Severe weather phobia
Emma Pinn
The recent severe thunderstorms that have hit Sydney make me wonder about the impact of severe storm events on people. Phobias about natural events including storms are so common that they're recognised as a type of phobia in the DSM-V, psychiatry's "bible".
So how do we develop a phobia about the weather and storms? They typically develop after either having a very frightening experience (in a storm), or vicariously. Phobias developed vicariously are learnt from observing fear in others. For instance, if a child's parents fear thunderstorms and as a result take excessive precautions such as unplugging all electrical equipment and herding the family into the hallway during a storm, chances are that the kids will develop a fear of storms too.
If a phobia of the weather is taking control of your life, cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for children and adults.