Astraphobia (Fear of Thunder & Lightning): Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

What Is Astraphobia?

Astraphobia is a specific phobia relating to specific anxiety of environmental noises associated with thunder and lighting, also referred to as brontophobia or tonitrophobia. Research suggests that astraphobia is one of the most common phobias, affecting a little over 2% of the population.² Among children, this figure is likely much higher.

Symptoms of Astraphobia

Fear of thunder and thunderstorms represents the primary symptom associated with astraphobia, and the fear may result in both physical and emotional symptoms. For example, people with astraphobia often get immense anxiety symptoms during thunderstorms, but they also may experience heightened symptoms before and after them. Most of the time, they can recognize this anxiety as irrational or excessive.

Common symptoms of fear of thunder include:

• Excessive fear compared to other people
• Increased heart rate
• An impending sense of doom
• Nausea or vomiting
• Gastrointestinal distress
• Breathing irregularities (either breathing too slowly or too quickly)
• Shaking uncontrollably
• Chest tightness
• Checking weather reports incessantly
• Avoiding driving if there is even a chance of storms
• Fearing panic attacks while driving or in other situations
• Worries about safety or death
• Wanting constant reassurance from others about their sense of safety

These symptoms become so distressing that they interfere with someone’s daily life. At this point, the fear is likely representative of a specific phobia.

What Causes Fear of Thunderstorms?

Research shows that more than 10 million American adults struggle with phobias, but experts aren’t exactly sure why they develop.

Biological Need for Safety

Some of this fear is likely rooted in biology.³ For instance, it’s normal to have some anxiety about adverse weather as we are wired to seek safety, and inclement conditions can jeopardize our assumptions about what feels safe.

Fear of Loud Noises

Moreover, children often get scared of loud, unpredictable noises, as they aren’t completely aware of their surroundings. Most of them grow out of this fear once they can affirm a sense of safety. However, phobias aren’t necessarily rational, and they aren’t “just a phase.”

Learned Behavior From Negative Experiences

People who have had negative experiences with thunderstorms in the past may associate thunder and lightning as inherently unsafe. Over time, this association maintains the phobia because the person will often catastrophize about the bad things that could happen.

Examples of a Fear of Thunder & Lightning

It’s relatively normal for young children to feel afraid of thunderstorms. They will often seek out comfort or need reassurance from their parents. But if the anxiety worsens or interferes with their everyday lives, it may signify astraphobia. Likewise, if they present as highly anxious when anticipating a storm (rather than just during the storm itself), it’s a good idea to seek professional support.⁴

In Children

Children tend to show more symptoms of astraphobia compared to adults. They may present as extremely fearful to leave the house. During a rainy season, for example, they might want to avoid outdoor activities altogether. Stress can invariably impact their school performance (particularly if it’s stormy during the day), relationships with peers, and self-esteem.

In Adults

Adults may be more covert about their astraphobia symptoms, but that doesn’t mean they experience less distress. An adult with astraphobia might check the weather several times a day. They may cancel events or important obligations if they even suspect a storm could happen. Hearing thunder or lightning (or even thinking about it) may trigger panic attacks and other physiological responses.

How to Get Over Fear of Thunderstorms

If you feel afraid of thunder and lightning, you may find yourself experiencing a sense of intense helplessness before and after storms. Your emotions may feel entirely out of control. You might be legitimately scared for your life. You might also be frustrated with yourself for feeling anxious. Regardless, you can implement effective strategies to manage this distress and feel more empowered.

Here are ten practical tips for how to overcome astraphobia:

1. Educate yourself: It may be helpful to educate yourself on the mechanisms of thunder and lightning. Having scientific data can lessen the emotional associations you have with this specific phobia.
2. Visualize yourself being calm: Try to imagine yourself handling the situation calmly and rationally. Embrace how you can cope with this thunderstorm with ease, even if you experience some slight anxiety throughout it.
3. Consider alternative options: Phobias exist when you constantly anticipate the worst-case scenario. When you catch yourself ruminating, start thinking about the other possibilities. Remember that those options exist and that the worst-case scenario is just one possibility.
4. Practice relaxation techniques: Commit to breathing deeply or meditating when you start feeling anxious. Ideally, you should practice these exercises before a thunderstorm—that way, they feel more natural when you’re in a heightened state.
5. Find supportive friends or family: It can be helpful to share your feelings with others. Try to talk about what’s going on to people who won’t judge or shame you for your anxiety.
6. Embrace a healthy mantra: It’s helpful to ground yourself with a positive affirmation. Consider something like, I will be safe, or I know that this will pass soon.
7. Distract yourself: Consider healthy distractions you can use when you find yourself feeling anxious. Make a list of easy activities (coloring, listening to music, taking a shower, eating something you enjoy) that you can look at if you need a quick reference.
8. Limit excessive checking: If you keep checking the weather reports, commit to setting a hard boundary with yourself (like only checking once in the morning). Doing so can eliminate ongoing moments of anxiety throughout your day.
9. Designate a grounding item/location: Grounding techniques can help when a storm strikes. Choose an item or area in your home that you associate with safety. When you find yourself feeling anxious, hold onto that object (or stay in that place) while reminding yourself that you are safe.
10. Be patient: Overcoming phobias isn’t an overnight job. Recognize small successes as you make them, and be mindful of areas where you can still make progress.

How to Help a Child Cope With Astraphobia

Fear of thunder and lightning is fairly common in children. If you have a child who struggles with thunderstorms, here are some ways to ease their worries:⁴

• Validate their fears and listen compassionately to their concerns.
• Have storm-related talks that are informative, like the purpose of rain, how storms are part of nature, etc.
• Discuss the likely outcome versus the unlikely outcomes while reassuring them that they are safe.
• Ensure you have a secure, comforting, and cozy place for your child to go during a storm.
• Keep them away from anything that may heighten their fears and worries, such as the news, social media, etc.
• Have a plan in place for hurricanes, thunderstorms, or any inclement weather likely to occur near you, and inform them about the plan.
• Do not dismiss their fears or mock the child, especially if their fears continue to worsen—at this point it’s recommended to seek medical help.

How Is Astraphobia Diagnosed?

Your primary doctor and/or a mental health practitioner can usually diagnose astraphobia by conducting a comprehensive examination that includes a clinical interview in which current symptoms, medical, and mental health history are assessed. From there, a formal diagnosis can be established if you meet symptom criteria laid out by the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).

The clinician may ask if you have experienced the following:⁵

• Excessive and uncontrollable fear when faced with thunder and lightning
• Immediate distress and fear triggered if you’re aware that a thunderstorm is in the weather forecast
• Active avoidance of lighting and thunder including not watching movies, TV shows, the weather channel, or seeing images of thunderstorms
• An exaggerated dread and anxiety that’s disproportionate to the actual threat posed
• Panic and anxiety that has disrupted daily activities and social interactions
• Endured symptoms persisting for six months or more

Treatment Options for a Fear of Lightning & Thunder

Seeking professional phobia treatment can be extremely effective in helping you overcome astraphobia. Finding the right therapist often makes a tremendous difference in improving how you feel. You can start your search by using an online therapist directory.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can be helpful in treating symptoms of anxiety, panic, and specific phobias. CBT for anxiety focuses on challenging negative cognitive distortions and replacing them with more effective, rational thoughts. CBT also integrates principles of mindfulness, positive self-talk, and engaging in healthy coping strategies.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a specific type of therapy that can help with phobia symptoms. Exposure therapy gradually “exposes” people to their dreaded, feared situations (such as a thunderstorm). In this therapy, you will likely create a fear hierarchy and systemically work through those fears until you become less reactive to them.⁶

Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is a relatively new type of therapy that can help with phobias. This therapy-assisted treatment approach monitors your heart rate and respiration as you engage in various types of exposures. With VRET, instead of waiting for an actual thunderstorm, clients can practice exposing themselves to it artificially.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based, newer type of CBT and one of several acceptance-based behavior therapies. DBT’s basic philosophy is that someone can acknowledge negative feelings while also working toward making positive changes. DBT uses different interventions and teaches specific strategies like mindfulness and other stress-reduction skills that can help people with calming high anxiety and regulating strong reactions.⁷

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a new generation of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that has been shown to be beneficial for treating anxiety-related conditions as well as phobias. ACT uses mindfulness and acceptance interventions to encourage people to focus less on negative experiences and concentrate more on creating healthy life changes. The overall goal is to increase coping abilities, moment-to-moment awareness, and acceptance of self and situations.⁸

Medication

Psychiatric medication can help reduce the anxiety symptoms associated with astraphobia. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are typically prescribed. For short-term relief, a provider may prescribe benzodiazepines, but these can be habit-forming and should only be taken in low, controlled doses for a short timeframe.

Mindfulness-Based Training & Stress Management

Most therapists teach and embrace mindfulness as part of their practice. Mindfulness techniques can include anything from deep breathing to formal breathwork. Learning these exercises can help you manage your stress and feel less debilitated by astraphobia.

Can Astraphobia Be Prevented?

The heightened fear of thunderstorms is common in childhood, and although it generally dissipates with age some may carry this phobia into their adulthood. Oftentimes, childhood phobias are disregarded by parents as being normal when this may not always be the case. As such, if a child experiences ongoing and/or excessive fear and distress it is crucial for parents to seek professional help before a full-blown phobia develops.⁹