Lilapsophobia (Fear of Tornadoes or Hurricanes)

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.

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.

What causes lilapsophobia?

Genetics and environmental factors can increase your risk of lilapsophobia:

• Genetics: A family history of mood disorders can raise your risk of anxiety and specific phobias.
• Environment: If you’ve experienced emotional trauma related to a bad weather event, you might develop lilapsophobia. But you don’t need to have lived through a hurricane or tornado. A severe weather event that harms a loved one can cause also lilapsophobia.

What are lilapsophobia symptoms?

Lilapsophobia can trigger behaviors and physical responses.

Behaviors

• Building a storm shelter in an area not prone to tornadoes or hurricanes.
• Constantly checking weather reports.
• Refusing to leave home when the forecast shows bad weather.
• Staying away from buildings that don’t appear to be “storm safe.”
• Stockpiling necessities even with no risk of bad weather.

Physical responses

• Anxiety.
• Bouts of crying that can be difficult to control.
• Headache.
• Inability to sit still.
• Muscle tension.
• Nausea or diarrhea.
• Repetitive motions, like pacing.
• Shakiness.
• Stress.

How is lilapsophobia diagnosed?

Healthcare providers diagnose lilapsophobia by asking about your symptoms and behaviors.

They may ask:

• If a previous hurricane, tornado or weather event caused you or a loved one distress.
• Whether thoughts of tornadoes or hurricanes have caused changes in your daily activities.
• How often you think about hurricanes or tornadoes.
• If you’re avoiding activities or places you used to enjoy because of fear.
• What symptoms you experience and how intense they are.
• How long you’ve been living with changes in behavior.
• If there’s a personal or family history of anxiety disorders or phobias.

What is lilapsophobia treatment like?

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.

Can other treatments help me cope with lilapsophobia?

Your care may include other treatments, such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Mental health professionals use CBT to help you explore thoughts and feelings associated with the phobia. You also learn healthier alternatives to negative thoughts or behaviors.
• Medications: Taking medications isn’t a cure for lilapsophobia. But antidepressants can help with mood disorders, and anti-anxiety medications can help you during a challenging time.
• Stress reduction: A variety of techniques can help quiet your mind and relax your body. You may get relief with deep-breathing exercises, meditation or writing in a journal.

Is there anything I can do to prevent lilapsophobia?

If you have an anxiety disorder, there are steps you can take to manage it. Doing so may lower the likelihood of common fears becoming phobias. And if you have a phobia, these efforts may lessen its severity.

You can manage anxiety by:

• Limiting caffeine, alcohol and recreational drug consumption.
• Lowering stress.
• Practicing relaxation techniques.
• Quitting smoking and other forms of tobacco use.
• Seeking professional help when symptoms become difficult to manage.
• Spending time with loved ones.

What is the outlook for people with lilapsophobia?

With treatment, you can likely learn to manage your fear of tornadoes and hurricanes. Doing so will help you feel more in control of your life. You may still experience anxiety at the prospect of a dangerous weather event, but you’ll know how to calm unpleasant thoughts and use healthier coping skills.

What else is important to know about living with lilapsophobia?

The likelihood of being impacted by a hurricane or tornado is low. But if you have lilapsophobia, you may feel more comfortable if you’re prepared.

Healthy methods of coping with lilapsophobia include:

• Exploring the history of tornadoes and hurricanes in your community. You may learn that they occur infrequently.
• Learning how to interpret weather predictions. This will give you a realistic idea if bad weather is a threat to your safety.
• Taking courses to learn how tornadoes and hurricanes develop. By doing so, you focus more on facts and not fears.
• Practicing relaxation techniques when fear and physical symptoms start escalating.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Lilapsophobia is an unhealthy fear of tornadoes or hurricanes. Changing your lifestyle to avoid them can make it worse. It’s easy to lose track of the actual likelihood of a tornado or hurricane. Behaviors you’ve adopted to avoid the fear may have become habits that you don’t realize are unhealthy. Seeking treatment can help you gain a more rational perception. You may still struggle with occasional symptoms, but they’ll have less impact on your daily life.