What is lilapsophobia?
You may have lilapsophobia if you have an abnormal fear of tornadoes or hurricanes. The official diagnosis for this is “specific phobia,” meaning that it causes fear of a particular situation. Often, the fear isn’t rational and much greater than the actual risk of danger.
People with a specific phobia may have many phobias. People with lilapsophobia may also have:
- Astraphobia: Fear of thunder and lightning.
- Autophobia: Fear of being alone.
- Dystychiphobia: Fear of accidents.
- Ombrophobia: Fear of rain.
- Thanatophobia: Fear of death.
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What is a phobia?
It’s natural to be fearful of things that make us feel unsafe or uncomfortable. These often include flying, needle pokes or snake and wildlife encounters. These situations may make you feel anxious, but thoughts of them don’t disrupt your daily life.
Phobias are more intense and can worsen over time. They cause an abnormal level of fear. It may be difficult to get a phobia off your mind. You may go out of your way to avoid situations that trigger the phobia. These efforts can overtake rational thinking and affect your quality of life.
Do I have lilapsophobia?
Hurricanes and tornadoes are intense storms with the potential for community-wide damage. They occur in specific areas of the country under particular weather conditions.
Many people living in areas prone to hurricanes or tornadoes feel uneasy about them, especially during storm season. But if you have lilapsophobia, you live your life as if you’re constantly under threat. Thinking about hurricanes or tornadoes can cause intense fear or anxiety. That fear may occasionally become overwhelming and trigger panic attacks.
If you’re experiencing signs of lilapsophobia, discuss your concerns with a healthcare professional. You should be honest with them about how the fears are affecting your daily life. They can offer reassurance and connect you with helpful therapies.
FAQs
Lilapsophobia Symptoms
- Avoiding places where Hurricanes are known to occur.
- Spending many hours watching weather forecasts.
- An elevated heart rate.
- A sense of dread about what might happen.
- Worrying that you might pass out.
- Feeling dizzy or disoriented.
- Having heart palpitations.
- Having a dry or sticky mouth.
Treatment. Like many other phobias, lilapsophobia can often be treated using cognitive-behavioral therapy, but if it stems from post-traumatic stress disorder, then alternative therapy may be more recommended.
How many people are affected by lilapsophobia? ›
An unhealthy fear of tornadoes or hurricanes is called lilapsophobia. The AMS study also showed that more than 40% of people had a fear of tornadoes and tropical storms. People who suffer from this phobia can live their lives like they are constantly under threat.
What is the origin of lilapsophobia? ›
More about lilapsophobia
In lilapsophobia, lilaps- comes from Ancient Greek laîlaps, meaning “violent storm.” Though laîlaps is also often translated as “hurricane,” the Mediterranean Sea does not have true hurricanes, which form in the tropics.
What are 4 symptoms of fear? ›
Physical symptoms of phobias
- feeling unsteady, dizzy, lightheaded or faint.
- feeling like you are choking.
- a pounding heart, palpitations or accelerated heart rate.
- chest pain or tightness in the chest.
- sweating.
- hot or cold flushes.
- shortness of breath or a smothering sensation.
- nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea.
Physical symptoms
- sweating.
- trembling.
- hot flushes or chills.
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
- a choking sensation.
- rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
- pain or tightness in the chest.
- a sensation of butterflies in the stomach.
Learning relaxation techniques can help you with the mental and physical feelings of fear. It can help just to drop your shoulders and breathe deeply. Or imagine yourself in a relaxing place. You could also try complementary therapies or exercise such as massage, t'ai chi, yoga, mindfulness techniques, or meditation.
Can a phobia be cured? ›
Most phobias can be treated successfully. Simple phobias can be treated through gradual exposure to the object, animal, place or situation that causes fear and anxiety. This is known as desensitisation or self-exposure therapy.
What is fear of marriage called? ›
Gamophobia — a fear of commitment or fear of marriage — can keep you from enjoying meaningful relationships. A painful breakup, divorce or abandonment during childhood or adulthood may make you afraid to commit to someone you love. Psychotherapy (talk therapy) can help you overcome this commitment phobia.
What is the rarest phobia? ›
Arachibutyrophobia is a rare phobia that involves a fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth. This fear may have a number of causes, including a more general fear of choking or traumatic experiences involving a peanut allergy.
Phobias are among the most common of all mental illnesses, and they are usually the most successfully treated. Phobias are divided into categories according to the cause of the reaction and avoidance. Agoraphobia is the fear of being in situations in which a person cannot get help or escape.
What happens if you fear too much? ›
Fear weakens our immune system and can cause cardiovascular damage, gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, and decreased fertility. It can lead to accelerated ageing and even premature death.
How do I get rid of lilapsophobia? ›
One of the more common treatments for lilapsophobia is exposure therapy. This treatment works by gradually exposing you to situations that trigger your fears. Therapy may start by looking at pictures of tornadoes or hurricanes and progress to watching videos of these events. Over time, exposures become less bothersome.
What is fear of being alone called? ›
Autophobia, or monophobia, makes you feel extremely anxious when you're alone. This fear of being alone can affect your relationships, social life and career. You may also have a fear of abandonment that stems from a traumatic childhood experience.
What is the fear of black called? ›
Melanophobia (Fear of the Color Black or Dark Colors) Melanophobia is an unhealthy fear of the color black or dark colors. It's a specific phobia, which means it's an intense and overwhelming fear of a particular situation But you don't have to let this fear control your life.
What is lilapsophobia fear of? ›
Lilapsophobia is an unhealthy fear of tornadoes or hurricanes. Exposure therapy is the most common treatment. It can help lessen the impact of lilapsophobia on your daily life.
How do I know if I have tomophobia? ›
Like other phobias, tomophobia will produce general symptoms, but they'll be more specific to medical procedures. With that in mind, here are some general symptoms of a phobia: strong urge to escape or avoid the triggering event. fear that is irrational or excessive given the level of threat.
What is the fear of school called? ›
Scolionophobia is the extreme fear of school. It's not a formal diagnosis, but many experts treat it like a specific phobia. Some children who have scolionophobia become physically ill at the thought of going to school. They may miss a significant amount of school for vague or unexplained reasons.
