What is the fear of thunderstorms called? The causes and manifestations of fear of thunderstorms in humans. Famous myths about thunderstorms
Everyone has at one time or another experienced an inexplicable feeling of anxiety when a thunderstorm is approaching. Some greatly exaggerate its danger, and then the fear gradually develops into a phobia. To begin treatment, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the pathology and the causes of its occurrence.
What it is?
The fear of thunderstorms out of a sense of self-preservation is inherent in many people. But it happens that fear of lightning and thunder leads to anxiety disorder. The person experiences panic and loses self-control. He wants to hide, hide in the farthest corner. Such pathological fear of thunderstorms is called brontophobia.
It is otherwise called keraunophobia.
People of all ages are susceptible to these painful manifestations. For some, brontophobia may be closely intertwined with other phobias:
- astrapophobia - horror arising from a sharp flash cutting through the clouds;
- tonitrophobia - panicky fear of thunder;
- ombrophobia - fear of getting caught in the rain due to contact with drops or rainfall;
- ligirophobia - fear of any strong and sharp threatening sounds, in this case the sound of thunder;
- acousticophobia, phonophobia - fear of loud sounds.
Causes
The reasons may lie in beliefs, genetics or mental trauma associated with this natural phenomenon.
- Someone perceives a thunderstorm as God's wrath and heavenly punishment. Popular beliefs say that lightning strikes a person mired in sins.
- Fear can be transmitted at the genetic level. People have a tendency to want to hide from bad weather, thereby protecting themselves.
- Feeling vulnerable to the power of nature, irrational fear people are faced with the impossibility of predicting the consequences of an unusual natural phenomenon. A person experiences all-consuming horror at the sight of dark clouds, foreshadowing the approach of a thunderstorm.
- Some people are afraid of ball lightning. There is evidence of the chaotic movement of mysterious fireballs, their ability to penetrate into a home through open window and take the life of a person who happens to be there.
- Impressionable people are afraid of becoming a victim of lightning. They have heard a lot about people who died and suffered from natural disasters, who ended up in the wrong place by fate.
- Watching news and movies has a negative effect the plot of which is based on the destructive effects of various natural phenomena.
- Negative personal experience may be associated with lightning entering the home and the building catching fire. It is possible that a person had to experience fear due to unexpected lightning strikes while he was in the forest.
- Children often take on their parents' intense anxiety. and they also feel fear when they appear thundercloud.
- Animal lovers get restless seeing how their pets timidly hide in secluded corners when a thunderstorm approaches.
Symptoms
People with brontophobia may have specific symptoms.
- They experience an overwhelming horror at the sight of sockets, mistakenly believing that lightning through them can kill a person. They begin to fear any contact with household appliances. Do not touch metal objects.
- For some, on the eve of a thunderstorm there is a growing fear of ending up in open area, as well as the fear of staying in someone else's house. Frightened people often cover their eyes and ears with their hands.
- In especially severe cases, brontophobia behave incredibly strangely: they build thunderstorm shelters and bunkers, acquire a private house with an underground space in which you can hide during a thunderstorm. They are afraid to leave the house. If a thunderstorm catches them outside, they panic and become hysterical.
- Experiences directed towards the future push a person to thoroughly study the forecast of weather forecasters every day. Brontophobe does not miss a single television program with weather reports, scrupulously looks through all meteorological sites, tries to observe the behavior of animals and does not forget about folk signs.
Physiological symptoms:
- cramps in the stomach;
- chills;
- tremor;
- tachycardia;
- decrease in body temperature;
- migraine;
- lack of oxygen;
- rapid breathing;
- increased sweating.
After the end of the thunderstorm, the symptoms disappear without a trace until the next occurrence.
Treatment options
Parents need to make a lot of efforts to prevent children's fear of thunderstorms and prevent it from developing into a phobia. A child's fears can lead to severe mental disorders and stuttering. Your entire appearance should demonstrate calm. There is no need to scold, much less shame, a child. It is necessary to hug the baby, reassure, support.
It is necessary to tell the little man about this unique natural phenomenon and tell him where lightning and thunder come from. You should overcome the fear of thunder in a playful way. You can imitate a strong roar using pot lids and bursting balloons. At the same time, you have to laugh cheerfully.
Fairytale therapy is effective. She teaches children to respond appropriately to the sounds of thunder. During a thunderstorm, you can play his favorite games with your baby.
A qualified specialist can conduct a full diagnosis and distinguish normal fear of bad weather from abnormal fear. The level of anxiety is assessed using the Zang or Beck scale. If necessary mental condition a person is determined using other methods.
There are often cases when a person can overcome a phobia on his own. To do this, you need to create comfortable conditions for yourself during a thunderstorm and switch to your favorite things. You can listen to loud music, watch movies, do relaxing breathing exercises and some physical exercise. A soothing bath, herbal tea, motherwort, and valerian tincture help a lot.
Tightly drawn curtains give a person confidence in their own safety. It is advisable to be close to loved ones who always provide the necessary support.
If the situation gets out of control, you need to seek help from a specialist.
A psychotherapist will help identify the cause of the phobia, advise and prescribe complex treatment. He may recommend medication. Antidepressants prevent the onset of severe depression. Tranquilizers eliminate vegetative and behavioral symptoms of panic, eliminate nervous tension, stop the manifestation of fear.
For hysterical syndrome, it is usually prescribed neuroleptic drugs. Additionally, restorative therapy is carried out.
This phobia lends itself well to psychocorrection. Individual psychotherapy is based on identifying the causes that provoked the disease and developing constructive ways to overcome this situation. Training courses in group classes help to acquire the skills of complete self-control during a thunderstorm.
Hypnosis sessions help a lot. The person is put into a trance for some time. Terrible thoughts are forced out of consciousness.
A conviction emerges: a thunderstorm does not always promise dire consequences. This method Suitable for people who tolerate hypnosis well. A hypnologist helps to correct the psyche.
By the end of the hypnosis course, the fear of lightning and thunder dissipates, the phobia is replaced by positive thoughts:
- there is no sharp reaction to the approach of a thunderstorm;
- a clear understanding comes that lightning strikes bring benefits to nature, and there is nothing scary at all about thunder;
- the mental state is gradually restored;
- the perception of a thunderstorm as a frightening phenomenon disappears;
- liberation from fear occurs.
It is safe to say that the reason for this phobic fear is largely understandable to every person. Astrapophobia is the fear of lightning; this fear also has other definitions for this phenomenon - brontophobia, keranophobia, tonitophobia. At different names the meaning does not change - a person is haunted by an irrational fear of lightning and thunder, when a thunderstorm, pleasant and praised for many famous poets, is the most terrible event.
To understand exactly why “astrapophobia”, you should turn to Sanskrit. In this case, the word astra means weapon. This refers to the mythological characteristics of the goddess Indra; for her, lightning was an indispensable weapon. Indra dominated all the gods, herself being the goddess of warfare, lightning and thunder. Her right hand was always occupied with lightning, and with its help she either destroyed enemies or could revive those who had bravely fallen in battle. Based on this information, we can assume that astrapophobia is indeed a very serious phobia.
Signs of astrapophobia
If a person suffers from astrapophobia, then many ailments can manifest themselves during a thunderstorm. But the peculiarity is that such a patient understands perfectly well that his fear has no basis, and in some cases he behaves almost childishly, which from the outside may seem funny or stupid. The symptoms of the disease appear in approximately the same form as with other phobic fears, although there may be various combined options and combinations. A person suffering from astraphobia, hearing the rumble of thunder, begins to tremble, he instantly falls into panic, and feels extreme fear.
There is increased sweating and the heart beats faster. Phenomena such as spontaneous urination or diarrhea cannot be excluded. The patient cries, tries to hide in a dark corner, covers his eyes and ears with his palms in order to somehow isolate himself from this phenomenon. If a person is at home and a thunderstorm begins at this time, many patients immediately close all the windows tightly, draw the curtains, and, in order not to hear the sounds of thunder, turn on loud music. Moreover, there are reactions that are characteristic of astrophobes, and they are, in general, unique.
For example, if during an attack of phobic fear there are close people nearby whom the patient trusts and believes that he can count on their support, then his condition is not so critical and recedes. But if a person is alone, then the situation can escalate to the limit, when all the symptoms fully manifest themselves. It should be emphasized that the panic fear associated with a phobia in itself does not pose a serious threat to human health, and even more so to life, despite the fact that at a certain moment it seems to the patient that he will inevitably die.
Regarding this phobia, experts say that all 
it is to blame for the increased emotionality of a person, character traits, as well as cases when a person, perhaps even in childhood, witnessed a tree or house being struck by lightning and starting a fire. Also, all sorts of, and sometimes often exaggerated, stories from adults about tragic situations associated with thunderstorms play a huge role. A certain percentage also occurs in very common horror films, when something terrible and anomalous happens against the backdrop of a thunderstorm, which makes a tremendous impression on impressionable people.
Many patients suffering from astrapophobia begin to fear drafts and wind during a thunderstorm. They are looking for reliable shelter, and can climb under the bed, into a closet, lock themselves in the bathroom or closet, where, in their opinion, there is no wind, and therefore relatively safe. To drown out the sound of a thunderstorm, while in the bathroom, the patient opens the water taps, which may end up with the neighbors below being flooded. Indeed, at such moments the patient does not control himself, and the water may well end up in the wrong place.
The weather forecast is of great importance for those suffering from astrapophobia. They watch this block constantly, repeatedly checking information on the Internet. In some cases, a rather serious dependence arises, and a person will under no circumstances leave the house unless he is sure that there is no thunderstorm expected that day. In such a situation, astrapophobia can become even more complicated.
For treatment of this disease specialists around the world have different approaches, and besides, this phobia is quite common. For example, according to studies, among Americans this phobia ranks third among other phobic fears. Moreover, in most cases, astrapophobia occurs in childhood, but of course, teenagers and adult population are not excluded from this list.
Psychotherapists say that such fear is common to many children, and there is nothing special about this one. Therefore, not in all cases the fear of thunderstorms is defined as a phobia. Before they grow up, children go through a huge number of fears. As for the fear of thunder and lightning, then similar condition cannot be classified as a fully formed phobia if the phenomenon is observed for less than six months. But if the situation does not change for the better over time, and lasts for months, in this case the possibility of developing astrapophobia should not be ruled out. If the problem is left unattended, it may get worse in the future.
Fear of thunderstorms: how to stop being afraid of thunder and lightning
There is no bad weather. However, weather conditions often affect the well-being and mood of adults and children. Clear warm sunny days They give us pleasure, provide us with a wonderful mood, and motivate us to perform great deeds. During the gloomy rainy seasons, we can be overwhelmed by melancholy and apathy. We greet the summer rain showers that fall after the sweltering heat with joy and relief. At the same time, a terrible thunderstorm, sonorous rumbles of thunder, sparkling flashes of lightning lead many adults and children into tension and cause fear.
Fear of a thunderstorm: when natural fear turns into pathology
Most people have a well-founded fear of thunder and lightning. natural reaction. Fear of a thunderstorm is a natural protective mechanism designed to warn a person about the existence of a real danger to her life and health. This warning response helps mobilize the body's resources to take action to avoid the threat. A rational fear of thunder and lightning stops people from reckless behavior and directs them to find solutions to prevent a tragic catastrophe. Thanks to the natural fear of thunderstorms, humanity has invented many ways to protect against lightning strikes, for example: a lightning rod.
A person’s fearful attitude towards such a formidable natural phenomenon has objective grounds, since there is a real threat of becoming a victim of violent, destructive bad weather. The danger posed by thunderclaps and lightning flashes has always worried people. Our distant ancestors waited with bated breath for the outcome of the events taking place in the roaring fiery airspace. In the past, some peoples considered thunderstorms to be a manifestation of the wrath of the Gods and greeted thunderstorms with horror. Even today, in the age of technical revolution and the triumph of science over religion, leading scientific minds cannot give an unambiguous definition of the nature of the formation of lightning.
Why are many people afraid of thunderstorms? In most cases, the fear of this bad weather is justified. About six thousand lightning flashes on Earth every minute. Statistics show that people die from the consequences of a lightning strike. more people than from tornadoes and hurricanes. Only there are more flood victims than people injured from fast fiery zigzags. According to official data, more than one thousand inhabitants of the planet lose their lives every year from the terrible “God’s punishment”.
Why are many people afraid of thunder and lightning? Because a strong electrical discharge descending from heaven brings considerable damage to humanity. A fiery zigzag that reaches the ground can kill livestock. Electrical discharges emanating from a thundercloud can cause severe fires, leading to the destruction of residential buildings and public buildings. Lightning striking the ground near a building can easily penetrate its electrical network through the protective grounding system, causing damage and failure of electrical equipment.
Ball lightning is especially scary. If a hot fireball explodes, all nearby liquid evaporates, and glass and metal products melt. Ball lightning can easily penetrate closed spaces. Cases have been described when a plasma ball appeared from sockets, a working TV, or even appeared on board aircraft.
Therefore, for most people, concern and a desire to protect themselves during a thunderstorm are quite normal and natural state. However, there are many adults and children who experience an irrational, uncontrollable and uncontrollable, obsessive fear of thunder and lightning. Their panic horror is without any basis and has no logical explanation, since they are constantly afraid of this natural bad weather: both directly during a thunderstorm, and in anticipation of the occurrence of bad weather with rain, thunder and lightning.
In such people, the warning emotion of fear has crossed the line of the norm, transforming into annoying phobic anxiety. Pathological fear of thunderstorms is a well-studied disorder that goes by several names in medical circles. The phobic fear of lightning is called “astraphobia”, “astrapophobia”, “keraunophobia”. The irrational fear of thunder is described as brontophobia or tonitrophobia.
Why there is fear of thunderstorms: reasons for fear of thunder and lightning
Astrapophobia is observed in people of different ages, but the majority of those affected are children and adolescents. It should be noted that the older the patient, the worse the prognosis of the disease, the more obsessive the nature of the disorder, the more difficult it is to eliminate painful symptoms fear of thunderstorms. Both rural and urban residents can become victims of brontophobia. Many people who have a panic fear of thunderstorms live in rural areas, especially in remote and sparsely populated areas.
There are two categories of adults susceptible to this anxiety-phobic disorder. The first group is people with a good level of education, occupying prestigious positions and leading active social activity. Such people are aware of technical innovations and scientific developments. They understand that their fear of thunder and lightning is exaggerated and often has no logical basis. They make strong willful efforts to overcome their fear. However, the panic horror of a thunderstorm turns out to be stronger than the existing volitional resources and arguments of reason.
Often the main reason for the occurrence of astrapophobia in such subjects is information overload. Due to their type of activity, continuous employment, and the need to possess constantly updated information, they experience significant mental and mental overload. This problem is joined by Negative influence lack good rest and lack of sufficient physical activity. As a result, the body's protective reserves are weakened and mental resources are depleted. Mental overload leads to the fact that existing “cognitive filters” cannot fully classify, systematize, and sort information into useful, objective information and harmful, false attitudes. Thus, the preconditions are created for the emergence of irrational fears and groundless anxieties.
The second group of people affected by astrapophobia are people with low level education and insufficient intellectual abilities. They suffer from a lack of useful knowledge and skills. Their comprehensive ignorance and wild illiteracy do not allow them to distinguish true information from false speculation.
These unenlightened and undeveloped individuals often have a fear of mystical phenomena. Many of them believe in the truthfulness of myths, legends, and tales. They consider natural bad weather as a manifestation of the will of some higher powers.
Often their false beliefs are based on beliefs emanating from religious beliefs Ancient India. In Indian literature, Indra was one of the most powerful gods of the Rigvedic pantheon. He was the thunderer, the god of rain. His weapon, called the vajra (“lightning”), was designed to defeat all enemies and revive brave and worthy warriors who died in battle.
In the religion of the Slavs, the most ancient supreme male deity was Rod - the god of sky and thunderstorms, fertility. He was the ruler of all living things; the birth of children depended on his wishes. In the Slavic language, the root “rod” meant fiery red color. Ball lightning was called "rhodia".
One of the highest male deities of the mythology of the Eastern Slavs was Perun - the god of thunder, thunder and lightning. The name of this thunderer means “striking, striking with thunder and lightning.” Perun, who was considered the ruler over everyone, was greatly feared. Bulls were sacrificed to him. Even after the adoption of Christianity and the overthrow of Perun, he was treated as a living being.
Such echoes of primitive fears among ancient peoples are reflected in the inner world of some people. At the subconscious level of the psyche, some subjects experience panic fear of gods and higher beings. The subconscious fear of divine punishment serves as the foundation for the emergence of astrapophobia.
The basis for the emergence of an illogical fear of thunder and lightning can be a person’s conviction of his guilt. It often happens that an individual commits some illegal act, an immoral act that goes unnoticed. Or the subject unintentionally offends others and creates trouble for them. In such a situation, he feels remorse. Unable to apologize and unwilling to ask for forgiveness for the wrong he has done, the person suffers from a crippling sense of guilt. On a subconscious level, he expects punishment from above. And the object that can carry out just punishment is natural bad weather - a terrible thunderstorm.
Very often, the fear of thunder and lightning is based on human fear of phenomena that he cannot influence. Indeed, any changes in the weather occur outside of the desire and will of a person. A contemporary can only prevent damage and mitigate damage from a lightning strike. However, he cannot completely manage and control the “decisions” of nature. The inability to control the course of a thunderstorm, the inability to accurately guess the places where the fiery zigzag will fall, strengthens a person’s opinion of himself as a defenseless, weak creature. It is the feeling of one’s own insecurity and the recognition of personal weakness in comparison with the forces of nature that becomes the basis for the emergence of astrapophobia.
Often, the fear of a thunderstorm takes root in a person’s childhood, when adults invested harmful stereotypes and attitudes into a small person. Many parents instill a fear of thunderstorms in their children, arguing that “we should be careful of thunderstorms because lightning often kills people.” Adults, guided by good intentions to protect their offspring, make ironclad arguments: “It’s not without reason that all animals anticipate a thunderstorm and try to hide in secluded places.” Accordingly, the child, at a subconscious level, firmly assimilates attitudes that over time transform into a destructive program, the essence of which is: a thunderstorm is very scary, bad, dangerous.
Irrational fear of thunderstorms can have real explanations. Often, negative personal experience gained when faced with the terrible consequences of lightning strikes gives rise to astrapophobia. For example, a person witnessed a situation where someone was injured or died as a result of being hit electric charge. Or the subject personally observed how lightning struck a residential building and caused a severe fire.
A certain percentage of people acquire a phobic fear of thunder and lightning after experiencing fear at the sight of natural bad weather. For example, the baby witnessed a raging thunderstorm for the first time. For the first time he heard loud rumbles of thunder and saw the fiery dance of lightning in the sky. At the same time, he was alone at that moment. The kid did not understand what was happening, and did not know that the rampant nature was a temporary phenomenon. There were no parents near him who could calm him down and explain the essence of what was happening. Accordingly, various assumptions and guesses arose in the child’s head, devoid of common sense.
On this basis, a panicky irrational fear of a thunderstorm is formed.
Astrapophobia is also caused by increased emotionality, impressionability, vulnerability, and a tendency to focus on certain experiences. For example, a sensitive nature watches apocalyptic films where, as a result of lightning storms, humanity disappears from the face of the Earth. He perceives fictional events as circumstances that could potentially happen in the present. He reflects on the terrible fate of humanity; as a result, such mental chewing gum leads to the onset of an anxiety-phobic disorder.
How obsessive fear of thunderstorms manifests itself: signs of astrapophobia
Symptoms of irrational fear of thunderstorms overcome an individual not only during periods of natural bad weather. Any mention of a thunderstorm can trigger panic attacks. A person begins to tremble with horror when he sees stories about a lightning storm on the television screen. He breaks out in a cold sweat if he hears stories about people being injured by lightning in some distant land.
When bad weather occurs, the patient feels the symptoms of panic attacks already at the first rumble of thunder. The subject has difficulty breathing and has difficulty taking a full breath. He feels his heart beating intensely and irregularly. He breaks out in cold, sticky sweat. The patient's legs give way from fear and he cannot move. Other people, having noticed flashing lightning in the sky, flee. They try to find a secluded place that can protect them from a lightning strike. They hide in dark corners and close themselves in closets. In order not to see or hear the “heavenly attack,” the astrapophobe tightly closes the windows, draws the curtains, and turns on the music at full volume.
A sick person may hastily turn off all electrical appliances.
Often the symptoms of panic are so great that adults begin to behave like small children. They are sobbing heart-rendingly. They ask those around them to protect them from fiery zigzags. They demand that they be taken to a safe shelter. The patient assures others that he is destined to certainly die from a fireball.
The symptoms of astrapophobia are especially severe in a person if he is alone at the time of the onset of a thunderstorm. In a panic attack, he can do absurd things. For example, a person, convinced that ball lightning will penetrate into his home, runs out into the street, thereby exposing himself greater danger. If a relative or acquaintance is next to him, the astrapophobe feels more or less protected. He counts on support and believes that, if necessary, the people around him will be able to provide him with first aid.
Another common symptom of astrapophobia is an obsession with studying weather forecasts. A person addicted to the fear of thunderstorms may watch a television channel broadcasting weather reports around the clock. He flips through the pages of websites that provide information about changing weather conditions. He firmly believes in folk signs indicating the approach of a thunderstorm. He monitors the habits of domestic animals, who are able to predict the onset of a thunderstorm.
At severe course Astrapophobia, a person turns his home into a bunker. He carefully inspects the condition of windows and doors, ensuring that there are no gaps there. He refuses to use electrical appliances and seals all available sockets from which a fireball could “jump out”. It blocks all ventilation holes in the apartment, from where lightning can “jump out”. Having made sure that his home has become a safe haven, the patient stops leaving his apartment. He does not leave his home, even if he needs to replenish food supplies or purchase necessary medications. As a result, he is completely isolated from society, turning his life into an endless, exhausting “struggle” with nature.
Treatment of astrapophobia: how to get rid of the fear of thunderstorms
How to overcome obsessive fear of thunderstorms? Fortunately, anthropophobia is a well-studied disorder that can be successfully treated. However, for a favorable outcome of the disease, it is necessary to seek treatment as early as possible. medical assistance to avoid aggravation of the symptoms of the disease. It should be remembered that in most cases it is impossible to independently eradicate manifestations of pathological fear of thunderstorms, since the disorder has an obsessive and persistent course.
How to get rid of the fear of thunderstorms and lightning? IN clinical practice For the treatment of anthropophobia, it is traditional to carry out activities in three areas. Primarily to stabilize the patient's condition and minimize symptoms panic fear carry out drug treatment. Benzodiazepine tranquilizers are mainly used for astrapophobia. Benzodiazepines have a sedative and anti-anxiety effect. With their help, it is possible to eliminate the painful manifestations of panic attacks.
How to stop being afraid of thunder and lightning? At the second stage to drug treatment attach psychological work and psychotherapy. The psychologist’s task is to rid the patient of a distorted perception of weather phenomena and bring to his attention true information about the nature of the origin of thunder and lightning. The specialist provides evidence, supported by accurate scientific information, about the real danger of the “heavenly element.” The psychologist directs his efforts to debunk false myths and harmful beliefs. A realistic assessment of the existing threat significantly reduces the level of fear of a thunderstorm.
How to overcome the fear of thunder and lightning? An important step is to determine the reasons that gave rise to astrapophobia. During psychotherapeutic sessions, the doctor helps the patient to identify unconstructive and interfering stereotypical attitudes inspired from the outside. A person gets the opportunity not only to detect harmful components of thinking, but also to acquire constructive thoughts and ideas. During psychotherapeutic sessions, the individual receives skills to manage and control his emotions.
How to reduce fear of thunderstorms? For astrapophobia, doctors advise following the recommendations below.
It must be remembered that the probability of dying from lightning is one in two million. A person has the same chance of dying suddenly if he falls out of bed while sleeping.
Heavy rain, rumbles of thunder, flashing lightning - all this causes great fear in many people. Fear of thunderstorms is called brontophobia.
Brontophobia - fear of thunderstorms
Everyone has heard about tragic cases when people died during a thunderstorm: someone hid under a tree, someone was in or near a body of water, someone had ball lightning fly into an open window... This only increases fear. This fear must be fought.
Who is susceptible to brontophobia?
Fear of thunderstorms in people of different ages is a serious mental illness, treatment of which at the initial or middle stage should be carried out by psychotherapists. The advanced form of the disease is eliminated already in clinics using sedatives, tranquilizers and hypnosis sessions.
Children and adults can be afraid of thunder. In children, subconscious fear may be associated with a lack of understanding of the causes of this natural phenomenon. For adults, thunder reminds us of terrible incidents associated with thunderstorms.
Devout people may be afraid of thunder, considering it God's punishment for various earthly sins. Superstitious people may associate omens with thunderstorms.
Main signs of brontophobia
Each person's fear of thunderstorms manifests itself differently.
A child or an adult may feel worse at the sight of black clouds covering the sky:
- sweat appears on the face or body;
- heartbeat increases;
- blood pressure increases;
- a feeling of anxiety appears, accompanied by trembling in the body, developing into a panic state.
If a brontophobe encounters bad weather on the street, he will begin to nervously, and sometimes even hysterically, ask those around him to let him in. closed room, where he could hide from the rain and thunderstorm.
In such cases, others should react correctly to the inappropriate behavior of strangers, understanding that their incomprehensible nervousness is caused by illness.
You need to show maximum attention to such people during a thunderstorm, and if necessary, even call an ambulance.
If household members have been observing crying in their children or adult family members for several years, a desire to hide under a blanket, in the bathroom or restroom in order to isolate themselves from the sounds of thunder and lightning flashes, then this should be a signal that a close relative needs urgent treatment.
If a child or adult hides under a blanket from a thunderstorm, he or she may be suffering from brontophobia.
Ways to Confront Fear
Advice on how to resist inner fear thunderstorms, quite a lot.
Parents whose children become panicky before a thunderstorm begins should explain to them that there is nothing scary about this natural phenomenon. Adults need to be explained why thunder and lightning appear in the sky.
A child, and sometimes an adult, needs to be told how to behave correctly during thunderstorms: where they can and cannot be during this period.
In ancient times, children and adults were treated for unexplained inner horrors using spells. Some people still use conspiracies today to get rid of fears.
- do household chores;
- put on headphones and listen to music that drowns out the thunder;
- read poems or amulets aloud;
- talk with family on extraneous topics.
Fear can be overcome with the help of willpower or the help of household members. When this does not help, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Reading can help you take your mind off loud noises
Qualified medical care
Psychotherapists work in each clinic. When you cannot cope with overcoming a phobia on your own, you need to contact a specialist. The psychotherapist will find out the causes of fear and prescribe a course of treatment. It could be:
- Prim calming tablets, neutralizing anxiety and psychopathic conditions.
- Group classes with people suffering from brontophobia. During such meetings, patients communicate with each other, share their experiences, with the help of which they try to overcome their own fear. This form of treatment helps many people understand themselves and understand what causes fear.
- Hypnosis sessions, during which patients are told that they should not be afraid of a thunderstorm when it does not threaten life and health.
- When it is not possible to cope with brontophobia using outpatient methods, people are sent for treatment to psychiatric clinics, where they undergo a general strengthening course of treatment. Patients are given intravenous vitamins and tranquilizers. Psychoanalysts and hypnotists work with people.
- Do physical education;
- visit more often fresh air surrounded by friends and loved ones;
- Learn to relax and not focus on stress;
- Try not to give in to panic and anxiety, which give rise to unreasonable fears;
- Constantly engage in auto-training, forcing yourself not to react to external stimuli;
- Change your usual lifestyle, surround yourself with positivity.
In the fight against brontophobia, a person’s personal desire to overcome his fear is of great importance. Any fear acquired in society will certainly recede when the doctor and his patient make every effort to do so.
Brontophobia is one of the fears a person receives at birth, expressed in the fear of thunderstorms, and especially of thunder and lightning, and is accompanied by the desire to hide from them as quickly and reliably as possible. Moreover, brontophobes are often able to seek shelter under beds, in closets and closets.
Fear of thunderstorms in one form or another is common to almost all people. But if some are simply trying to protect themselves, because they understand what they could face from hypothermia if they get wet, or a direct hit from lightning, then for others, brontophobia can be absolutely destructive. Not only that, at the slightest clap of thunder or flash of lightning, they experience a strong, sometimes causing them panic attack, fear, they may also believe that no home can truly protect them. And they are also afraid, for example, that lightning will “get” them through the TV or telephone, or will strike them in the form of ball lightning, flying out of the socket.
The only salvation for brontophobes is that in most regions of our country thunderstorms occur extremely rarely, and besides, almost always such weather phenomena are quite short-lived.
Treatment of brontophobia
It has been noticed that especially acute attacks Brontophobia occurs when people suffering from it are caught in a thunderstorm or when they are on the street or arrive in a house or room that is foreign to them. So, if they are at home during a thunderstorm, then their fear is usually much less. Although if we are talking about a night thunderstorm, then we observe an exacerbation of the disease, regardless of where exactly the brontophobe is located.
The causes of such fears should be sought primarily in mental problems or nervous system, which turns a very useful, essentially protective mechanism into an insurmountable phobia.
Hypnosis was and is considered the best way to treat brontophobia, which makes it possible to completely change most behavioral reactions to thunderstorms in the patient’s consciousness and subconscious. As temporary relief painful condition You can use various psychotropic drugs, whose action is primarily aimed at reducing the peaks of the sinusoid of the mental reaction to stimuli. But various group and personal psychotherapeutic sessions for patients with brontophobia practically do not help.