What is phobia of rain? What are its signs, and how it can be treated?

Rain make people to feel peaceful. But for some people rain is not a pleasant experience. Rain make some people to feel scared this is called phobia of rain. Phobia of rain is called as “Ombrophobia”. It is a unique anxiety disorder that can affect you in many ways. This is a anxiety disorder which make you feel dread and feel a lot of emotional pain.

What is the Phobia of rain?

People who have rain phobia are afraid of rain. People having this disorder when see rain or hear thunder feel very scared. They can even anxious and scared by seeing this even on tv screens. This phobia of rain is not only in heavy storm and rain but it also happens in light rain.

This fear can make it hard to do everyday things, get along with others, and enjoy the outdoors. It often makes people check the weather reports all the time, cancel plans with friends, or worry when they hear about rain. They might even start checking the weather forecast several times a day to avoid getting caught in a storm.

What are Signs of Ombrophobia or phobia of rain?

The signs of ombrophobia differ based on how bad the disorder is, but most people who have it have both physical and emotional reactions.

Common symptoms are:

(i) You may feel high pulse rate or heart shaken while it rains or thunder.

(ii) you may feel dizzy and short of breathe when it rains.

(iii) You may urge to stay inside and not go outside during rain.

(iv) You may feel sick, sweating, or start crying in rain.

(v) You may feel emotionally shutdown during storm or rain.

These feelings can sometimes turn into full-blown panic attacks, especially if the person feels trapped or exposed during a downpour. The fear is more than just not wanting to get wet; it’s a deep psychological response that can have big effects on your mental health and daily life.

What are causes of Ombrophobia?  

There can be many causes of ombrophobia. Sometimes it can be due to any life trauma like being stuck in flood, storm or any other rain related event. Sometimes this is a learned behavior. For example, if a child grew up around adults who were clearly afraid of rain, they may have learned to be afraid of it too. Some factors behind ombrophobia are:

1. Genetics

Individual having anxiety disorder in family may exhibit increase risk of ombrophobia.

2. Environmental triggers

Sometimes there are environmental triggers which cause anxiety. Some of you may feel more ombrophobia when there is any travel problem and power outages.

3. Media Influence

Sometime media is also influencing your perceptions. When you see any scary movie related to flood, storm or any natural disaster on tv or social media platform it can raise your anxiety. 

How the fear of rain can effect your life?

Ombrophobia or phobia of rain can effect your life in many ways. You may not work properly, cannot go to school or work, or not attend important social life events. Some individuals having phobia of rain cannot go to work during rain. In extreme cases individuals may prior to stay away from window to feel safe. Some people keep checking weather forecast all the time. This weather anxiety make them to work properly during rain.

How to treat Ombrophobia ?

There are many ways to treat ombrophobia. Mental health professionals treat fears with therapies. The therapeutic treatments used for ombrophobia are:

1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is use to treat phobias. Firstly phobias are recognized by mental health therapists. Therapist recognize negative thoughts controlling behavior leading to anxiety. You can learn from therapist about how you can overcome these cognitions. Your thoughts are reframed like rephrase “rain is dangerous” to “rain is natural and temporary phenomena”.

2. Exposure Therapy

In exposure therapy fears are controlled by step by step exposure to event of fear. Therapist might start by showing a picture of rain, then play sounds of rain, and finally expose the person to real-life rain in a controlled setting.

This exposure make you less sensitive to rain than you will feel less scary. Individual with phobia of rain can stay calm by using exposure therapy.

3. Medication

sometime medications are prescribed by doctors or mental health experts. Medication is only required in severe and extreme panic attacks.

If you are facing any phobia all these treatments are helpful. But we will suggest you therapies as these can help to understand the root cause of phobia instead of only treating symptoms..

Doctors may give people medicine to help with severe anxiety and panic attacks, especially if the phobia is causing panic attacks or depression. But therapy is still the best way to go because it gets to the root of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms.