How to alleviate fear of thunder and lightning (Brontophobia)

Brontophobia is kind of fear for thunder and lightning. It is a common fear among people around the globe. The origin of the word Bronto is Greek (meaning thunder) and phobia is Greek (meaning fear). Brontophobia is also called Astraphobia, Astrapophobia, Keraunophobia, Ceraunophobia, and Tonitrophobia.

People who experience brontophobia have an extreme fear of storms. Loud, startling thunder and flashes of lightning that trigger anxiety and panic attacks. Other effects of this type of irrational fear include fast heartbeat, sweating, and an intense sensation of fear, which increases until a person feels ill.

Brontophobia develop at an early age, when as children. They hide under the covers during a serious storm. Brontophobia can be especially irresistible for small children. Many frightened children feel immobilised during adverse climatic conditions and their parents unable to help them cope with their fears.

People suffer from fear for thunder and lightning at any time in life, frequently after someone has an experience such as getting shocked, which recalls a lightning strike. A shocking event such as surviving a hurricane may also cause penetrating fear of storms.

Major causes of developing fear of thunder:

It is well recognized that phobias develop from an amalgamation of external events and internal dispositions such as heredity or genetics. Many specific phobias can be traced back to a specific activating event, usually a traumatic experience at an early stage of life. Numerous psychological studies have demonstrated that heredity, genetics, and brain chemistry along with life-experiences to play vital role in developing such phobias.

Symptoms of Brontophobia:

The symptoms differ from person to person depending on their level of fear. The symptoms typically include

1.   Extreme anxiety

2.   Dread and anything related with panic such as shortness of breath

3.   Rapid breathing

4.   Irregular heartbeat

5.   Sweating,

6.   Excessive sweating

7.   Nausea

8.   Dry mouth

9.   Inability to eloquent words or sentences and shaking.

Treatments for this phobia: 

Patient with irrational fear are treated with counselling, hypnotherapy, psychotherapy, and Neuro-Linguistic programming. Professionals recommend some hypnosis techniques that are proven effective in to lessen stress and phobias.

To wrap up, brontophobia is fearful experience of people of lighting and thunder. This type of phobia is typically present in a mild form with young children, but normally begins to lessen as the child enters youth. Hypnosis is the best therapy to treat this kind of phobia.