The broad definition of a phobia is a fear that causes such anxiety as to prevent you from performing normal daily activities. Constantly checking the weather forecast, hiding in a closet and leaving your home just to avoid a storm all fall into that category. Technically you have to be diagnosed to know if something is a true phobia, but the term is tossed around colloquially a lot. I’d say it’s likely that you’d be diagnosed with a specific phobia related to thunderstorms. The most common treatment for phobias is exposure therapy with a psychologist or other specialist. For what it’s worth, I’m afraid of thunderstorms too, though mine doesn’t rise to the level of a phobia. I’m more afraid of the thunder than the lightning because it’s explosive and random and puts me on edge big time with my sound sensitivity and anxiety.
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"Survival is insufficient" - Seven of Nine
Diagnosed with ASD level 1 on the 10th of April, 2014
Rediagnosed with ASD level 2 on the 4th of May, 2019
Thanks to Olympiadis for my fantastic avatar!