Thousands of men, women, and children around the world possess a fear thunder and lightning, a widespread fear termed brontophobia. For as long as this fear has existed, we have been seeking out ways to fight it. Presently there are a number of treatment options used. To help eliminate this phobia, experts recommend specific hypnotherapy techniques that are shown to work in relieving anxiety and fears.

People with brontophobia experience an extreme fear of thunder and lightning. Loud, booming thunder and intense flashes of lightning can trigger nervousness and anxiety attacks in people with brontophobia. Other symptoms include a rapid heartbeat, perspiring, and an intense sensation of fear, which increases until a person feels ill.

For many, the fear of thunder and lightning begins at a young age, when as children, we cower under blankets during a big storm. Brontophobia can be particularly hard on children. Many scared children feel helpless during a thunderstorm, and their parents often feel unable to help them cope with their anxieties.

Even in spite of its common occurrence in children, the fear of storms can be triggered at any time, often after a person has an experience such as getting a static shock, which reminds them of a lightning strike. A traumatic experience such as surviving a tropical storm may also cause a phobia of thunder and lightning.

People may come to link loud noises, the feeling of pain, or shock with storms, which may result in a phobia. Brontophobia is so common that it is even apparent in some animals; for example, many people report that their pets seem upset during thundering.

People with brontophobia try to avoid hearing or seeing storms. They may suffer nervousness during natural disasters such as tornadoes. This can put them in harm's way if they cannot function in a situation which requires them to keep calm and respond rationally.

People with brontophobia usually hate storm season, often suffering in summer when thunderstorms occur frequently. They might obsessively check weather forecasts and behave extra cautiously during periods of inclement weather. To other people, this behavior may seem extreme and paranoid. People afflicted with the phobia may find this fear slowly taking over their lives.

There are many options available for relieving brontophobia and other strong fears. Popular ones include talk therapy, anti-anxiety medication, and hypnotherapy. Hypnosis tends to provide safer, faster results and it is non-invasive, having no side effects. For these reasons and more, hypnotherapy has become a popular choice of treatment.

Hypnotherapy is excellent as a form of stress-relief therapy and has long been used to achieve relaxation. By starting with relaxation techniques, hypnotherapy helps tense, agitated individuals with phobias initiate the process of recovery. When someone is feeling tranquil, it is easier for hypnotherapy techniques to direct the unconscious into a fear-free thought process.

Most phobias are connected to negative images or triggers, which become linked to fear deep within the unconscious mind. For people with brontophobia, the loud rumble of thunder, the flash of lightning, or even the smell of rain often triggers fear. Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) work at the unconscious level of the mind to dissociate fear from these triggers to deliver powerful fear relief. One of the most successful techniques is named the NLP Visual/Kinesthetic Disassociation.

Ericksonian hypnotherapy is a form of hypnotherapy that is commonly used to treat phobias. Named for its creator, Dr. Milton Erickson, MD, this form of hypnotherapy uses indirect suggestions embedded in conversation, stories, and metaphors to eliminate a phobia. Indirect suggestions are more effective than conventional post-hypnotic direct suggestions because we tend to resist commands. Those which indirectly communicate to the mind are more able to empower people to overcome their fears.

NLP techniques and Ericksonian hypnotherapy have another advantage over other hypnotherapy programs because they are generalized to treat any phobia. So one program is usable for curing any phobia, or even several phobias if need be. Additionally, each program combines many different techniques to work for anybody.

Hypnosis is the preferred treatment option for countless people, which delivers rapid and permanent results. Cowering under blankets and being panicked is not how a brontophobia sufferer should have to live. With hypnotherapy and NLP techniques, nearly anyone can overcome this irrational fear.