Brontophobia is the fear of Thunder & Lightning. It is also called as astrapophobia, keraunophobia, or tonitrophobia. This type of phobia, both humans and animals can develop. However, the current type of phobia is treatable.
Causes of Brontophobia
The cause of Brontophobia is due to the natural occurrence of Lightning and Thunder. As a young kid, if you have experience of bursts of lightning or due to the huge sound that the thunder makes a kid can develop the symptoms. However, as a kid, we should not directly classify it to be phobia as they might recover as they mature.
However, a kid can be suffering from Brontophobia if the situation persists from months to years. If the fear is developed in this case, then they are in need of treatment as it may turn into a serious problem during adulthood.
Common Symptoms of Brontophobia
The signs and symptoms that a Brontophobic person might show include
- Trembling
- Crying
- Sweating
- Panic Reactions.
- Nauseating
- Rapid heartbeat.
- Hiding under the bed, closet, basement, etc.
- Trying to escape the incoming storm.
Usually, a person who is suffering from Brontophobia would be checking the news for constant weather updates. Some people may not even step out of the home without checking the forecast of the day which may lead them to anxiety. A sudden change in weather can get them feeling scared which may lead to a panic attack for the patient.
It is said that even animals can also get Brontophobia. Dogs and Cats, in particular, are said to be hiding under the couch or a table when there is a storm. According to the study around 15-30% of animals can suffer from fear of Thunderstorms. It might be due to the high level of cortisol – the hormone that induces stress in dogs.
Treatment for Brontophobia
Treatment in humans include
a) Exposure Therapy: A person who is suffering from Brontophobia can undertake treatment with the help of modern technologies of artificial intelligence where he can overcome his fear with the help of these technologies.
b) Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: CBT is one of the best treatments that a person suffering from Brontophobia can undertake. Here the doctor will be taking a series of tests from the patient via questionnaire and then he will recommend the required treatment.
c) In animals, you can get them treated with behavioral therapies such as counter conditioning, desensitization, anti-anxiety medication, etc.
d) As young, a kid can be treated with a distraction method where the kid can be asked to play games during the storm. A kid can also overcome the fear if any of his family members show signs of fearlessness towards thunderstorms.
[Also Checkout: Top 10 Phobias of All Time]
