Hello and Welcome to Sweeney’s Blogs!
Today’s blog is going to talk about a theory I created called The Balloon Theory. The Balloon Theory is a theory I created which displays how stress can affect a person and how people need to learn how to balance their stress levels and try and find ways to help lower the amount of stress they face in day to day life.
The logic behind the theory is pretty basic, picture a person as a balloon. The variables that they stress about then relate to the air filling the balloon. Now if a person fills too much air into a balloon ( a person taking on too much stress/work) then eventually the balloon will pop. There is only so much air that a balloon can hold, this is the same as people with stress.
This theory isn’t saying however that everyone can handle the same amounts of stress. There are lots of different kinds of people as there are with balloons. Certain balloons can hold more air than others, the same can be said for people. This does not make that balloon more superior than others however it is still something that needs to be taken into consideration.
The theory also helps us see that relieving ourselves of stress can often be a very valuable asset/achievement. Relieving a person’s stress is often similar to how you would release air from a balloon, slowly and gradually, not all at once. People also need to find a balance in their lives, you cannot just keep filling your balloon or else it will pop as mentioned previously.
The Balloon Theory is a theory that is still in development, it was an idea that I had a while ago and I am only now really developing it. What do you all think of the theory? Does it have merit? Do you know your limits when it comes to stress? How do you release air from your balloons/ relieve stress? If you want to add any development to this theory just let me know!
Thanks for reading today’s blog about the Balloon Theory I created. All feedback is greatly appreciated. If anyone has any questions then feel free to comment on this post, email me via the contact form or get in touch on our Facebook page: Sweeney’s Blogs!
James
Treat your body like a balloon, don’t overload yourself
Sweeney's Blogs 
Very good analogy James. I have struggled with Chronic mental health problems for many years. It’s a great help when your family and friends understand and support you. I’m not certain how that relates to the balloon theory, maybe the balloon deflates a little with each time you share your issues and stresses. Thanks for highlighting the awful problems with stress and Mental Health
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The balloon deflating each time you share your issues is a good idea. i might incorporate it into the blog in a few weeks. Thank you! I look forward to making more
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Hi James. This is a good analogy. O am here because I worship on a daily basis. Some might call this meditation. At a certain point, I take several minutes for “quiet time.” This is where I try to clear my mind of any daily concerns and focus on nothing. It is harder than it sounds. Sometimes during this segment, words, phrases, and names come to me. I write them down, so as not to forget them. Recently, the words “balloon theory” manifested. So, I Googled it, and here I am. I think I need to deflate a little. Thanks!
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Hi James, I’ve just come across this post and found it rather interesting. How are you getting on with developing it?
I would just ask how this works as a balloon is flat (without the air)? When and where does it get it’s fullness, inflation of you like?
I like to use Zubin & Spring’s Stress vulnerability model or the Psychological bucket that we all have 🙂
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Hello, welcome to Sweeney’s Blogs!
Thanks for the comment and nice feedback! I haven’t actually gone back to the Balloon Theory for quite some time now, it’ll be nice to have a refresher while I have a think through 🙂
I would say that the balloon could be flat, maybe when we are in our normal state? For instance when we are going through life and are happy with everything that is happening. When we start to face obstacles and pressures, they symbolize the air in the balloon which starts to fill up.
If we do not find a way to release the air and tension, then eventually the balloon will burst and we will be lost, with no sense of what our regular life looks like. Form this point we would have to find a way to pick ourselves up and start again, with the new lessons that we have learned.
Does that make much sense? I can try and explain it in a different way if you would like? It’s been really nice going back to the Theory in all honesty, I really liked it when I used to use it 🙂
Ooooh, I have not heard about that one, but will be sure to check it out! If you would like, you could write a guest blog on it, which I would more than happily publish on my blog, giving you full credit of course 🙂
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Hiya James and thank you for your reply and explaining your theory in more detail.
Only because I’ve used the two theories I mentioned during my practice as a mental health nurse, manager and staff educator – I’m still not sure about balloon theory. I don’t want to sound as tho I’m putting you down. I mean I’m all for new theoretical infol.
Perhaps think about the following, or you could just ignore lol.
Because we’re are filled with a certain amount of air anyway, I’m not sure that a flat balloon will work. Perhaps you could think of a more solid structure such as a football? This might make an interesting analogy for anyone interested in sport? I’m not sure how you’d be able to use this – it’s just off the top of my head.
The other thing with the balloon popping is that it’s gone/burst/kapput – so how then do we fill ourselves up with that balloon?
Just some thoughts Jamie 🙂
That’s an idea and thank you. Is that on Bucket theory? Caz 🙂
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Hello!
No worries, it was nice to revisit one of my older theories 🙂
I fully agree that it is not fleshed up enough to be used in any sort of practice now, such as in management or in work as a Mental Health nurse. When I originally made the theory, it was designed to help people visualise how they deal with the pressures of life and to portray the message that we do need to find ways to help us relieve and try and move past some things which may be troubling us.
I’ll definitely think about it haha, I always like hearing different views
A football could work instead, definitely.
When I used to use the theory myself, I pictured having a new balloon each week. The course of events that happened over the week, the pressure, the stress, so on would add to the pressure inside the balloon, then the relaxation and mindfulness techniques would help relieve that pressure. if the balloon got too big and burst, that would symbolise me losing control of both life and stress, which is something I would actively try and avoid.
Then at the end of the week, I would look over how I handled everything over the past 7 days. If I still had to metaphorical balloon, then I would see how full it was, if it burst then I would think how and why then learn from it for the following week.
Yeah o bucket theory 🙂
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Ah, I get what you’re saying now – a new balloon each week. Makes more sense 🙂
Like you, I love feedback and other points so of view – it’s the only way we’ll learn.
Brilliant, yes, I’d love that and I’ll let you have it in a couple of days 🙂 Caz
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Glad it makes a bit more sense now 🙂
100% agree
Sounds great to me!
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🙂
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