Sian Price, a 26-year-old charity worker from Hartlepool, has spoken publicly about her long-standing fear of balloons, a condition known as globophobia, which she has had since the age of seven. The phobia is so severe that it once forced her to leave a Bongo's Bingo event in December 2023 in tears.
What is globophobia?
Globophobia is the fear of balloons. For Sian, the condition causes her heart to race and makes her sweat, leaving her desperate to escape from any nearby balloons. She explains that the latex smell and the unpredictability of balloons popping are the main triggers.
"It's the latex smell and it's the uncertainty of them popping is what really puts me on edge. I know they're quite unpredictable and there's a lot of factors that make them pop. It's them being unpredictable," she said.
Incident at Bongo's Bingo
Recalling the incident at the bingo hall, Sian described being overwhelmed by large balloons that were bigger than her. "I went to Bongo's Bingo and they had these massive gigantic balloons that were bigger than me. I knew they were going to pop at some point all three of them. It was horrific and I was crying at the table."
Nearly three years after the event, Sian has decided to speak out to raise awareness of her phobia. She has shared her experiences on TikTok, where one video has been viewed more than 64,000 times.
Coping mechanisms and reactions
Despite her ongoing fear, Sian has developed coping mechanisms, such as removing herself from situations involving balloons or holding her breath when walking through balloon displays. However, she has not tried exposure therapy, a process where people gradually confront their fears, saying the prospect makes her "physically sick".
Sian has faced negative reactions from others, with people telling her to "get a grip". She added: "People have basically told me to get a grip, it's a balloon. I've had people popping balloons in front of me because they don't take it seriously. I've had it a few times, people will put a pin in balloons or throw balloons towards me. They do it as a joke and it's just not funny."
Advice and response from Bongo's Bingo
Offering advice to others with globophobia, Sian said: "I thought it was my anxiety that made me have a fear of balloons. I am happy that I put my phobia out there. Do your own research into it. It definitely helped having that research background on it. As soon as you start understanding it more you start to feel a little bit better and can start explaining it to people. You don't have this shame of having this phobia because people have unusual phobias, they just do. Just try and work your own way through it and do what's best for you."
In response, a spokesperson for Bongo's Bingo expressed regret over the incident and offered Sian complimentary tickets for a future show. "We're sorry to hear Sian had a bit of a stressful time during one of our rave rounds back in 2023," the spokesperson said. "We hope Sian is doing well, and if she ever fancies giving us another go, we'd be more than happy to sort her out with some tickets on us."
