The weather this summer does not get tired of testing us for strength with frequent thunderstorms. And, despite the fact that ancient superstitions have long gone out of fashion, and thunder and lightning have long been no longer perceived as punishment from heaven, many people are still afraid of thunderstorms. And there are those who even panic.

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

And 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 psychological reasons, which can be many:

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

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

strong fright of a natural phenomenon or a loud sound. For example, when his first "meeting" with a thunderstorm, not 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 it gets wet, then the probability of being struck by lightning is very high”, “if lightning strikes nearby, then the danger increases”, “animals are afraid of thunderstorms for a reason”, etc.

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Such a phobic fear gives a person and his environment a number of inconveniences and difficulties. This phobia (fear of thunderstorms) has several synonymous names: astraphobia, astrapophobia, brontophobia, keraunophobia, tonitrophobia. Most often, it is well eliminated by methods of non-medical psychotherapy.

It is quite possible to get rid of the 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 should one day decide to seek the help of a psychologist-psychotherapist. If a person suffering from a phobia is still caught by a thunderstorm, psychologist Denis Lavrinenko recommends resorting to the following:

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

Noise reduction or elimination (entering the premises, closing windows and doors);

Search boolean arguments in favor of safety (the presence of lightning rods, the likelihood of hitting me personally, etc.);

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

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

According to American scientists, the largest number of those who are afraid of thunderstorms are among young people under 25 years old. For people of retirement age, this phobia is practically not typical. Astraphobia is more common among women.

Tatyana Koryakina

Fear of a Thunderstorm: 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 give us pleasure, provide a great mood, motivate us to exploits. In gloomy rainy seasons, we can be overwhelmed by melancholy and apathy. We meet the summer heavy rain, which has fallen after the sweltering heat, with joy and relief. At the same time, a terrible thunderstorm, sonorous peals of thunder, sparkling flashes of lightning bring many adults and children into tension and cause fear.

Fear of a thunderstorm: when a natural fear turns into a pathology
The fear of thunder and lightning in most people is a reasonable 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 anticipatory response helps mobilize the body's resources to carry out actions to avoid the threat. The rational fear of thunder and lightning stops people from reckless behavior, directs them to find solutions to prevent a tragic catastrophe. Thanks to the natural fear of a thunderstorm, mankind has invented many ways to protect against lightning strikes, for example: a lightning rod.
The fearful attitude of a person to such a formidable natural phenomenon has objective grounds, since there is a real threat of becoming a victim of a stormy destructive bad weather. The danger posed by peals of thunder and flashes of lightning has always disturbed man. Our distant ancestors waited with bated breath for the outcome of the events taking place in the thundering fiery air space. In the past, some peoples considered a thunderstorm a manifestation of the wrath of the Gods and met a thunderstorm with horror. Even today, in the age of technological revolution and the triumph of science over religion, leading scientific minds cannot give an unambiguous definition of the nature of lightning formation.

Why are many people afraid of thunderstorms? In most cases, the fear of this bad weather is justified. About 6,000 lightning strikes every minute on Earth. Statistics show that more people die from the effects of lightning strikes than from tornadoes and hurricanes. Only there are more victims of floods than people affected by fast fiery zigzags. According to official data, more than one thousand inhabitants of the planet lose their lives every year from the formidable "God's punishment".
Why do many people experience fear of thunder and lightning? Because a strong electric discharge that descended from heaven brings considerable damage to humanity. A fiery zigzag that reaches the ground can kill livestock. Electric discharges emanating from a thundercloud can cause severe fires, leading to the destruction of residential buildings and public buildings. Lightning that strikes the ground near a building can easily enter the building's power grid through the protective earthing system, causing damage and failure of electrical equipment.

Ball lightning is especially scary. If an incandescent fireball explodes, all liquid in the vicinity evaporates, and glass and metal items melt. Ball lightning can easily penetrate closed spaces. Cases are described when a plasma ball appeared from sockets, a working TV, or even arose on board aircraft.
Therefore, for most people, anxiety and the desire to protect themselves during a thunderstorm is a completely 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 groundless and has no logical explanation, since they are constantly afraid of this natural bad weather: both directly during a thunderstorm, and in anticipation 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 an annoying phobic anxiety. Pathological phobia 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 under the name "brontophobia" or "tonitrophobia".

Why there is a fear of a thunderstorm: reasons for the fear of thunder and lightning
Astrapophobia seen in humans different ages However, most of the cases are children and adolescents. It should be pointed out that the older the patient, the worse the prognosis of the disease, the more obsessive nature of the disorder, the more difficult it is to eliminate the painful symptoms of fear of thunderstorms. Both villagers and urban population. Many people who have a panic fear of a thunderstorm live in rural areas, especially in remote and sparsely populated areas.
There are two categories of adults affected by this phobic anxiety disorder. The first group is people with a good level of education, holding prestigious positions and leading active social activities. Such persons are aware of technical innovations and scientific developments. They realize that their fear of thunder and lightning is exaggerated and often devoid of logical foundations. They make a strong will to overcome their fear. However, the panic horror before a thunderstorm turns out to be stronger than the existing volitional resources and arguments of the mind.

Often the main reason for the occurrence of astrapophobia in such subjects is information overload. Due to their kind of activity, continuous employment, the need to have constantly updated information, they experience significant mental and mental overload. This problem is joined by the negative impact of the lack of proper rest and the lack of sufficient physical activity. As a result, the protective reserves of the body weaken, mental resources are depleted. Mental overload leads to the fact that the existing "cognitive filters" cannot fully classify, systematize, sort information into useful, objective information and harmful, false attitudes. Thus, prerequisites are created for the emergence of irrational fears and groundless anxieties.
The second group of people covered by astrapophobia are people with a low level of education and insufficient intellectual abilities. They suffer from a lack of useful knowledge and skills. Their comprehensive ignorance, wild illiteracy does not allow to distinguish true information from false conjectures.

These unenlightened and undeveloped individuals often have a fear of mystical phenomena. Many of them believe in the veracity of myths, legends, tales. They consider natural bad weather as a manifestation of the will of some higher powers.
Often their false belief is based on beliefs that come from religious beliefs. ancient india. In Indian literature, Indra was one of the most powerful gods of the Rigvedic pantheon. He was the god of thunder, the god of rain. His weapon, called vajra ("lightning"), was designed to strike all enemies and revive the brave and worthy warriors who fell in battle.

In the religion of the Slavs, the most ancient supreme male deity was Rod - the god of heaven and thunder, fertility. He was the master of all living things, the birth of children depended on his desire. In the Slavic language, the root "genus" meant a fiery red color. Ball lightning was called "rhodium".
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, smashing with thunder and lightning." Perun, who was considered the lord over all, was very much afraid. 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 inner world some people. At the subconscious level of the psyche, some subjects experience a panic fear of gods and higher beings. The subconscious fear of divine punishment is the foundation for the emergence of astrapophobia.

The basis for the emergence of an illogical fear of thunder and lightning may 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 has remorse. Unable to apologize and unprepared to ask for forgiveness for the wrong done, the person suffers from a destructive sense of guilt. On a subconscious level, he is waiting for punishment from above. And the natural bad weather is chosen as an object that can make a just punishment - a terrible thunderstorm.
Very often, the fear of thunder and lightning is based on human fear of phenomena that it cannot influence. Indeed, any changes in the weather occur outside the desire and will of man. A contemporary can only prevent damage and mitigate the damage from a lightning strike. However, he cannot fully 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 put harmful stereotypes and attitudes into a small personality. Many parents instill fear of thunderstorms in their children, arguing that "we must beware of thunderstorms, because lightning often kills people." Adults, guided by good intentions to protect their offspring, give iron arguments: “all animals anticipate a thunderstorm for a reason and try to hide in secluded places.” Accordingly, the child on a subconscious level firmly assimilates the attitudes, which eventually transform into a destructive program, the essence of which is: a thunderstorm is very scary, bad, dangerous.
An irrational fear of a thunderstorm can have real explanations. It is not uncommon for a negative personal experience gained from dealing with the terrible consequences of lightning strikes to trigger 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 hit an apartment building and caused a large fire.

A certain percentage of people acquire a phobic fear of thunder and lightning after experiencing fright at the sight of natural bad weather. For example, the baby for the first time became an eyewitness of a raging thunderstorm. For the first time he heard loud peals of thunder, saw a fiery dance of lightning in the sky. At the same time, he was alone. The kid did not understand what was happening, and did not know that the rampant elements were 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 conjectures devoid of common sense arose in the child’s head.
On this basis, a panic irrational fear of a thunderstorm is formed.
The culprit of astrapophobia is also heightened emotionality, impressionability, vulnerability, a tendency to focus on certain experiences. For example, a receptive nature watches apocalyptic films, where, as a result of thunderstorms, humanity disappears from the face of the Earth. He perceives fictional events as circumstances that could potentially occur in the present. He reflects on the terrible fate of mankind, as a result, such mental chewing gum leads to the start of an anxiety-phobic disorder.

How the obsessive fear of a thunderstorm manifests itself: signs of astrapophobia
Symptoms of an irrational fear of a thunderstorm overcome an individual not only during a period of natural bad weather. Panic attacks can trigger any mention of a thunderstorm. A person begins to tremble with horror when he sees stories about a thunderstorm on a television screen. He breaks out in a cold sweat if he hears stories that in some distant country, people were injured as a result of a lightning strike.
With the onset of bad weather, the patient feels the symptoms of panic attacks already at the first peals of thunder. Subject is having difficulty breathing and is having difficulty taking a full breath. He feels his heart beating hard and irregularly. He is covered with a cold sticky sweat. The patient's legs give way from fear, and he cannot move. Other people, noticing a sparkling lightning in the sky, are saved by "flight". They try to find a secluded place that can protect them from a lightning strike. They hide in dark corners and close in closets. In order not to see or hear the "heavenly attack", the astrapophobe tightly closes the windows, draws the curtains, turns on the music at full volume.

A sick person can quickly turn off all electrical appliances.
Often the symptoms of panic are so great that adults begin to behave like little children. They sob heart-rendingly. They ask those around them to protect them from fiery zigzags. They demand to be taken to a safe haven. The patient assures others that he is destined to die from a fireball without fail.
The symptoms of astrapophobia are especially severe in a person if at the time of the onset of a thunderstorm he is alone. In a panic attack, he can do absurd things. For example, a person, convinced that ball lightning will penetrate his home, runs out into the street, thereby exposing himself to 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 who is addicted to the fear of thunderstorms can watch a television channel broadcasting weather reports around the clock. He flips through the pages of sites informing about changing weather conditions. He firmly believes in folk omens indicating an approaching thunderstorm. He monitors the habits of domestic animals that can predict the beginning of a thunderstorm.

In severe astrapophobia, a person makes a bunker out of his home. He carefully inspects the condition of windows and doors, not allowing there to be any gaps. He refuses to use electrical appliances and seals up all available sockets, from which a fireball can "jump out". It blocks all ventilation openings in the apartment, from where lightning can “jump out”. After making sure that his house 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 the necessary medicines. 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 the obsessive fear of a thunderstorm? 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 medical help as soon as possible to exclude the aggravation of the symptoms of the disease. It should be remembered that in most cases it is impossible to eradicate the manifestations of a pathological fear of a thunderstorm on your own, since the disorder has an obsessive and stubborn course.
How to get rid of the fear of thunder and lightning? In the clinical practice of treating anthropophobia, it is traditionally customary to carry out activities in three directions. First of all, to stabilize the patient's condition and minimize the symptoms of panic fear, drug treatment is carried out. Benzodiazepine tranquilizers are predominantly used for astrapophobia. Benzodiazepines have a calming 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, psychological work and psychotherapy are added to drug treatment. The task of the psychologist is to save the patient from the distorted perception of weather phenomena and bring to his attention truthful information about the nature of the origin of thunder and lightning. The specialist provides evidence, supporting them with accurate scientific information, about the real danger of the “heavenly element”. The psychologist directs his efforts to debunk false myths and harmful beliefs. A real assessment of the existing threat significantly reduces the level of fear of a thunderstorm.
How to overcome the fear of thunder and lightning? Important step- to determine the causes that gave rise to astrapophobia. During psychotherapeutic sessions, the doctor helps the patient to identify non-constructive 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. At psychotherapeutic sessions, the individual receives the skills to manage and control his emotions.

How to reduce the fear of a thunderstorm? With astrapophobia, doctors advise following the recommendations below.

It must be remembered that the probability of dying from a lightning strike is one case in two million. A person has the same chance of dying suddenly if he falls out of bed during sleep.

Fear of thunderstorms is a common occurrence not only among children, but also among adults. It's not the same feeling of fear fueled by the instinct of self-preservation and forcing you to stay at home, not open the window and not hide under a tall tree. A strong fear of thunderstorms is called brontophobia and refers to mental disorders.

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

Causes of brontophobia

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

1. Impressionability.
2. Phonophobia is the fear of loud noises.
3. The fear of ball lightning is a rather rare phenomenon, but a violent human fantasy begins to paint pictures of deaths.
4. Myths about the punishment of God: a thunderstorm can punish sinners.
5. Statistics on deaths during thunderstorms. Impressionable natures love to study news reports that tell about deaths from lightning strikes.
6. Watching films about natural disasters. Many Raging Storm films based on real events, can intimidate an impressionable person.
7. Changes in the behavior of pets. Animals before a thunderstorm, during thunder, begin to panic and seek shelter.

Symptoms of fear of thunderstorms in humans

The fear of thunder, flashing lightning, and rainstorms causes people to act strangely before and during thunderstorms. phobia»> Brontophobes tend to equip their homes with bunkers that protect against natural disasters.

Over time, a brontophobe may begin to be afraid of sockets. The person believes that this item is nothing more than a great way to contact 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 rolls, brontophobes can frantically search for a place to hide while at home, try to cover themselves with a blanket or hide under the bed. In this case, rapid breathing, severe sweating or a decrease in body temperature, stomach cramps, and tremors of the extremities are observed. Seeing the previous thunderstorm in the weather news, the phobia»> brontophobes actively begin to make plans for where they could hide, they try to postpone all their affairs.

Panic attack symptoms

How to overcome the fear of a thunderstorm

This fear must be fought so as not to become a hostage of the situation every time. Strong fear of natural disasters complicates life, interferes with 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 the psychological state of a person is exerted by factors for which he is prepared in advance. These measures will help nullify the manifestations of > brontophobia and prepare mentally for the upcoming storm. Avoiding potentially dangerous places during a thunderstorm will help you gain confidence:

• tall trees;
• completely open area;
• reservoirs;
• area near power lines.

During a storm, it is undesirable to use a mobile phone. While at home, turn off all electrical appliances.

Help of psychotherapists with brontophobia

In severe cases, with 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, to calm your psyche through meditation.

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

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

Summing up

The fear of watching 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.

It's this primal fear that gives you goosebumps when faced with thunder. The sound chills to the very marrow of your bones, splits your normally calm state into pieces and makes you tremble, afraid, and longing to flee. To cope with your fear of thunderstorms, learn the following methods and stop being afraid of subsequent rumblings.

Steps

1. 1 Try to learn more about the storm. If you do your research, you will find that a thunderstorm is not as scary as it seems. Very few accidents, as a result of lightning strikes, happen to those who are indoors. Lightning will always strike the nearest conductive object in its area of ​​effect, and if you are indoors, it is unlikely to be you.
2. 2 Be confident in friends and family. If they tell you that there is nothing to worry about, believe them. This is true. Remember that this is 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. 3 Distract yourself from loud noises and blinding flashes. Find a place to do something you love, like reading a book or watching TV.
4. 4 Use your imagination. Imagine that the flares are just light from a party in the sky. Imagine kicking the ground from dancing. With a cheerful picture in your head, it's easier to survive a thunderstorm. In fact, you might even love it!
5. 5 Make a list of songs you love that you think will help you relax during a thunderstorm. Burn them to CD or your iPod/MP3 player. If possible, use headphones. You can turn it on so that it blocks out the noise of the storm, but don't set the volume to a level that will just rip your ears off. Ask someone to stand a meter/one and a half from you. If they can hear the music coming out of the headphones, then it's too loud. If that's actually enough for you, you can buy noise-canceling headphones that let you shut out the noise. outside world and at the same time listen to your favorite songs.

• Snuggle up to your favorite soft toy or blanket. These things will always make you feel better and make your heart 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, turn on some music if possible.
• If a thunderstorm starts at night, don't be afraid to climb into bed with family members. You should not be ashamed of your fear. Don't assume that people always want you to be brave, even if they say you are. Everyone is afraid of something.
• If you have a friend, brother or sister near you during a thunderstorm, build a small tent, use blankets and pillows to distract you, then climb into the tent along with food, animal toys, laptop/phone/iPod, music, book and flashlight. Turn off all lights and turn on your flashlight, pretending you're on a hike! 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 of something that makes you happy and calm.
• Watch the local weather channel and find out how strong the storm is and if it leaves your area.
• If you have to go to school, go with a friend. He will keep you company and, we hope, cheer you up!
• Talk to your school counselor if these tips don't help. He will also tell you how to deal with your fears.
• Keep yourself occupied with your hobby inside the house to ride out the storm.

Warnings

• Don't take it lightly - severe thunderstorms can (and sometimes do) cause this. If a thunderstorm is strong 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 come with lightning which is sometimes fatal, if the storm catches you outside, go to a shelter (your house or your car).

What will you need

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