Ombrophobia – Fear of Rain Phobia
Do you start to hyperventilate at the sight of rain clouds?
Does the sound of rain send you into panic mode?
Are you scared of being caught outside during a heavy downpour?
Do you refuse to step outside the house during the rainy season?
|
It’s normal to seek shelter when rain approaches. However, if you experience unexplainable terror when the sky becomes gloomy, you may have a phobia of rain.
The fear of rain is so common that it has a specific term, Fear of rain is called: Ombrophobia. There is a reason why ghost tales are often set during a rainy night.
Although irrational, the fear of rain is real. You are not alone if you experience this type of anxiety. With the right therapy, you can surely overcome it.
Everything You Need to Know About Ombrophobia
Ombrophobia refers to an extreme fear of rain. It is derived from the Greek word “ombros,” which stands for a storm of rain, and “phobos,” which means fear.
What is Ombrophobia related to? Other weather-specific phobias include:
● Astraphobia – the fear of thunder and lightning
● Homichlophobia – the fear of fog
● Antlophobia – the fear of floods
● Aquaphobia – the fear of drowning
Seeking shelter is quite normal during a rainy day. Exercising caution is to be expected if you live in a country that experiences typhoons or hurricanes. However, people with Ombrophobia have extreme reactions to even the mere threat of rain.
What do you call a person who is scared of rain? An Ombrophobe is a person who can’t stand the rain.
What Causes Ombrophobia?
You need to ask yourself, “Why do I get scared when it rains?” The origins of rain anxiety can vary from person to person. People diagnosed with anxiety disorders can easily develop the fear of rain.
Children are more prone to having a phobia of rain and thunder. They tend to get over it over time. Storms are naturally scary for children. Children believe that storms are harmful and dangerous. This fear gradually disappears as one grows up, and reality sinks in.
However, some people don’t get over it. Adults can also develop this phobia later on. Past traumatic experiences trigger most phobias. Rain anxiety is no different.
Firsthand Experience
Some people get this phobia after being stuck in a flooded house or car. The images from the incident constantly flash through their minds. No matter how much they try to forget that awful ordeal, they can’t.
News and Stories
You may have watched the news as a Category 5 hurricane wiped out a city. Perhaps you read an article about how floodwaters inundated homes within minutes. Or maybe a friend shared their own traumatic experience with rain.
You could also dread the effects of heavy rain. A sudden deluge can cause property damage and loss of life. When it floods during a storm, people might drown. Entire communities are displaced because of landslides. Utilities like electricity and the internet can also fail during a storm.
Symptoms of Ombrophobia
Children and adults alike show specific symptoms to indicate they are afraid of the rain. As part of an Ombrophobia test, you may be asked if you exhibit any of these symptoms.
Physical Symptoms
● Numbness
● Increased heart rate
● Sweating
● Shaking and trembling when it starts to rain
● Dizziness
● Nausea
Psychological Symptoms
● Monitoring weather patterns
● Uncontrolled and excessive thoughts on rain
● Refusing to go out
● Panic attacks
● Severe anxiety
Ombrophobia Symptoms in Children
● Uncontrollable crying and screaming when it starts to rain
● Clinging onto adults for protection
● Shaking and trembling
● Refusing to sleep alone
● Asking questions like when it is going to rain next
● Refusing to go out to play
● Hiding under beds or locking themselves up in a closet
How to cure Ombrophobia?
Are you looking for recommendations for Ombrophobia treatment? Self-treatment is all about what you can do to help yourself.
How to Overcome Ombrophobia in Adults
Adults with a phobia of rain can explore different treatment options. The end goal here is to recover from an abnormal fear beyond your control.
First off, you need to unlearn certain beliefs and behavioral patterns. It is all deep-rooted in your mind whatever you dread about rainfall.
Try focusing on recovery. Let it register in your mind that your rain anxiety is irrational and should not interfere with everyday life.
Relaxation techniques like controlled breathing also work to alleviate the fear. On a personal level, learn how to breathe in and out controllably whenever you feel the dreadful fear grip you.
Thoughts of rain or rain itself could trigger the rain anxiety. Meditate by focusing on the good side of the rain. Allow your mind to focus on what the rain does for crops, humans, and life. Gradually, you will get over rain anxiety.
How to Overcome Ombrophobia in Kids
Children with rain anxiety tend to overgrow it with time. Parents should talk to children about their fears and help them understand that the fears are just irrational.
Seeking Professional Treatment
Seek help from a professional if these self-help tips fail to work. Therapy is a sure-fire way to treat most phobias, and the fear of rain is no different.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and commitment therapy or simply ACT is based on the principle of acceptance and mindfulness strategies. ACT begins to take shape when a sufferer accepts that they are going through an abnormal fear and starts facing it to change it.
This therapy works best if you are willing to change your behavioral pattern. A professional will walk you through each stage safely to see that you recover.
Group Therapy
Group therapy involves sharing thoughts and experiences with others. It is beyond comforting to meet and interact with people going through the same challenges as you.
Other Ombrophobes can share what they’ve done to overcome. They can also discuss treatment options they have attempted and which ones were successful.
The truth is, speaking to someone who understands your fear is a vital aspect of therapy. With it, you can take major steps toward recovery.
Exposure Therapy
Exposure therapy involves gradual exposure to the very same thing causing your fear. A professional can tell the severity of your anxiety. The professional will work around that to expose you to rain safely.
If you are the type that runs to hide in a closet when it starts to rain, the first step is to avoid obscuring. After you can comfortably put hiding behind you, go outside when it is raining, even if it means watching the rain from a distance. Gradual steps will take you to full recovery.
How to Cope With Ombrophobia
Rain is unpredictable. Despite the advances in weather prediction, people are still caught unaware by storms. On the other hand, rain is also essential for sustaining human life. We can’t live without water. Thus, you must address this fear.
Coping with a phobia is not easy. It calls for hard work and persistence, but it will be worth it. Look into how to overcome fear of rain and see which treatment options can work for you.
In Conclusion
Fear stems from a specific trigger. Ask yourself, “Why do I get scared when it rains?” That is the only way to establish where to address the fear.
Don’t allow a fear of rain to interfere with your everyday life. While there is not much you can do to control the rain, you can control your response to this natural phenomenon. Eventually, you will be able to start singing in the rain.