Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionSymptomsDiagnosisCausesTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Causes
Treatment
Astraphobiais an intense, irrational fear of thunderstorms. People with this condition may also fear other extremely loud natural noises. Astraphobia can be hard to live with, butphobiascan be successfully treated.
This article will discuss astraphobia, how to recognize it, what causes it, and how it’s diagnosed and treated.
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Other names for astraphobia are:AstrapophobiaBrontophobiaKeraunophobiaTonitrophobia
Other names for astraphobia are:
Definition of Astraphobia
Astraphobia is classified as a “specificphobia," or an intense fear of something that poses little or no danger.
Depending on the phobia’s severity, just a picture of lightning or the thought of a thunderstorm may trigger anxiety. With milder symptoms, you may be calm inside but unable to go outside during a storm.
The term “astraphobia” comes from the Greek wordastrape, which means lightning, andphobia, which means fear.
Five Types of Specific PhobiaAnimal type: Snakes, spiders, dogs, etc.Natural environment type: Heights, water, lightning, thunderBlood-injection-injury type: Seeing blood, being vaccinated, watching medical proceduresSituational type: Airplanes, enclosed places (claustrophobia), elevatorsOther: Fear of sickness, fear of clowns, others not covered above
Five Types of Specific Phobia
Animal type: Snakes, spiders, dogs, etc.Natural environment type: Heights, water, lightning, thunderBlood-injection-injury type: Seeing blood, being vaccinated, watching medical proceduresSituational type: Airplanes, enclosed places (claustrophobia), elevatorsOther: Fear of sickness, fear of clowns, others not covered above
Symptoms of Astraphobia
A phobia goes beyond simple fear. It’s normal for you to feel fear if you’re in danger, but phobias cause reactions even when you don’t face a threat.
For example, if you see lightning while you’re on a roller coaster, it’s rational to be afraid since you’re high up on a metal structure that could be struck.
If you have astraphobia, however, you may be too fearful to leave the house if the weather forecast predicts thunderstorms. You may have a panic attack at a distant rumble of thunder or even the first few drops of rain.
Symptoms of panic attacks associated with astraphobia may include:
You might go to great lengths to avoid thunder and lightning. The extent of your avoidance depends on how severe the phobia is.
The weather forecast may dictate whether you can leave the house. It may be impossible for you to enjoy the outdoors due to fear of storms. You may not be able to watch a video of thunderstorms without experiencing symptoms.
Astraphobia and other specific phobias arediagnosedbased on your symptoms. Criteria are laid out in the fifth edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5):
If you suspect a phobia, talk to your healthcare provider. If they’re not comfortable diagnosing a phobia, they may send you to a mental health specialist.
Causes of Astraphobia
So far, experts can’t say exactly what causes phobias. Factors believed to contribute to phobia development include:
Zoophobia: Fear of Animals
If your phobia doesn’t impact your life, it may not need to be treated. But if it limits your activities or causes distress, know that treatments are available. Most phobias can be treated or even cured.
Treatments for specific phobias include:
Relaxation anddeep breathing exercisesmay help lower your anxiety levels.
How Phobias Are Treated
Summary
Phobias are diagnosed based on DSM-5 criteria. They’re thought to develop due to a combination of trauma, stress, genetics, brain chemistry, and learned responses.
Treatment typically involves a form of psychotherapy, especially exposure therapy. Drugs may be used in some cases.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine: Penn Psychiatry.Specific phobias.National Institute of Mental Health.Panic disorder: when fear overwhelms.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Specific Phobia Comparison.National Health Service: NHS Inform.Phobias.Boston Children’s Hospital.Phobias symptoms & causes.Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. Published 2020 Mar 19. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine: Penn Psychiatry.Specific phobias.National Institute of Mental Health.Panic disorder: when fear overwhelms.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Specific Phobia Comparison.National Health Service: NHS Inform.Phobias.Boston Children’s Hospital.Phobias symptoms & causes.Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. Published 2020 Mar 19. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine: Penn Psychiatry.Specific phobias.National Institute of Mental Health.Panic disorder: when fear overwhelms.Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Specific Phobia Comparison.National Health Service: NHS Inform.Phobias.Boston Children’s Hospital.Phobias symptoms & causes.Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. Published 2020 Mar 19. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.
National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health.Specific phobia.
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine: Penn Psychiatry.Specific phobias.
National Institute of Mental Health.Panic disorder: when fear overwhelms.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Impact of the DSM-IV to DSM-5 Changes on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Table 3.11, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Specific Phobia Comparison.
National Health Service: NHS Inform.Phobias.
Boston Children’s Hospital.Phobias symptoms & causes.
Thng CEW, Lim-Ashworth NSJ, Poh BZQ, Lim CG.Recent developments in the intervention of specific phobia among adults: a rapid review.F1000Res. 2020;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-195. Published 2020 Mar 19. doi:10.12688/f1000research.20082.1
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Phobias.
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