Astraphobia is the irrational fear of thunder and lightning. Thunder is a very scary loud rumble while lightning itself is very dangerous, nobody wants to get struck. Among these reasons are the causes of this phobia.
Other alternative names for this phobia include brontophobia, tonitrophobia or keraunophobia. I know right? Who seriously comes up with these names? Well, astraphobia is not rear at all but in fact one of the most common phobias in the world especially regions where thunderstorms yare rampant.
Astraphobia in Cats and Dogs
We humans aren’t the only ones with phobias, it was found out that about 20 – 30% of cats and dogs also suffer from it. For dogs, it was found that high level of a hormone called cortisol and used to manage stress in the dog can cause astraphobia for the dog
Cats have also been seen to run under couches and other furniture during a thunderstorm. It was generally agreed that rather than showing an attempt to comfort these pets, it is better to keep behaving normally on the basis that fearlessness can be considered a huge step to curing a phobia all along.
Symptoms
Even though it is obvious at times that an astraphobic patient might not be in any imminent danger at the time, they may still exhibit any of the following behaviors depending solely on how intense their astraphobia is;
The symptoms of this phobia include:
* Increased heart rate
* Trembling
* Screaming and crying
* Hiding in a basement or lower ground
* Thoughts of death
*locking all doors and windows trying to prevent entry
A person suffering from this phobia would probably be very up to date with the weather forecasts as they would like to be aware of any upcoming storms so as to leave town or brace themselves up.
Causes
Astraphobia is caused by only a few known reasons one of which is the that it might be a survival instinct thus making it a genetic type of phobia – a trait similar to why cats chase mice and birds build nests etc.
The other reason is that it could be as a result of past experience. Here, the astraphobic patient may have seen or experienced firsthand a disaster caused by jolts of lightning or something close almost permanently scarring the mind.
How To Cure The Fear Of Thunder
So, does this phobia actually have a cure? Yes, it does. practically all known phobias have one cure or the other. To cure the fear of lightning, usually, a therapist is needed to ensure the best results. the most common means is through cognitive behavioral therapy.
If you think you can overcome astraphobia on your own, then check out the how to cure phobia article.
Do you have this phobia or its something else? Comment me and let me know!