Apr 25, 2008
What's the phobia when you're afraid of balloons and biscuits?
Does anyone else ever feel that totally irrational nervousness when you have to open a can of those refrigerated cinnamon rolls or biscuits? As I’m peeling off the paper, I feel like my heart rate goes up about 100 beats/minute, even though I know that they never actually make a huge sound or explode violently. Why do I still feel so afraid?
Another example is when someone is going to pop a balloon. I know it’s not going to be that loud, but I still get nervous.
Oh my goodness, I know what you mean about those vacuum-sealed biscuits. I jump EVERY SINGLE TIME!
Not that it has kept me from getting the crescent rolls…
So true – I’ve been doing it for years and have tried several DIFFERENT ways of opening the cans hoping that I will not jump – no success – I still jump or shriek every time. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I bought them simply because of the stress it causes (and the fat grams I suppose).
Stab a little hole in it before tearing back the paper, it will never pop again
This post made me laugh a lot for some reason.You have a form of ligyrophobia — the fear of loud noises.
I can relate to both of those instances you gave. For me, I think it has to do with the suddeness of a very loud noise. I have the same reaction when there is lightning and I know that a loud boom is about to occur. Or during a fireworks show. I think my worst time for this is when I’m near a large ship. My heart literally beats at three times it’s normal speed because I’m so scared that the ship is about to blow it’s horn. I’m not sure if I could consider myself ligyrophobic, but if not, I’m pretty close.
Speaking of large ships, I also think I have Megalophobia, which is the fear of large things. If I’m next to that aforementioned ship, I can guarantee my heartrate is speeding up. If I’m next to a dam or a huge skyscaper, I get really nervous too. I mean, I don’t scream or anything…so should I really consider myself “fearful” of these things?
Oh well. Thanks for making me laugh today!
You can still be afraid of things and not have a phobia. I wouldn’t consider myself a “Megalaphobic” if I were you. Sure everyone gets nervous around some things, but it doesn’t mean they have a legit medical issue. I hate spiders, but if I see one I can still move and function somewhat… enough to kill it at least, and I don’t consider myself arachnaphobic. Fears and Phobias are very different.
i have ligyrophobia and i have to wait every time in band i feel like i will vomit because the two loudest players sit right behind me. when i her loud noises i usually start crying. my dad yells a lot in the house and my mom thinks i am crying because of why he is yelling or the fact that he is yelling at me but it really is the loud noises he produces when he yells. people at school are real mean about it they will come behind me and scream, i then in turn freak out and they start laughing, while i am still dieing on the inside trying to escape. i would not mind being mute because of it.
i mean deaf
I always feel nervous when I try to open a can of refrigerated biscuits. There was a brand I used to use that didn’t always open when I peeled of the paper, so I would tap it on the counter to get it to open. I always felt anxious as I was peeling the paper, but I was fine with tapping it. I think knowing it is going to pop but not knowing when is what makes it nerveracking.
Oh yeah!!!! I am so glad that you feel that way too! Last week, I was at a bridal shower where we had to pop balloons, and I made someone else do it for me! It really wasn’t that loud–I guess.
And the biscuit popping thing too…SCARY!! My mom used to make rolls from a can in high school, and I would always “duck” down when I knew she was going to open them. Good to know I’m not alone. :)
Yep! I screw up my face and tense every muscle just before the loud POP! Although I know it won’t hurt me, I’m still afraid it MIGHT.
Haha! When I was young my mom and I used to go back and forth over who would open those tubes. I just made biscuits for dinner last week and had to resist hitting the tube on the counter and taking an immediate step backward like we used to (which doesn’t make sense….the tube is still in hand)!
Ha! I totally know what you mean! When I’m pounding the pop biscuit can against the corner of my counter I usually kind of step back a bit and turn my head (I think I sometimes even close my eyes!) before hitting it against the counter. Like it’s going to explode or something.
Okay I don’t get afraid of that – but I have plenty of other wierd things that I won’t mention- although maybe this Dave could tell me what the fears are called- then I would have a label!
Most loud noises don’t bother me, but I have a totally irrational fear of the noise of a public toilet flushing! It makes me feel panicked and I have to fight the urge to run out before it makes noise. (yes, in spite of my phobia, I do still behave and flush!!!)
Totally irrational. Totally ridiculous. Totally unlike my bug-stomping, spider-catching, not-much-fear-of-everyday-things self. But no matter how many times I give myself the speech, the next time I still feel that way…!
Clearly you’re not the only one who feels that way! :-) I always get nervous before a balloon pops, too.
Does your heart race if you’re holding the balloon and the pin with which to pop it? I’m guessing not. Because…you’re in control. We are anxious about the popping of the biscuit tube because we don’t know when it’s going to happen and, despite previous experience, we aren’t positive about how loud it will be, if we’ll be impaled by flying shards of cardboard doughboy, and if his innards will be stuck all over our kitchen cupboards. It’s just the fear of the unknown. So now, when you hear the doughboy giggle when his tummy is poked, you’ll know he’s actually laughing at you, not the poke. Stinkin’ little sadist.
I’ve never heard of someone being bothered by biscuit cans (until now and all of your commenters), but I hate popping balloons. I pretty much refuse to do anything that might cause a balloon to pop near me.
Oh…yes…I can relate to this fear. You have to turn your face away because you just never know…it might hurt! The worst ones were the cans that you had to puncture with a spoon AFTER you peeled the paper off. (Do they still have those now, or are they all triggered with the peel off now?) Then it felt like you had a weapon and a loud noise.
Also, the same problem at the eye doctor. You just know that puff of air is about…to…hit…your…PUFF…eye.
We made crescent rolls THIS week and the same thing happened to me. And I had the same thought process… “this is ridiculous, these really aren’t loud, stop freaking out”… then your peeling… your peeling…. ‘when is it going to pop,’ … aah… um… aaah…. *pop*
hmm… that wasn’t so bad. :)
Oh, the EYE DOCTOR!! That is one of the WORST!
Dave, I laughed so hard I cried. And as if screaming about something is the only criteria for fear…
I will never think of the Pillsbury Doughboy the same way again, thanks to Scott.
You all have had me laughing throughout the evening–thanks!
YES!!! I always thought I was the only one! I always make my husband peel the biscuit tube. I think he really likes it, like he’s protecting me or something :~) In fact, I think our marriage is a lot stronger because of my biscuit fear lol!
carrie my husband is exactly the same way lol and it does help because he knows i need him there for that lol. i hate biscuit cans i only buy frozen ones. also im afraid of toasters and changing lightbulbs. im also afraid to turn on lamps.
The first time I had that eye test done (glaucoma?), I put my face up the machine and I was squinting and looking nervous.
The guy said “I thought you said you’ve never done this test before”. I wanted to say loudly “You forcing me to put my eye up to a tube that you just told me is going to shoot a puff of air into it. Of course I’m squinting!”
I’m on record as saying that the Glaucoma test is the way optometrists punish wayward patients.
My kids all know that I don’t like balloons in the house. A significant part of the reasoning behind this is – I don’t want to be around when the balloon pops.
mmm….maybe its just some “female thing”…
I’m like Carrie… have the hubby do it. It’s better for everyone :-)
ok so all evening candace was torturing us by squeezing a balloon really hard and we all kept screaming. she was laughing and thought it was hilarious.
also…for the roll problem. unwrap the outer skin and get a spoon. lay it down on the counter and press a spoon into the crease. it will pop, but you can be at arms length and you don’t have to touch it! this hint brought to you by keith, who knows everything.
While standing in line at the grocery store, my 3-year old let go of a balloon she’d been given. As soon as the balloon hit the fluorescent lights, it popped. Everyone ducked… including me. So sad.
Why do they have to vaccum seal the rolls?
Maybe:
Ligyrophobia- Fear of loud noises.
or
perhaps:
Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
I just had to share the last one b/c I thought it was humorous.
(source:phobialist.com)
Funny…the biscuit can popping has actually caused marital stress for us! Josh thinks it’s ridiculous that I hate doing it and likes to try to make me, as if it will help rid me of the fear, or something.
When I’m alone, I unwrap just enough so it won’t pop, grab my longest knife and whack the knife down onto the package so it pops, but like Scott commented, I know when!
The only time I do open them is at a Pampered Chef show when I have to act like an adult. :-)
I’ll try to avoid sudden loud noses so you don’t get pentheraphobia.
Ok. I’m so glad that I’m not the only one with the biscuit fear. And I don’t think it’s loud noises for me, it’s the suspense of not knowing when the biscuits will pop. My solution to opening the biscuits ‘on my own terms’ = I peel the paper back way less than normal to ensure no premature poppage – and then I jump and hit them on the edge of the counter (on the seam of course) at the same time. So i am choosing to jump and hitting them on the counter will eventually result in them popping open, but I feel much more in control of the situation. It’s weird, i know, but came up with this in high school and it’s what works for me. =)
First of all…you are not afraid of biscuits. Thank goodness Whew-let’s clear that up! I am the same way–especially if I can’t get it to pop right away. My daughter has a serious balloon popping fobia-I secretly giggle when she is wigging out…
lori
katymom.com
Spread your crescent rolls w/some sundried tomato pesto before rolling up and then roll and bake. They are YUM.
The only thing that scares me about the carbs in a can is how much fat they have in them…..those cinnamon rolls are so small…I mean, one person could eat the whole can……don’t ya think?
I can’t pop a balloon intentionally – and I totally freak when one pops around me. However, I was the “biscuit popper” growing up – my mom just could not do it! I had to mix the meatball mixture up with my hands for her too. She couldn’t stand the feel of the milk, raw egg, raw hamburger, and bread pieces. Gave her total “willies”!
I’ve been lurking on you blog for a couple of weeks but today I had to comment. Your post reminded me of a joke I heard once so I went looking and found it here.
http://www.jokes2go.com/jokes/5339.html
Pillsbury Dough Boy wanted for attempted murder
A lady named Linda went to Arkansas last week to visit her in-laws, and while there, went to a store. She parked next to a car with a woman sitting in it, her eyes closed and hands behind her head, apparently sleeping. When Linda came out a while later, she again saw the woman, her hands still behind her head but with her eyes open.
The woman looked very strange, so Linda tapped on the window and said, “Are you okay?” The woman answered, “I’ve been shot in the head, and I am holding my brains in.”
Linda didn’t know what to do, so she ran into the store, where store workers called the paramedics. They had to break into the car because the door was locked. When they got in, they found that the woman had bread dough on the back of her head and in her hands.
A Pillsbury biscuit cannister had exploded, apparently from the heat in the car, making a loud explosion like that of a gunshot, and hit her in the head. When she reached back to find what it was, she felt the dough and thought it was her brains. She passed out from fright at first, then attempted to hold her brains in.
That last comment (joke?) made me laugh so hard I cried my mascara off.
Oh my goodness!!!! I get SO scared opening up biscuit cans. Sometimes I ask someone else to open it because I feel like I will die of a heart attack if I have to do it myself. That is irrational, I guess.
I am so glad to know I have megalophobia. I wanted to be an astronaut from 13yrs til 20 yrs…. And my biggest concern was that I would have to walk next to the shuttle. Makes me feel like I’m walking on the edge of a tall building(another fear).
“Does anyone else ever feel that totally irrational nervousness when you have to open a can of those refrigerated cinnamon rolls or biscuits?”
And all God’s people said, “amen”.
The anticipation of a ballon popping makes me start giggling like I used to when I was a little girl and I knew I was going to be discovered playing hide-n-seek. I have a ballon now sitting beside my trash can that I just haven’t been able to pop. I’m glad I’m not alone:)
Another thing I dread is getting a new bottle of medicine and having to take out the cotton ball…I do not know what it is, but I cannot hold a cotton ball in my hand. I’m getting goose bumps just thinking about it!
How interesting! I have found that I get angry whenever something lound an unexpected happens. When someone has a violent sneeze, when a loud commercial pops on, when someone suddenly starts laughing loudly. It is everything I can do to not react. If I know its coming, I’m o.k., its just the suddenness that gets to me.
I also have a wierd sensation of light. I can feel it on my skin. If i enter from a dark room to a lit one, or I turn on the light, I feel pressure on my skin. When a camera flash goes off, I feel like I’ve been slapped. Its really weird, I guess, but its been like this my whole life.
I think it’s hilarious that you got possibly the most comments I have noted on your blog about this subject.
Okay, I assume none of you have ever been a Pampered Chef demonstrator. Every other P.C. recipe uses those biscuits. Maybe it would get you over the fear to do it over and over.
What’s the word if you like popping balloons and opening crescent rolls?
I do the same thing except I actually drop the can of biscuits.
Have Orison open the package when he gets older. :)
I’m that way with those Jack in the Boxes too—–do they still even make those?
Enjoyed the laughs and all the comments!
The thing to remember about biscuits and balloons is that they’re more afraid of you than you are of them.
Ed.
http://blog.myspace.com/CAUGHTNOTTAUGHT
Hilarious! I think it’s so funny that you got 41 comments about this!!! Shows you are not alone!!! : ) I almost hate balloons b/c of this!!!! Everytime we got to the store (all the grocery stores around here give away balloons to kids), the kids get a balloon and play with it for a few hours in the house. Inevitably, the balloon gets popped. I’m anxious about it the WHOLE time they are playing….even though it’s not ever a big deal when it actually happens! : )
43 comments!? Seriously!? You my friend, are popular. Deal with it.
Love you, talk to you soon.
They can explode – you are not irrational! I had a can of them in the back window of a VW 8 years ago and the heat made them explode and almost caused us to swerve off the road. Not to speak of the mess on the back window!
my heart is racing just thinking about it…
is it ligyrophobia if it’s really more about the fear/anxiety just WAITING for it? i have a fear of crescent roll cans and make my husband do it :) same fear as when someone’s pointing a rubber band at me, even if i know they’re not going to shoot it. but i don’t have a fear of loud noises, per se. it’s all about the anticipation for me.
No-one’s mentioned the violent scary sudden sucking noise made by waterless airplane toilets. I used to wash and dry hands, open the door to prepare for the quick escape, and THEN flush.
I HATE balloons and biscuit cans!! I am so afraid of the biscuit can that I peel it back a little, then throw it across the room so i dont have to be near it when it pops. I am so glad I am not the only one. I get made fun of all the time, especially by people at work.
OMG I am terrified of balloons and have been for as long as I can remember,,,,and I’m 32!! It’s gotten a little better over the years….Now if they are tied up and not being fooled with I can be n the same room with them, but if kids are playing with them forget about it, Now to mention balloon animals. I have the same anxiety about open those biscuits as well. Its terrible!! Oh Champagne too, Fireworks…..I could go on. But the weird thing is I have no problem popping pare/plastic bags. …I think its a timing then,…like not know WHEN the things are going to POP!!!! I hate it, it’s embarrassing!
i have this fear of balloons & firecrackers for a long time…this phobia lowered my self esteem…i tend to react abnormally if there’s a sudden loud noise…shame on me ;(
It’s called ligyrophobia! I had to look it up too. Its the fear of loud noises, which include the aweful can of biscuits and balloons.
I have ALWAYS been incredibly apprehensive when I have to open the can of biscuits, I even hate to be in the house when someone else opens it. And when I’m at a party with balloons, there is always the asshole who thinks its sooooooo funny to threaten to pop the balloons in my face with a sharp object. My cousin. He laughs his ass off and he will chase me around with the balloons, its horrible! I feel ya, it’s nice to know your not alone with this rediculous fear.
I am so glad to know that I’m not alone, and that there’s even a name for it. “Ligyrophobia”! Thanks for directing me to this post. I had no idea that so many other people could relate. :)
WOW, I had no IDEA that there were OTHER people out there who are terrified of those stupid buscuit cans!!! I make my husband open them when he’s home, otherwise I gingerly peel off the paper, then pop it with a spoon with my head turned away from it!! I KNOW it’s not that loud…I think it’s just the anticipation. I also hate popping ballons, rubber bands being shot at me, and the glaucoma test at the eye doctor!!! I think in all those cases, it’s the anticipation…is their a phobia for anticipation?? :)
I have a tremendous fear of balloons popping and fireworks. It has definitely impared the way I live. Especially, the fireworks fear. We went to Disney World and I walked around with the schedule gripped in my hand as to when any special effects or fireworks would go off so I could hide in a store. Fourth of July is the worst. My parents have to drive me to and from work while I have my iPod in because I’ll go off the road if I hear one. Then, I won’t go outside the night of the 3rd, 4th, or 5th…the windows have to be shut. I can agree with the balloon popping thing, if I see people messing with them I leave the room, but if they are just on display I am fine.
Now, jumping when it pops is normal, but i get weak kneed and woozy just looking at a pic of a can of biscuits,cin rolls, … its horrible. my family laughs, they think its funny, but its truely a phobia for me….
oh my god!!! i seriously thought i was having a heart attack at the tender age of 24 right now after opening a can of stupid flaky grands. my chest still hurts from screaming so loud! i searched “fear of biscuits” and was led here. thank god im not alone out there. i have a panic attack everytime i buy them in the store and have to plan dinner around someone else being home to open them for me. how lame!!!
Oh my god, thank goodness I’m not the only one!
Hate hate hate hate popping/ sudden loud noises
so much it’s impaired my life, and I’ve tried everything.
I keep a pair of earplugs with me at all times. :( Has
anyone come up with a cure?
MY SISTER IS DEATHLY AFRAID OF THOSE BISCUIT CAN, AND I THINK ITS SO FUNNY…..I ALWAYS TELL HER IM GOIN TO SET UP A HOUSE LIKE THE MOVIE SAW ONLY WITH BISCUIT CANS
EASY CURE FOR ANY PHOBIA IS JUST SMOKING A LITTLE WEED(EXCEPT THE FEAR OF SMOKING A LITTLE WEED)
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.
Wow! I thought I was the only one afraid of that stupid biscuit can. I haven’t bought biscuits in about a year. It’s a shame too, I love biscuits.
The only cure I have come up with is to have someone else open the can.
lol! i do that too molly!! even can that you have to peel paper off and wait for it to pop makes me jump
I feel the same way about biscuit cans and balloons! :)
I totally have the exact same fears! It’s crazy! I don’t really like any loud noises but especially not ones that startle me. I have found if I bang the can on the counter the banging noise kind of masks the can pop. It’s the only way I can open them myself.
Oh Im really sorry for all of you who are afraid of the sound of the bisquit cans, I can understand that horrible feeling of your heart racing up! I am afraid of clowns (coulrophobia), I even start feeling sick. I am also afraid of anything related to clowns like BALLOON ANIMALS. The weird thing is that i always wanted a balloon dog or something like that but when I go near them I get paralize and scare.
It is really awful because i’m not a kid anymore I am 14.:(
Wow, I have always felt alone in my fear of balloons, fridge rolls and champagne corks. As a child I couldn’t go to a birthday party unless my long suffering mother called ahead to ensure it was balloon free. I also had to avoid midways with all the balloon dart games. I’m afraid to admit that although none of my kids fear balloons, my daughter,like me, leaves the room when its time to open the tube of rolls. The absolute worst for me is a child in a stroller holding a balloon, or “balloon clown” at a party.
Well, it’s Easter today and i was invited to my family’s house to color eggs and have dinner. I did not think this would involve balloons. Now until today I honestly thought that I was the only one in the world scared of the balloons & the biscuits cans. I hate balloons with a passion. They make me jump when they pop. Then instantly I have an attitude. HELP ME PLEASE.
i have ligyrophobia and i have to wait every time in band i feel like i will vomit because the two loudest players sit right behind me. when i her loud noises i usually start crying. my dad yells a lot in the house and my mom thinks i am crying because of why he is yelling or the fact that he is yelling at me but it really is the loud noises he produces when he yells. people at school are real mean about it they will come behind me and scream, i then in turn freak out and they start laughing, while i am still dieing on the inside trying to escape. i would not mind being mute because of it. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME I AM ONLY 12!!!!
-first chair bassoon (i practice very very softly)