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Mental Health

Information, Symptoms, Treatments and Resources

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10 Common Phobias

Astraphobia

Astraphobia

Fear of: thunder and lightning.

Astraphobics fear thunder and lightning, even though they realize their chances of being harmed during such a storm is minimal. Astraphobia is the third-most prevalent phobia in the U.S. During a storm, astraphobics tend to seek out extra shelter from the elements, hiding in a closet or basement, and will typically seek company and reassurance until the storm passes.

It's not just humans who develop the phobia — research has shown that dogs and other animals exhibit higher levels of stress during thunder and lightning storms, and will often exhibit the same coping behavior as their biped counterparts.

By Angela Hiatt. Published on February 21, 2012. Angela is a California-based freelance writer and social media editor.