i'm scared of thunder and lightening, what can i do?

Question

Summers coming and tonight the years first thunderstorms are predicted to hit my county(Kent, UK). I am petrified of thunderstorms, have been since i was born(i'm 18 btw). Well i'm watching the rainfall radar on the Met Office websites as the storms leave France northwards towards Kent and i'm getting very nervous, not only will the storms arrive during the night, but i'm all alone. What can I do to try and make it through the storms? i was thinking of leaving all lights on, close all doors and curtains, turn music right up and talk to people on MSN to take my mind of it. If worse comes to the worse i'll put my fingers in my ears and hide with my head burried under my pillow, not a good way to live at 18 esp as i'm starting a job soon which involves being outside a lot(Direct Sales Marketing). Any ideas? thanks everyone :)

To Dougal, i understand it 100%. I know the chances of lightning striking me is extremely unlikely, thats not what scares me, i just don't like the noise of thunder(quiet or loud) and i don't like the look of lightning, whether i see a flash or the fork itself. I become "on-edge" even if i see a photo of lightening or hear a recording of thunder. I don't even like the word much. I don't remember having any bad experiences when i was born of thunder, its just something i don't like. I was hoping i'd have grown out of it by now.

Answer 1

Well, while I'm not suggesting that the next time a thunderhead comes around that you run out and grab a lightning rod and head for the nearest field.

You want to examine why exactly you are afraid, is it the noise, or does the flash itself get you afraid. The noise is harmless (unless you were very very close to the lightning bolt itself). Did you have a trauma when you were a child, and are maybe you acting on those childhood fears (could have been a gun firing or a disasterous storm or something).

Otherwise, understand that while lightning is dangerous and you should exersize good common sense around thunderstorms, such as no swimming, staying away from open areas (open crop fields,very large parking lots, isolated trees etc) and avoiding outdoor sports.

Personally I recommend, try to face your fears , rent a movie like Back to the Future where lightning figures into the plotline prominently but not threateningly.

When I was your age, I also REALLY did not like to be around thunderstorms myself but then had a girlfriend whom was very big on the outdoors, I was a couple of years older than you we once camped out on a hill overlooking a plain and it got really nasty one evening and after we made camp we could really only hunker down until the storm passed and what we didn't know was there was a radio antennae about 50 yards away from our campsite, and so ALL the lightning all night landed at or near this antennae, there were about 20 lightning crashes an hour for about 5 hours or so it seems and then a break for a little while and then really bad at like 2-3 in the morning.

So at 6pm I was NOT a happy camper and was pretty much very upset. By 7pm it was still loud and scary, 20 lightning crashes later, it was loud and a little scary and at some point it became sort of the inspiration for a little romance (but we were 20 and that's just what you do when your camping, mildly annoyed and stuffed), about 9:30 or so however, it wasn't scary or romantic it was LOUD and starting to
become annoying because we were getting tired.

It seemed Zeus didn't want us getting any sleep that night because there were dozens or rumbles and crashes and noise, and the while the storm didn't let up until and the lightning started up again around 2 or 3am, by which
time, we both were exhausted and I was officially OVER
my fear. Now, very occasionally it's still romantic but not
at all scary.

Read up on it, make Nicolai Tesla your personal hero, this guy figured out how to "Create" lightning and spent his professional career around it , he died peacefully in Manhattan in his late 70's, BTW.

Answer 2

I'm in th UK as well and, yeh, I know what you mean - thunder and lightening can be a bit scary. Because its so powerful and loud, it can freak me out a bit and I used to be very scared. Now though, I just think its exhilarating and exciting. I get very anxious at the electric part - worried for my house etc. but look at it this way - its the lightening that is the bad part, the thunder is just the exciting loud part and can do nothing to hurt you. :) Storms don't happen often where I am and its mainly sheet lightening which isn't as dangerous, so I see it more as a thrilling phemonema (can't spell that word!) than a terrifying experience. You may want to watch a DVD or something, or listen to music while its happening, or phone someone who doesn't mind the company. I don't think that what you do is a huge over-reaction at all though, I mean I still prefer storms during the daytime when it seems less dangerous. Hoep this helps, and that not too many storms head our way in the heat! xx.

Answer 3

I'm certainly not a psychologist, so don't consider this to be professional help, but I too was scared of thunderstorms when I was young. I used a teddy bear to externalize my fear and overcame it. Now I feel a buzz when a storm is coming because I know there'll be lots of lighting up of the sky and the possibility of some wall shaking thunder. I love it. Its mother natures fury on display.

Now whilst I don't imagine a teddy bear is going to help someone at your age, I don't think avoiding the thunderstorm will help much either (it will provide you with a temporary fix but not a permanent solution). Here's a question on the same topic.
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061129060706AA7JMCE

I really like the suggestion here about experiencing some really huge storms (and no I'm not a wacko who thinks fear is funny). It's like the street where you grew up. It's likely that the cars and noise use to be kinda scary too, but now you can cross a downtown street during peak hour. If you went back to that street it'd be quiet and peaceful. Same philosophy applies here.

Apparently hypnosis can help as well. I'd probably suggest a general search on a decent search engine on "overcoming fears".

I wish you every sales success.

Answer 4

If you hear thunder it means a lightning bolt has struck some where near, and since you are around to hear it, you haven't been struck by lightning yourself. Enjoy the sound like it's a rock concert.
As far as lightning goes, don't worry - you will never know if you get hit by it. And if you ever are, that's when you gotta cross that bridge.
You have a better chance of becoming Prime Minister than getting hit by lightning. In fact you have a better chance of being Prime Minster twice.

Answer 5

The best thing is to understand what it is creating all this noise and light show.

When I was a kid, I was petrified until I had it explained to be what was happening. Seriously, as soon as I knew what is was doing I had no fear for it ever again. It's not unsual for any of us to be afraid of anything we don't understand

So temperature changes occur and electricity builds up and has to release itself, so you get this static charge earthing itself to the ground. The action of the flash actually burns oxygen and the thunder you hear is the air rushing in to replenish itself. I know that's very basic but if you do further research in to it you may be that interested you may want to become a weather girl - laugh. Best of luck.

Answer 6

Count the seconds from the light/sound A.K.A. the distance checker. If you know it's...let's say 10 miles away, you know it can't hurt you. Also, most of the time, you can survive lightning, in the rare event it actually strikes you. Unless thunder is less than a mile away, I'd say a screamer is scarier.(Not the slushie with ice cream on top.)

Also, if you happen to have a lightning rod, place it somewhere so you know the lightning will strike it if it happens to come near, not you/your house etc. That way, the chances of being struck are like 1/100,000,000,000.(The chance of it coming close is close to 1\75,000,000 and if it does happen, the lightning rod will attract it away from a potentially dangerous spot.

Answer 7

try not to get yourself too worked up before the storm hits, it might not be as bad as you'd anticipate. Stay away from the storm tracker.
If you have ear plugs wear them. If you don't or are too bothered by the storm do as you have already planned. keep yourself distracted with a game or chat and keep a light or two on. Also be prepared ahead of time just in case you loose power, have some flashlights ready. Remember that the sound and rumbling caused by thunder usually seems worse than it is. Your subconscious mind can be your worst enemy so keep yourself distracted. takr slow deep beaths during rumblings and remind yourself it will go away. You might want to consider talking to a counselor or hypnotist in the future to get help with this anxiety. they can probably teach you some coping techniques...good luck

Answer 8

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Yes I'm very scared have been all my life lol, i hate it when i was younger i would run around screaming and crying, in school ill secretly cry and when other people complain i will too lol and at home now i cuddle a teddy and well ... you get the drift lol :P and it can be sooo embarrassing at my age lol but i cant help it I'm so scared lol I'm 16 :S

Answer 9

This probably sounds insane; it works for me though, and if it works for me it may do for you. Whenever there's a thunderstorm, especially if you can see lightning and not just hear thunder, I always think Thor is around which outs me at ease a bit. I know its childish and I'm 16.

Answer 10

If you are a natural person you should try cognitive behavioral therapy. It was the only thing that has helped me with my horrible health anxiety. Read here https://tr.im/Y8hSR

Your thinking determines your quality of life. Your thinking is what causes you these feelings:

Anxious, fearful, stressed or depressed
Constantly worried, or angry about something that is happening in your life
Struggling to overcome obsessive and negative thoughts.

If you change your thinking, you will change your life. This is the basic idea behind CBT for anxiety. The Cognitive part is where you learn nee methods and ways to change your same old habits and thinking patterns. If you keep thinking and expecting the worst – You will continue to suffer.