What are you frightened of if you are astraphobic

Key Takeaways ‍ • Phobias can take on a number of different forms, with those suffering fears pertaining to a variety of circumstances from going to work to the color yellow. • Other underlying medical conditions, like anxiety and depression, can result in an individual developing a phobia. Additionally, these medical conditions, and more, can form as a result of a pre-existing phobia. • There are several treatment options for phobias that include various forms of therapy. For phobia counseling and treatment in Austin, TX, choose Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S. ‍ ‍ For most of us, fear and anxiety are powerful factors in our lives. Fear has been an important evolutionary tool that has allowed humans to develop precautions against dangerous things and situations. However, when a fear or anxiety becomes a greater threat than the actual person, place, or thing, a normally healthy fear or anxiety can become a debilitating phobia. Mental health professionals consider phobias to be diagnosable mental disorders. The intense stress that generally accompanies a phobia can stop a person from functioning normally and lead to crippling panic attacks. The United States has More Statistics on Phobias: • Women are nearly twice as likely to be affected by a phobia as men • Symptoms of phobias tend to begin in early to mid childhood; the average age-of-onset is about 7 years old • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are closely tied to anxiety disor...

Astraphobia is the fear of thunder and lightning. It typically affects children, but many adults still deal with a fear of thunderstorms. Astraphobia is one of the most common specific phobias. Treatment such as talk therapy or medication can help you manage anxiety symptoms and live a higher quality of life. Overview What is astraphobia? Astraphobia is an intense fear of thunder and lightning. The phobia is more common in children, but it can last into adulthood. Astraphobia often also affects animals. People with astraphobia feel extreme anxiety or debilitating fear when preparing for a thunderstorm. They may watch weather reports obsessively or have panic attacks (rushes of anxiety that cause intense physical symptoms) during a storm. Another name for astraphobia is brontophobia. Who might get astraphobia? Children are more likely to have astraphobia. Those with sensory processing disorders or You are also more likely to have astraphobia if you have: • Family history of • Family members with astraphobia. • Past experience of weather-related trauma, such as living through a major natural disaster. How common is astraphobia? Astraphobia is one of the most common specific phobias. Over a 12-month period, about 8% of adults deal with a specific phobia. Specific phobias are around two times more common in women than men. Symptoms and Causes What causes astraphobia? Experts don’t know exactly what causes astraphobia. For some people, a traumatic childhood event during a storm...

Written by Last updated February 19, 2021 People often say the chances of you getting struck by lightning are about a billion to one. Despite the odds being stacked in your favour, some people find themselves getting a bit anxious about the risk of lightning. While most of that lightning phobia isn't severe enough to qualify as a disorder, for some it can be extremely debilitating for some people. This article will discuss the symptoms of astraphobia, the difference between reasonable fear and phobia, and how astraphobia is treated. Striking Symptoms According to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, also known as the DSM, astraphobia would be listed under the disorder of ‘specific phobia’. This is characterized by a number of specific types of fear responses: • Persistent and Excessive Fear Persistent fear means the fear of storms does not come and go or depend on specific variables but is present every time you are aware of a storm or the possibility of a storm heading towards you. Both the presence and the anticipation of storms can cause you distress. • Immediate Anxiety Response You are likely to exhibit symptoms of high anxiety and even panic immediately following exposure to or the perceived threat of a storm. Your panic response may include rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, shaking, nausea, and crying. If you panic every time, your phobia is considered to be “situationally bound.” If you panic o...

1. Fear is healthy. Fear is hardwired in your brain, and for good reason: Neuroscientists have identified distinct networks that run from the depths of the limbic system all the way to the prefrontal cortex and back. When these networks are electrically or chemically stimulated, they produce fear, even in the absence of a fearful stimulus. Feeling fear is neither abnormal nor a sign of weakness: The capacity to be afraid is part of normal brain function. In fact, a lack of fear may be a sign of serious brain damage. 2. Fear comes in many shades. Fear is an inherently unpleasant experience that can range from mild to paralyzing—from anticipating the results of a medical checkup to hearing news of a deadly terrorist attack. Horrifying events can leave a permanent mark on your brain circuitry, which may require professional help. However, chronic 3. Fear is not as automatic as you think. Fear is part instinct, part learned, part taught. Some fears are instinctive: Pain, for example, causes fear because of its implications for survival. Other fears are learned: We learn to be afraid of certain people, places, or situations because of negative associations and past experiences. A near-drowning incident, for example, may cause fear each time you get close to a body of water. Other fears are taught: Cultural norms often dictate whether something should be feared or not. Think, for example, about how certain social groups are feared and persecuted because of a societally-created i...

It is dark and you are trapped. You are kneeling in very close quarters; you discover that you cannot stand up. You extend your hands and blindly feel for the ground. You lower yourself to your hands and knees and you begin to crawl forward toward a bit of light, hoping you are moving in the direction that'll get you out. What are your reactions? You are certainly and justifiably frightened. You probably start breathing heavily and your pulse starts to race. You may start sweating and trembling. These are all normal reactions to being placed in a dangerous situation. However, if you experience these symptoms or feel like you are having a heart attack just by sitting in a car, you probably have claustrophobia. The word claustrophobia originates from the Latin word “claustrum” which means a shut in place and the Greek word “phobos” which means fear. Research has shown that approximately 6% of people suffer the disorder worldwide. However, the majority of claustrophobics are not receiving treatment for it. Claustrophobia is considered an anxiety disorder that typically begins in childhood. Claustrophobics have an irrational fear of having no escape or being closed-in. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that over 19 million adults have a form of a specific phobia, including claustrophobia. Diagnostic criteria for claustrophobia include a persistent and excessive fear of a specific situation, anxiety provocation upon exposure to the situation, and avoidance of th...