Overcoming B2P fear

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  • LatvianLooner
    Junior Member
    • Aug 2017
    • 11

    Overcoming B2P fear

    Hey guys,

    So my phobia of ballons popping from ballon being inflated and spontaneously popped. I have now managed to be around ballons and enjoy popping them in various ways.

    I now want to completely overcome the fear by B2P balloons but keep getting scared. Has anyone else been in the same position and if so how did you overcome it and what ballon is best to start with? I have lots of ballons including 9", 11'', 12", 16'' and modelling ballons.
  • wildheart
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2015
    • 859

    #2
    Re: Overcoming B2P fear

    I’ve done it quite a few times now. Small balloons can be easier because you don’t have to blow as much, but they can be tighter and louder than bigger balloons. Modelling balloons get very tight and are incredibly difficult to b2p by mouth. I’ve done it once with a previously inflated balloon than was getting thin.

    I’d say 12 inch to start. It will get very tight, but I think it’s easier than a 16” because it’s not so big. Large balloons can be pretty intimidating when overinflated, but are generally easier to blow to pop and don’t pop so sharply. Older balloons are much easier than fresh ones but can be unpredictable.
    How big will it go? Only one way to find out...
    My website: loonerstories.weebly.com

    Comment

    • LatvianLooner
      Junior Member
      • Aug 2017
      • 11

      #3
      Re: Overcoming B2P fear

      Originally posted by wildheart
      I’ve done it quite a few times now. Small balloons can be easier because you don’t have to blow as much, but they can be tighter and louder than bigger balloons. Modelling balloons get very tight and are incredibly difficult to b2p by mouth. I’ve done it once with a previously inflated balloon than was getting thin.

      I’d say 12 inch to start. It will get very tight, but I think it’s easier than a 16” because it’s not so big. Large balloons can be pretty intimidating when overinflated, but are generally easier to blow to pop and don’t pop so sharply. Older balloons are much easier than fresh ones but can be unpredictable.
      Thank you for the advice .

      Is it better to blow up and deflate the ballon a few times to stretch it or just B2P it first go? I've managed to pop ballons every other way so just the final hurdle to overcome haha

      Comment

      • wildheart
        Senior Member
        • Apr 2015
        • 859

        #4
        Re: Overcoming B2P fear

        Blowing up and deflating makes it a lot easier. It’ll get bigger, but the pop won’t be as loud. With a fresh one, it’ll be much tighter and have a loud pop to it.
        How big will it go? Only one way to find out...
        My website: loonerstories.weebly.com

        Comment

        • srob2
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2017
          • 352

          #5
          Re: Overcoming B2P fear

          Lots of posts on this forum, but it helps knowing what to expect. Put a balloon on an electric pump or similar to see how big and tight it gets.

          The smaller the balloon, the easier for to blow until it is really hard (if it gets that far). But the higher the chance you will keep blowing as hard as you can with no air going in, and then it is easy to chicken out. If you have lots of balloons, I'd start with a 9" - you can always go bigger if it won't pop.

          Comment

          • Meililoon
            aka lyckr
            • Sep 2014
            • 700

            #6
            Re: Overcoming B2P fear

            Regardless of which size you choose, I've found that it becomes easier to do a blow to pop if I start by popping some balloons in other ways before or while I blow up the balloon. Gets you more accustomed to the noise. And if the loudness bothers you, use some form of ear protection.

            Comment

            • SusieDK
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2017
              • 201

              #7
              Re: Overcoming B2P fear

              Hi,

              I know this topic has been posted about a lot before, and maybe you will be able to find more thorough advice if you search for it. However I will try to tell a little bit here as well.

              I am sure you know this already, but nevertheless I will mention that overcoming blowing to pop a balloon is mainly a mental thing. It is not physically hard (apart from certain balloons like modelling ones), it is not significantly louder than popping in other ways like sitting or squeezing, and even though it feels risky to make the balloon pop in your face it only very rarely happens that you are hit in the face. Besides you can wear glasses to protected your eyes. However if you use round balloons the shreds will (almost) always fly away from you as the balloons rupture where the neck and the balloon body joins.

              Apart from the fear of physically being hit there is another mental barrier to overcome, and as this is irrational it can be a bit harder to deal with. I am thinking about the anticipation. With blowing to pop a balloon it is so that you will never know exactly when the balloon explodes, but neverheless you do know something: The balloon will pop at some moment, and with each and every breath this moment is getting closer and closer. Knowing this makes the anticipation grow and grow until either the balloon pops or the anxiety becomes unbearable and you have to give up and either let the air out or pop the balloon in another way.
              Actually this growing anticipation is what makes blowing to pop balloons exciting and super cool, but to become able to enjoy this you need to overcome the irrational fear or rather to interpret the fear as thrill instead. This is something that can only be done by actually blowing to pop (a lot of) balloons.
              I often think of it as kind of Catch 22 - in order to become able to do something you have to do exactly this thing you cannot do.

              I have a few advices for you that are mostly mental:

              - don’t use too small balloons. They get so tight that you will feel they are certain to pop “now”, and the anticipation will very easily become unbearable. I suggest you use balloons that are 11” or bigger. You will find that the size is far less intimidating than the tightness.

              - to start with always use the same kind of balloons, and get familiar with how big they get. One way to do this is to simply use the exact same balloon over and over. When you cannot bring yourself to blow it any bigger then notice how big it got before you let the air out. Next time you know how big it can at least get, and the anticipation will start a little later making you able to blow the balloon somewhat bigger. Another way to get to know how big a balloon can get is to inflate it on a pump. It is best to attach the balloon somewhat loosely to the pump and start the pump on ‘continuous inflation’. Sometimes the balloon will pop at the end, but most times it will grow to its limit and get loose and fly around until the air is all out. Now you know how big this exact balloon can at least get, and this will also help you by decreasing or rather postponing the anticipation.

              - allow yourself to calm down in between. When you have blown up the balloon as far as you dare, then simply pause for a while and admire it. After a short while you will start to feel the balloon being less ‘dangerous’, and then you can easier make yourself blow some extra breaths into it. Then you can repeat the ‘calm down thing’.

              - set exact goals. It is ok to set out from a determination of blowing up the balloon until it pops, but when you reach the point where the anticipation prevents you from going on, and you need to do the calming down I mentioned above, then change your goal into something exact. Maybe decide ‘I will blow 3 more blows’. This is much easier to fulfill than an uncertain number like ‘I will blow until it pops now’. Besides after having blown the 3 blows you have reached a goal and feel it as a success, which is very important. You now know from experience you can blow 3 more breaths. Maybe you can even do it again bringing the total to 6. You will be surprised about how much this simple ‘exact counting’ will help you along.

              - know success from failure. This is purely mental, but extremely important nevertheless. Notice each and every progress you make, and remember to count it as a success. This should not be hard, because it actually is a success - you just need to be aware of it. You may not have reached your distant end goal, but you are getting closer, which is cool from you. Allow yourself to realise this.
              One thing you will inevitably experience along the way is balloons unexpectedly bursting in your face. This will make you jump. However you should definitely not count it as a setback, because it is much more like a huge success - it is actually exactly what you wanted to do = blowing up a balloon until it pops. It might not have been as big and tight as you had expected it to get, but it popped because you blew it up too much nevertheless, and you have another experience. Allow yourself to calm down - the danger went away with the balloon - and soon you will find that it wasn’t that bad afterall. Another success!

              - finally remember to simply have fun, and don’t push yourself too hard. It is all about pushing your limits a little bit at a time. Rest assured that slowly but certainly you will feel the anticipation changing more and more towards thrill instead of anxiety.

              I know everything has been posted before, but I hope it is ok to sort of gather it here. There is more to it, so maybe do a search anyway.

              Good luck and have fun!

              Thank you for reading my posting.

              Sincerely
              Susie
              Last edited by SusieDK; 24-12-2019, 05:16. Reason: Correcting spelling mistake.

              Comment

              • Sweloon
                Junior Member
                • May 2017
                • 5

                #8
                Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                Hi Susie! Really great advices, I can relate to most of them. For me is using earplugs definitely the most important way in my development from non-popper to popper. How do you feel about the popping noise? Some poppers don't like wearing earplugs because the noise is an important thing.

                Comment

                • Svalan
                  Junior Member
                  • Mar 2016
                  • 10

                  #9
                  Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                  Hi,

                  I have some advice that might help. Since you have got used to pop balloons other ways than btp you have come quite far in the journey to become a "complete" popper. For me the 11" was the optimal size to start with. You can have a little bit of control since you will almost know on which blow the balloon goes bang. Go to bigger ballons after that. Yes the bang is sharp and loud but a Q16 is also extremly loud and it takes quite long time before the pop and you start to think and easy chicken out.

                  One thing of course to use earplugs. Much easier to ovecome with those. Myself use them sometimes but really enjoy to hear the full bang. So now the only reason to use them occassionally is to protect my hearing.

                  Another way I used before becomming more comfortable with btp was to blow up a balloon really tight and the squeeze to pop it closer and closer to your face. When you can pop it tight close to your face then there is not so much left to succeed with btp.

                  Should not recommend really but it´s easier for me at least if you have drinken some alcohol before. You become much braver. Also if you are lucky to have a partner to play with the sexual arousment makes you also braver.

                  Last advice from my side would be to arrange a btp race at a party for example. It´s so much easier to be brave when other people around you are doing the same. And really fun as well.

                  Hope some aof the above helps.

                  Comment

                  • SusieDK
                    Senior Member
                    • Dec 2017
                    • 201

                    #10
                    Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                    Originally posted by Sweloon
                    Hi Susie! Really great advices, I can relate to most of them. For me is using earplugs definitely the most important way in my development from non-popper to popper. How do you feel about the popping noise? Some poppers don't like wearing earplugs because the noise is an important thing.
                    Thank you for your kind words

                    For some odd reason I never came on the idea of using earplugs at the time when I practised to become able to blow to pop balloons. Instead I would try to hold my ears in a rather ridiculous way: I would put my left arm over my head and put a finger in my right ear while blocking my left ear with my upper (left) arm. Must have looked completely idiotic!

                    I still don't use earplugs, because now I so love when balloons pops with a really loud bang. Using earplugs also sort of takes some away from the anticipation and thrill. I do know it is wise to use earplugs to protect the hearing, and I also do when I play music (I play in an amateur band), but with balloons I don't do it. I take comfort in the fact that a balloon pop is very short and not really so loud compared to other loud noises afterall (in spite of the horror stories about how extremely loud it should be).

                    Blowing up a balloon until it explodes with a really loud bang is just so much fun - and wonderfully exciting as well.

                    Sincerely
                    Susie
                    Last edited by SusieDK; 23-12-2019, 07:17. Reason: Correcting spelling mistakes.

                    Comment

                    • srob2
                      Senior Member
                      • Dec 2017
                      • 352

                      #11
                      Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                      Don't make too big a deal over it. Most little kids can pop balloons without being scared, and even if they don't b2p, it really isn't much louder. A balloon is made to be popped for fun, don't get too intimidated.

                      Comment

                      • yet_another_aussie
                        Senior Member
                        • Dec 2019
                        • 104

                        #12
                        Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                        at the risk of appearing to be a spammer...
                        thank you! tonight I braved up and did what I have always thought was impossible!
                        The first picture is about 6 breaths away from blammo. But my brain was saying it was 1-2 off 😅 (supermarket bought 30cm). No ear muffs! just reading glasses.



                        I encourage others to go forth and be brave! here's a thought:
                        View anxiety as a beacon for an area of improvement

                        And afterwards:
                        The anxiousness was greatly exaggerated by your own perceptions. you have now grown

                        Enjoy

                        Comment

                        • StretchEmerald
                          Member
                          • Jul 2019
                          • 43

                          #13
                          Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                          Congratulations! That's really brave of you! Here's hoping to many more in the future

                          Also, thanks to your encouragement and Susie's advice, I managed to do a B2P myself for the first time in a couple of months! I had more ear protection on though. Thanks so much to both of you!

                          Comment

                          • wildheart
                            Senior Member
                            • Apr 2015
                            • 859

                            #14
                            Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                            The first one is always the hardest. You’ll probably find it harder with higher quality balloons, but I’m sure you’ll do it. Those sort of balloons are perfect for your first time though.
                            How big will it go? Only one way to find out...
                            My website: loonerstories.weebly.com

                            Comment

                            • Loonatic
                              Balloons + Feet
                              • Apr 2016
                              • 209

                              #15
                              Re: Overcoming B2P fear

                              Originally posted by SusieDK
                              Thank you for your kind words

                              Instead I would try to hold my ears in a rather ridiculous way: I would put my left arm over my head and put a finger in my right ear while blocking my left ear with my upper (left) arm. Must have looked completely idiotic!
                              Omg Susie, I thought I had to be the absolute only person who has ever tried to cover their ears like this. As soon as I read your description I had flashbacks of doing the same awkward full head wrap cover when I was learning to pop balloons with a pin 😂 glad to hear someone else had the same strange idea for ear protection hahaha

                              Comment

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