Who is afraid of thunderstorms? How to overcome the fear of thunderstorms. Independent actions to get rid of brontophobia

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Brontophobia is the fear of thunderstorms, which in most cases is accompanied by deafening and frightening thunderclaps. Rarely does anyone like such a riot of nature, because it produces noise that is painful to the human ear. However, thunderstorms rage across most of our planet (with the exception of the Arctic, Antarctic and Egypt), so you should eliminate the fear of them.

Causes of brontophobia

Fear of electrical celestial discharges usually occurs due to the following life factors:

Memory of ancestors. Predisposition to a particular phobia should often be sought in genetic level of people. Sometimes a person has not experienced any psychological trauma in the past, but is afraid of reptiles, insects or any objects solely in the subconscious. In ancient times, people did not have such reliable homes as they do now, so they were mortally afraid of an eruption from heaven. They passed on their fear to their descendants, who are more protected from the consequences of natural disasters.
Excessive impressionability. A thunderstorm is a fairly powerful natural phenomenon, and the rumbles after electrical discharges that occur in the clouds in most cases frighten the population of the planet. One view of the skies, which are periodically illuminated by bright and dangerous flashes, can turn completely adequate people into brontophobes.
Fear of loud noises. According to psychologists, phonophobia is not a rare occurrence even in a person without any pronounced mental pathologies. Few people like it when they are scared by a sharp bang, an explosion or the howling of the same siren. During a thunderstorm, you can combine all of the listed unpleasant sounds together, because during the phenomenon described, thunder rumbles deafeningly, and then the alarms of many cars go off.
Fear of ball lightning. Scientists never tire of informing people that this is a rather rare natural phenomenon. However, a superstitious person always draws a parallel between a thunderstorm and the obligatory formation of deadly ball lightning.
The myth of God's punishment. Strange as it may sound, some people associate thunderstorms with this particular factor. One should not unconditionally equate such persons with religious fanatics. In the minds of a person with a developed imagination, the violence of the elements can be perceived as a warning about punishment for an incorrect lifestyle.
Death statistics. Overly suspicious individuals love to study reports of accidents in which people suffered from the elements. Even with a relatively small percentage of such tragedies (by analogy with the same car accidents), it is difficult to convince them of the small probability of suffering from a thunderstorm if all safety measures are observed.
Disaster films. The films “Lightning: Deadly Strike”, “Day of Disaster” and “Deadly Voltage” impress with the abundance of their special effects. However, the plot of such stories is best observed in sunny weather, in a safe place. If you imagine yourself in the place of the main characters, then brontophobia may develop on this fertile soil.
Strange behavior of pets. People who have got themselves quite strong and large dog, begin to get nervous when a thunderstorm begins. The reason for such panic is that their strong and fearless animal begins to frantically look for a secluded place when the first heavenly sparks appear.
Accompanying a thunderstorm with hail. Both of these phenomena are in themselves dangerous for people, but in some cases anomalous natural disasters can be observed. Any person who learns from statistical data about the weight of one hailstone in the Rostov region is 1800 g and the Indian uninvited guest weighs 2200 g can become a brontophobe. If we take into account the speed of the fall of frozen water to the ground, then we can offer the full force of its destructive power.

Most of the reasons for the fear of thunderstorms are not the whim of overly impressionable individuals. The described natural phenomenon can actually be called a significant danger to human health and even life.

Manifestations of fear of thunderstorms in humans

People who are afraid of a thunderstorm usually behave in the following ways when it approaches or is expected to occur:

Avoiding areas of frequent sky discharges. As already mentioned, in Egypt, for example, a thunderstorm is observed once every two hundred years. This place is an ideal safe “bunker” for a brontophobe. If he does not have sufficient financial wealth to live in those places, then he will try to purchase private housing in order to organize a reliable underground there.
Fear of outlets. Having watched enough relevant films and listened to the stories of experienced comrades, a brontophobe will, in a short period of time, learn to fear literally everything around him. The socket for him will become not just a means for connecting household appliances to it, but also a 100% threat of direct contact with celestial electrical discharges. A thunderstorm can thus cause harm exclusively to the technology itself, but it is almost impossible to convince people with a vocal phobia of this.
Panic attacks. A person without any visible problems will only wince at the next clap of thunder, and a brontophobe can literally crawl under the bed or cover his head with a blanket. At the same time, he will feel chills and even his blood pressure will rise significantly.
Detailed study of the weather forecast. Each of us, as necessary, looks at weather forecast data to plan our daily schedule. However, when they see a sign with the word thunderstorm, many people simply understand that they should spend this time at home. Brontophobes do not stop at this conclusion, but begin to create barricades from their homes.

Famous myths about thunderstorms

A clearly stated natural disaster is a significant threat to any person. However, some manifestations and consequences of a thunderstorm are so exaggerated that unsubstantiated information should be dispelled:

Danger of being in a car. Particularly impressionable people derive their false information from the fact that personal vehicles have an iron base, which is an excellent conductor of electrical discharges. However, this is not true, because when lightning strikes a car, it will simply slide down the body directly into the ground. If the driver sits quietly, without touching any iron objects in the cabin, then his temporary location can be considered a very safe haven.
Safe shelter under the trees. In an open field, a person will be afraid to be on an open surface and will rush somewhere to hide from a thunderstorm. Bypassing bushes that seem ineffective in terms of protection, he will try to hide under the canopy of trees. As a result, he becomes an accessible target for electrical celestial discharges. Poplar, pine, oak and spruce are especially dangerous in this case.
Safety of lightning after rain. Even if the rain has stopped, you should not relax in advance with the mentioned factor. After the last drop of thunderclouds has fallen to the ground, you can still be struck by lightning. It is not recommended to leave the shelter as long as even distant rumbles of thunder are heard.
The dangers of traveling in the air on an airplane. Famous actress Jennifer Aniston is very afraid of air travel after she was once caught in a terrible thunderstorm. However, statistics indicate that there are only a few cases where a modern airliner was damaged by lightning during landing or takeoff. During air travel, you don’t have to worry about your safety, because the plane is reliably protected from electrical shocks to its body.
Lightning does not strike twice on the same object. IN in this case we should forget about the expression that the projectile does not hit the same crater repeatedly. All this is a myth that has nothing to do with reality. Lightning often, in the second and hundredth circle, selects all tall objects with sharp ends as its damage zone.
Possibility of electric shock from the injured person. At the same time, would-be dreamers should be reminded that the human body is not capable of holding an electric discharge. In some cases, belief in such fiction reaches such an absurdity that the poor fellow struck by lightning is buried in the ground in order to release electricity from him.

Rating of the most dangerous phenomena for brontophobes

For a person who is horrified by the described cataclysm, the following will seem most terrible:

Catatumbo Lightning. They occur in the northwestern part of Venezuela and last almost ten hours. Such a fantastic phenomenon is observed at least 140 times a year (from June to October), illuminating the sky with bright and frequent flashes. People who are afraid of thunderstorms cannot calmly observe this undoubtedly delightful riot of nature in the sounded part of the planet.
Thunderstorms on the island of Java. It should be clarified that, first of all, a brontophobe will avoid exclusively the Indonesian city of Bagor. It is in this place that thunderstorms occur almost every day (322 times a year), which often scares away tourists with vocal emotional pathology.
Thunderstorms in Oklahoma and Kansas. Residents of the United States will forever remember 1999, which brought a lot of destruction to these states. It was numerous thunderstorms during this period of time that provoked the occurrence of powerful tornadoes there in the amount of 71 tornadoes.
Medveditskaya ridge. This zone in the Volga region has long been called an anomalous place. 180 km from Volgograd, a large number of ball lightnings are strangely concentrated. The notoriety of the Medveditskaya Ridge also appeared after numerous evidence of UFO visits to it. In the same area is the Slope of Crazy Lightning (Sinaya Gora Tract), where wandering electrical discharges feel at home and damage a large number of trees along their path.

Ways to deal with fear of thunderstorms

It should be noted that this magnificent and terrifying natural phenomenon can be observed during the spring-autumn off-season. However, there is a so-called snow thunderstorm, which causes even greater fear among people because of its deafening heavenly rumbles. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of such fear so as not to become a hostage in the future to a periodically recurring situation.

Independent actions to get rid of brontophobia

A person is least afraid of those aggressive natural disasters for which he has prepared in advance. Some safety measures help minimize the fear of a natural phenomenon in the form of a thunderstorm:

Avoiding Dangerous Places. In order not to be afraid of the consequences of the described natural phenomenon, it is necessary to bypass the territory of increased risk to life during a thunderstorm. During this period, you should not be near power lines, in areas of water bodies, under trees or in open space. If a thunderstorm overtakes a poor fellow in an open field, then he should squat down or look for some ditch without water.
Refusal to use a mobile phone. For some time, a person can completely do without this means of communication. Some scientists have conducted a number of studies and come to the conclusion that when talking on the phone during a thunderstorm, there is a danger of receiving an electrical discharge of quite noticeable power if the body of the device is made of iron and is applied to the ear.
Disabling household appliances. The TV and computer should be turned off immediately at the first sign of an impending storm. These items, which many people simply cannot live without, can be seriously damaged during a thunderstorm.
Avoiding metal objects. Such material is an excellent conductor of electricity, which can harm a person during the described natural phenomenon. Many people have experienced this very unpleasant effect when, in a rainstorm, they tried to withdraw money from an ATM or grab the iron handrail of public transport.
Refusal of water procedures. Taking a bath during a thunderstorm is not the best solution, even if you urgently need to get your body in order. Modern structures in the city are equipped with lightning rods, which do not provide a 100% guarantee of safety during the described natural phenomenon. Rural residents should definitely forget about bathing for a while, because their homes are least protected from negative influence elements.
Refusal of stove heating. In this case, it is better to freeze a little than to receive a direct lightning strike directly into the pipe of the house. The same warning applies to those who like to bask by the fire in the company of friends during a thunderstorm without rain.
Closing all doors and windows. Cases have been recorded where people left their windows open, after which ball lightning entered their home through them. If such a misfortune nevertheless entered the room through an existing gap, then you should turn into a pillar of salt, and then very slowly move away to a safe place. When panicking and trying to escape, a person automatically turns into an excellent target to be hit by a dangerous clot of energy.

With all the precautions described, you should also remember to calculate the time when you can hide in a safe place. To do this, you need to monitor the intervals between the celestial flash and the further clap of thunder. The interval, which is determined by five seconds, indicates that the thunderstorm is just approaching. If the flash and roar overlap each other, then it’s time to understand that the elements are already raging right above the person’s head.

Help from psychotherapists for brontophobia

It is not recommended to keep it to yourself and ruin your life with fears. A phobia in the form of fear of thunderstorms in most cases requires treatment from a competent specialist. Usually, conversation or group psychotherapeutic sessions are ineffective when the problem is voiced. It is for this reason that a doctor may suggest the following ways to get rid of an existing phobia:

Working on relaxation techniques. When the peak of panic occurs from the sounds of thunder and periodic flashes of lightning, you need to relax your body as much as possible and free your mind from negative thoughts. Sometimes a few sessions with a specialist are enough to learn the basics of relaxation. Playing music during a thunderstorm and taking soothing baths is not recommended for the reasons already stated, but nothing prevents a person from doing the same breathing exercises at this time.
"Positive thinking" method. Few people are horrified by the bright lights on the dance floor and the harsh sounds of modern music. Some lovers of more conservative holidays will not like such leisure, but it will definitely not cause them to panic. The specialist will base his treatment on this factor, trying to draw an analogy between the violence of a thunderstorm with the fairly safe entertainment of young people.
Drug treatment. In this case, everything depends on the degree of a person’s mental reaction to the stimulus in the form of a thunderstorm. After a detailed examination of his patient’s condition, the doctor may prescribe tranquilizers or antidepressants. When the disease is particularly severe, when a person falls into violent hysterics during a thunderstorm, he is placed in a psychiatric clinic.

How to get rid of the fear of thunderstorms - watch the video:

Thunderstorm is a seasonal phenomenon that is short-lived. Therefore, it should be feared only as it occurs. The fear of a thunderstorm is an irrational fear, because with reasonable behavior during the vocal violence of the elements, a person cannot significantly suffer from its consequences.

It's that primal fear that gives you goosebumps when you encounter thunder. The sound chills you to the very marrow of your bones, splits your usually calm state into pieces and makes you tremble, fear, and passionately want to escape. To cope with your fear of thunderstorms, learn the following methods and stop being afraid of subsequent thunderstorms.

Steps

1 Try to learn more about the thunderstorm. If you do your research, you will find that a thunderstorm is not as scary as it seems. Very few accidents resulting from lightning strikes occur to those indoors. Lightning will always strike the nearest object that conducts electricity within its range, and if you are indoors, it is unlikely to be you.
2 Be confident in friends and family. If they tell you there's nothing wrong, believe them. This is true. Remember, it's just a bunch of noise that seems to be trying to scare you. If you fall for this bait, then each time you will be more and more scared.
3 Distract yourself from loud sounds and blinding flashes. Find a place to do something you enjoy, such as reading a book or watching TV.
4 Use your imagination. Imagine that the flashes are just the light from a party taking place in the sky. Imagine your feet hitting the ground from dancing. With a cheerful picture in your head, it is easier to survive a thunderstorm. In fact, you might even love it!
5 Make a list of songs that you love and think will help you relax during a thunderstorm. Burn them to a CD or your iPod/MP3 player. If possible, use headphones. You can turn it up so that it blocks out the noise of the storm, but don't turn it up so loud that it blows your ears. Ask someone to stand a meter/one and a half away from you. If they can hear the music coming through the headphones, then it is too loud. If this is actually enough for you, you can buy noise-cancelling headphones that allow you to shut out the noise. outside world and at the same time listen to your favorite songs.

Snuggle up with your favorite stuffed toy or blanket. These things will always make you feel better and your heart will feel safe.
If your heart is beating too fast, inhale deeply through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Close the windows and try to think about happy things. Also, play music if possible.
If a thunderstorm starts at night, don't be afraid to crawl into bed with family members. You shouldn't be ashamed of your fear. Don't think that people always want you to be brave, even if they say you are. Everyone is afraid of something.
If you have a friend or sibling nearby during a thunderstorm, set up a small tent using blankets and pillows to distract you, then climb into the tent with food, animal toys, laptop/phone/iPod, music, book and flashlight. Turn off all the lights and turn on a flashlight, pretending you're hiking! You will feel comfortable in your little house.
Don't be afraid to wake up your mom or dad if they can make you feel better.
Try to think about something that makes you happy and calm.
Check your local weather channel to see how bad the storm is and if it is leaving your area.
If you have to go to school, go with a friend. He will keep you company and hopefully lift your spirits!
Talk to your school counselor if these tips don't help you. He will also tell you how to deal with your fears.
Keep yourself busy with your hobby indoors to weather the storm.

Warnings

Don't take this lightly - severe thunderstorms can (and sometimes do) cause this. If a thunderstorm is severe enough to cause damage to your home, be prepared to take extreme measures. If you hear a siren from the street, you need to go down to the basement or hide in the bathroom. Try to stay away from windows.
Thunderstorms often involve lightning, which can sometimes be fatal. If a thunderstorm catches you outside, take shelter (your home or your car).

What you will need

Soft toy
Study
Confidence
A parent or sibling who can comfort you

Fear of thunderstorms - common occurrence not only among children, but also among adults. This is not that feeling of fear, fueled by the instinct of self-preservation and forcing one to stay at home, not open the window or hide under a tall tree. Severe fear of thunderstorms is called brontophobia and is a mental disorder.

The fear of thunderstorms is familiar to both children and adults.

Causes of brontophobia

The appearance of such a mental disorder as fear of thunderstorms is influenced by several factors.

Impressionability.
Phonophobia is the fear of loud sounds.
The fear of ball lightning is a rather rare phenomenon, but wild human imagination begins to paint pictures of fatal cases.
Myths about divine punishment: thunderstorms can punish sinners.
Statistics on deaths during thunderstorms. Impressionable people love to study news reports about deaths from lightning strikes.
Watching films about natural disasters. Many films about a raging storm based on real events, can intimidate an impressionable person.
Changes in pet behavior. Animals before a thunderstorm or during thunder begin to panic and seek shelter.

Symptoms of fear of thunderstorms in humans

Fear of thunder, flashing lightning and rainstorms causes people to behave strangely before and during a thunderstorm. phobia">Brontophobes tend to install bunkers in their homes to protect them from natural disasters.

Over time, a brontophobe may develop a fear of electrical outlets. The person believes that this item is nothing more than a great way to come into contact with a lightning bolt that can kill him. It's a delusion. Lightning can only damage power lines or disable equipment.

Panic attacks are normal for people with various phobias. When thunder rumbles, brontophobes may begin to frantically look for a place to hide; while at home, they try to cover their heads with a blanket or hide under the bed. In this case, rapid breathing, severe sweating or a decrease in body temperature, cramps in the stomach, and tremors of the limbs are observed. Having seen the previous thunderstorm in the weather news, phobia">brontophobes actively begin to make plans where they can hide, and try to put off all their affairs.

Symptoms of a panic attack

How to overcome fear of thunderstorms

We must fight this fear so as not to become a hostage to the situation every time. A strong fear of natural disasters complicates life, interferes with building relationships and careers, and for children can cause loss of voice, stuttering, or more serious mental problems.

Actions to get rid of brontophobia

The least influence on a person’s psychological state is exerted by factors for which he is prepared in advance. These measures will help reduce the manifestations of brontophobia and prepare you mentally for the upcoming storm. Avoiding potentially dangerous places during thunderstorms can help you gain confidence:

tall trees;
completely open area;
bodies of water;
area near power lines.

It is not advisable to use a mobile phone during a storm. When at home, turn off all electrical appliances.

Help from psychotherapists for brontophobia

In severe cases of thunderstorm phobia, tranquilizers or antidepressants are prescribed. Treatment may include work with a psychologist. It is very important to understand the underlying problems and learn to abstract, calm your psyche through meditation.

Realizing that a panic attack is approaching, you need to relax, choosing a comfortable position. The next step is to even out your breathing and focus on it. Try to drive away all thoughts from yourself and completely relax the muscles of your body.

Another method to deceive the mind is to draw an analogy between a thunderstorm and light music, garlands. Turn on a special lamp at home, listen to music and relax.

Let's sum it up

The fear of observing a thunderstorm is scientifically called brontophobia. This is a rather serious mental disorder that can manifest itself at any age, regardless of gender. Treatment is carried out through the use of psychological techniques.

The weather this summer never tires of testing our strength with frequent thunderstorms. And, despite the fact that ancient superstitions have long gone out of fashion, and thunder and lightning are no longer perceived as heavenly punishment, many people are still afraid of thunderstorms. And there are those who completely panic.

According to the consulting psychologist, psychotherapist, member of the Ukrainian Union of Psychotherapists, senior lecturer at the Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of KNEU. V. Getman Denis Lavrinenko, fear of thunderstorms can be both justified (rational) and unfounded (irrational). The first is an absolutely normal and necessary protective mechanism for a person from danger.

But the danger really exists. during a thunderstorm exceeds the statistics of victims from floods. Lightning is incredibly dangerous and destructive. A lightning strike can destroy a building, a power pole, a factory chimney, or cause a fire. But most of all, lightning is dangerous for living organisms. Having struck a person, lightning can kill him to death. Moreover, both ordinary lightning and ball lightning are dangerous.

According to the psychologist, before a thunderstorm has psychological reasons, of which there can be many:

Interaction with a natural phenomenon. For example, if someone near you was once hit by lightning; lightning struck an object not far from you and destroyed it; if one of your loved ones has been in such situations or suffered from lightning;

formed by adults. For example, systematic mention by adults of negative events associated with a thunderstorm before any similar natural phenomenon; strict prohibitions associated with thunderstorms, intimidation by example of others and blackmail in case of disobedience;

severe fear of a natural phenomenon or loud sound. For example, when your first “meeting” with a thunderstorm, without being protected (far from home and shelter, without adults) and/or not knowing enough about the elements;

various kinds of stereotypes, for example: “lightning very often kills people”, “if you get wet, then the probability of being struck by lightning is very high”, “if lightning strikes nearby, the danger increases”, “animals are afraid of thunderstorms for a reason”, etc.

Getty Images/Fotobank

Such phobic fear brings a number of inconveniences and difficulties to a person and his environment. This phobia (fear of thunderstorms) has several synonymous names: astraphobia, astrapophobia, brontophobia, keraunophobia, tonitrophobia. Most often, it can be easily eliminated using non-medical psychotherapy.

It is quite possible to get rid of rational fear of a thunderstorm. You need to arm yourself with information about possible dangers during a thunderstorm, learn the “habits” of lightning and safety skills during a thunderstorm. People with pronounced astraphobia need to decide one day to seek the help of a psychologist-psychotherapist. If a person suffering from a phobia is nevertheless caught in a thunderstorm, psychologist Denis Lavrinenko recommends resorting to the following:

Change of situation and environment (search for a safe place and friendly people);

Reducing the noise level or eliminating it (entering the room, closing windows and doors);

Searching for logical arguments in favor of safety (the presence of lightning rods, the likelihood of someone hitting me personally, etc.);

Switching attention to the details of what is happening (listening to thunder, the sound of rain, measuring the time interval between lightning and thunder, etc.).

Those around you should demonstrate the most calm and peaceful behavior possible, since example and comparison are very important in this case.

According to American scientists, the largest number of those who are afraid of thunderstorms is observed among young people under 25 years of age. For people of retirement age, this phobia is practically not typical. Women are more susceptible to astraphobia.

Tatyana Koryakina

Are you afraid of thunder and lightning?

Many people suffer from this irrational fear.

If you've ever felt afraid during a thunderstorm, remember that you're not the only one.

Each year, approximately sixteen million lightning storms occur around the world.

Lightning can be defined as an electrostatic discharge in the atmosphere, which is usually accompanied by thunder.

These natural phenomena occur during thunderstorms, and in some cases, during dust storms or volcanic eruptions.

An interesting fact about lightning is that it can travel at speeds higher than 220,000 km/h (140,000 mph) and its temperature can reach 30,000°C (54,000°F). At this temperature, silicon dioxide can fuse into glass channels called fulgurites.

Lightning contributes to the ionization of the air through which it passes, which leads to the formation nitric acid and nitric oxide, which are very beneficial for plants. It appears that lightning can also occur within ash clouds produced by volcanic eruptions. It can also be caused by severe forest fires.

Another interesting fact is that no one can say for sure how lightning is initially formed. According to scientific theories, lightning can be associated with the accumulation of charged solar particles and atmospheric disturbances such as barometric pressure, friction, wind, humidity or solar wind exposure.

They say that key element In the formation of lightning is the ice inside the cloud, which can lead to the separation of positive and negative charges within a given cloud.

There is a phobia based on the fear of thunder and lightning called astrophobia. Storms are undoubtedly spectacular natural phenomena that can evoke very strong emotions in humans and animals.

While some people love watching thunderstorms, others don't know where to hide. Some people like to go out during such storms, risking their lives, while others develop this phobia.

Some signs of astraphobia are quite similar to the symptoms of other phobias. Symptoms of astrophobia include crying, sweating, and shaking during or just before a thunderstorm.

People suffering from this phobia need support from others, while symptoms may worsen if the person is completely alone. In addition to this, people who exhibit their fear of thunderstorms seek refuge outside the boundaries of normal behavior. For example, such a person may hide under a bed or under a blanket.

Other manifestations of strangeness include seeking refuge in the closet, in the basement, in the bathroom. Closing the curtains to isolate yourself from the sounds of a thunderstorm is also a sign of astrophobia.

Another fairly common symptom is an obsession with weather forecasts. Thus, a person suffering from astrophobia prefers to leave the TV on weather channels, especially during the monsoon season, or searches for storm warnings on the Internet.

In more severe cases, people may be afraid to leave the house without first checking the weather forecast to monitor for any possible occurrences of thunder and lightning. Some are quite hazardous conditions Astraphobia can eventually lead to agoraphobia, or the fear of leaving the house.

Astraphobia is extremely common in children, because basically all children are afraid of thunderstorms, so it should not be taken too seriously. Fears are an integral part of every child's development and therefore they are not diagnosed as phobias unless they last for more than six months.

The best thing you can do is try to calm yourself and comfort your children. Children tend to imitate the examples and behavior of adults, both positive and negative. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare in advance some fun activities in case of rainy, stormy weather. But if the fear continues to be severe and exceeds a six-month period, you should consider treating your child.

When treating astraphobia, doctors most often use cognitive behavioral techniques. This treatment includes calming messages that are repeated during thunderstorms to dislodge negative thoughts. Visual exercises are also used to get rid of such irrational fears.