Storm Anxiety

[LittleStar]

I have a very severe anxiety to thunderstorms. Even if it starts lightening I go into a complete panic. I check the weather every day and if it says it's going to storm in the week I start crying and praying. I do live in an area that gets a lot of damaging storms and tornadoes. How do I cope with this...
Please help!!!

[Charlene]

Coping through a storm is something which is in your control. You can't control when or if a storm is coming, but you can control how you will react when it approaches. Storms can often be scary, especially if you live in a region which is hit with severe ones. But there are steps you can take to help calm yourself down. Think about the mice and birds and other small animals and what they do to get through a rough storm. They seek safety. If you live in a house or building, you are in a safe place. This should help ease your mind. You are not a target that nature is going after, seeking you out to strike you. Storms often move quickly and during that time, strong winds help ensure that dead debris, such as weak branches and leaves, is cleared off from the trees so that they can thrive. Rain provides moisture, to help the roots draw up it's nutrients from the soil. Lightening is a marvelous phenomenon. It's the reason you have electricty in your home. Next time you hear a storm is coming, try to reassure yourself that it's just nature doing it's work to ensure that the strong species of plant life and animal life survive.

[Busymama]

I too live in a place that often has a lot of tornadoes and I have been through what you are going through now. My sister is still going through it to the point of dreading spring. ( we live in OK ) One thing that helped me and helps my sis is to always have someone you can call or hang out with when there is a storm, I also liked the idea of thinking about the birds outside, that can be reassuring. Also, maybe if you get a cd with the sounds of thunder on it and listen to it when it is sunny outside, and try to think of it as relaxing you can help re-train your brain to not think of panic, but of relaxing instead. Also, if it helps, get a tornado box, if you dont have a cellar, so that you can always be prepared when you are at home. it often stems from how your parents or someone reacted when their was storms, find someone you can joke about this with. that helps me and my sis. My mom used to make us get in the bathtub with a mattress when it was storming, (even when there werent any warnings on)so we laugh about how much that has messed with our obsession of thunderstorms.