When it comes to the weather, it’s common to have a preference. Maybe you prefer rays of sunshine, or the sight of snow falling. And perhaps you have a hatred of rain or fog. But a phobia is a different kettle of fish altogether. Weather phobia is when your fear of a particular type of weather will get in the way of how you live your everyday life. It can make us feel stressed or anxious or scared. And it can linger in the background all the time, as we apprehensively await the change in weather that might make our fears come true. I spoke to Stylist about astraphobia. Click here to read the full article, or read on to hear what I had to say.
Phobias are often linked to our sense of control, and weather is one of the variables that we have the least control over in our everyday life. Try as we might, we simply can’t control the arrival of a storm, snow, rain or sunshine. We talk about phobias when we have a fear that overwhelms us, that gets in the way of how we live our life and the decisions that we make. Weather phobia can be linked to other phobias. For example, changes in weather patterns might trigger uncomfortable or traumatic memories from your past. This could be layered on top of a phobia of darkness, of heights, of flying, of enclosed spaces. It all depends on the circumstances of your original memory.
Top tips for coping with weather phobia:
Identify your triggers. Weather phobia doesn’t just get in the way during a ‘weather event’. It can linger in the background all the time. So pay attention to what heightens your anxiety. Maybe it’s when you look outside in the morning, maybe it’s when you plan an event, maybe it’s when you watch the news. How can you change your behaviour or manage these events so that you feel more in control. Set boundaries around how often you can check websites or apps that predict the weather forecast.
Figure out what makes you feel in control. Can you prepare yourself so that weather feels less terrifying? Maybe you need to think about what you’re doing or wearing.
See if you can unpick your fear. Are you scared about being trapped somewhere in bad weather? Of slipping and falling? Of being stuck in the car? Of being lost and unable to see? There are so many reasons why you might feel a phobia about weather, but if you start to understand what you’re frightened of, then it can help you to tackle the fear.
Keen to explore more?
I love working with people to help them to understand themselves. In counselling we build a relationship where we can look at what might be causing your worries and how you can work to overcome it, so that you can feel more comfortable and confident in everyday life. If you’d like to learn more, please get in touch. Click here to contact me, or click here to book a free 30-minute introductory chat.
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