Astraphobia is a fear of thunder and lightning. It is a common phobia in children and animals.
In 2007, research found that it was the third most common phobia in America. It has also been found to affect 15 – 30% of dogs. They may show severe anxiety during thunder storms.
A person with astraphobia will experience symptoms common to most people experiencing a phobia, such as crying, trembling, sweating and panic. They may also experience nausea, the need to go to the toilet, dread and an increased heartbeat. The symptoms may be worse if they are alone at the time. The person may try to cover their ears to prevent the sound of the thunder.
In some cases, this condition can be very serious. For example, the person may pay constant attention to the weather alerts or may even fear going out of the house.
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