I did however, the day after bonfire night, get my hubby to buy loads of the 'silent' fireworks and after wearing my earplugs and getting a couple of drinks to relax me a little more, I lit a few of them so I feel like I've got somewhere.

I've just remembered that a work colleague was saying their housemate does hypnosis so I might ask her if that covers phobias as well, it's worth a shot isn't it?

fluffy

[seh1980]

I don't have a fear of loud bangs but I really hate them. Always cover my ears if a balloon is about to be popped..:D

"Life is too important to take seriously" Corky Siegal

[leo05]

well i hate loud bangs too other day i was in town and someone drop something and i jump a mile ppl must have thought that i was crazy i have an allergy to balloons and hate them so much

[fluffyfred]

Thanks for the replies guys, it helps knowing I'm not the only one:D

Thanks for your reply especially Nigel, I'm going to enquire about the hypnosis as soon as I can afford it, I think it's something I really need to try and conquer within the next few years.

[Sue K with 5]

It's weird


I love to see balloon, but I cannot stand them in my house, I dont like he texture or them being close to my face and when they go bang I jump out of my damn skin.

I am not sure why and to be honest if I started to thinki deeply about it I would scare the hell out of myself, but Nigel could be righ hypnosis might be a good way to deal with your fear


Good luck

Sue with five children

scknight

[fluffyfred]

My Brother in Law had some fireworks tonight, he only let off a few but I had to go into another room so that my Son couldn't see that they scare me.

I wasn't too bad though, I've been on beta blockers for a few weeks now for some mild anxiety attacks but I think they help with my phobia because I wasn't so bad with them.

We're going to have a fireworks display at my house this year but I'll be wearing my earplugs for a bit until I get used to them. I'm really looking forward to it.

Nottingham Panthers...Woo-Hoo. Dion Darling is gorgeous!!

[desperate]

Mine is not a fear more of a startle and a jump from my nerves.

First Anxiety...then panic attacks...now GAD and depression...now working on a better future!

[LooksLikeRain]

I wouldn't say that I have a phobia of loud bangs.. but I'm definitely edgey.

When I was little, my father would pop balloons infront of me for misbehaving.
Then my mom had a violent drunk boyfriend who would break things (we lived in a trailer so it was really really close)
When I used to walk the dog in the front yard and a semi would drive by, the roar of the truck would make me edgey.

If people at work are harassing you, can't you talk to the manager?

We Don't Have To Live In Fear No More

[pixie_xxx]

I'm glad there are other people out there who are globophobic like me.

At my boyfriends birthday party I struggled to breathe and was sick several times because there were balloons there, and just telling people about it makes me shake.

Everyone I know laughs at me because it's such an irrational fear that only started a few months ago and no-one know why... :(

I feel so isolated. If anyone else who is globophobic can get in touch with me because I need someone to talk to who understands me.

[xGiannax]

I too have globophobia, and also a phobia of any loud sudden bangs; party poppers, gun sounds (even those toy cap guns), fireworks, balloons etc.

I hate balloons. Ever since I was little really. I don't mind them if they are left alone, say in the corner of a room where I know for sure no-one will touch them (Although I still have in the back of my mind "what if some one throws a sharp object at it?"). The worst scenarios are when small children or irresponsible adults play with them, because nearly 99% of the time, they seem to pop.

Last week, I was on holiday, waiting for the entertainment to come on with my parents, when a balloon suddenly landed in my lap. I nearly had a heart attack! I also hate modelling balloons; the sound of them being twisted is awful.

Im also glad to hear I'm not the only one out there! It can be quite embarrassing though because of my age (14), as others are not always so understanding about it.

[:X]

[Antipodes]

Hi LooksLikeRain,

I have read your post and also the replies.

What you describe sounds to me like what is known as "Exaggerated Startle Response". It is one of the range of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder ("PTSD") which is what I have (sigh). I'm not suggesting you have PTSD but if you have other symptoms like "Hyper Vigilence" and issues with memory and concentration and other problems you might check it out and see your GP.

If it is ONLY things like loud bangs that startle (and not suddenly being surprised when the postman suddenly appears) I think you'd do well to mention it to your GP.

I hope you don't have PTSD.

sincerely

Antipodes

[andrea568]

Hi, I am absoloutely terrified of Balloons, so much that I can pass out, I'm a narcoleptic and seeing a ballon can give me an attack. I am also terrified of clowns with the same effect.
I have tried that therapy where you face your fear but I just passed out.

Andrea xx:unsure:

[pyranha]

hi,
feels good to know that i*m not alone with this.

Balloons, Fireworks, or even some motorbikes which cause bangs .. horrible. beside my fear im getting very angry, too. angry about people who set off fireworks on normal days (not new year or so), angry about people who drive motorbikes with this bangs (an they usualy try to produce as much bangs as possible)

tried a lot of things till now
- psychotherapy
- reincarnation
- homeopathy
- confrontation

nothing worked...