Datuk Awie revealed that he has a phobia of balloons, which causes him to feel anxious whenever the objects are near him.
According to the 57-year-old singer, the fear started during the early days of his career as a singer. However, he is grateful that the issue has gradually improved over time.
“I wasn’t afraid of balloons when I was younger. In fact, I really loved them as a child.
"But at some point when I became an adult, things changed. My family used to organise birthday celebrations with lots of balloons.
“When I became an artiste, I rarely returned home. Then whenever I came back, there would be lots of balloons at home. At that time, my nieces and nephews would play with balloons, and I started to develop this fear that the balloons would burst
“That fear stayed with me. Whenever I saw balloons back then, I would feel afraid.
"Some of my friends would tease me about it, which made the phobia even worse… but thankfully, over time, that fear gradually disappeared. Now it is much better,” he told mStar, The Star's Malay-language portal.
The fear of balloons is known as globophobia, a term used to describe an intense fear of balloons. While uncommon, the phobia can cause anxiety and distress in some individuals.
