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Storms trigger attacks

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Posted 10/11/2007 11:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys  & gals,

Well it's the start of "storm" season here in Queensland Australia, and we've had 5 days of severe thunderstorms here so far. We had a really bad one 2 days ago, where we got hail stones the size of golf balls, they came from nowhere and pelted down so hard, it triggered a panic attack, the first one ive had in ages, even really loud claps of thunder are making me jumpy and jittery, It never used to bother me but since ive had agoraphobia and anxiety it frightens me no end. even lighting scares me (i used to sit outside and watch it i loved it) although i did count over 60 lightning strikes in a matter of around 4-5 mins. Pretty bad even for here, so im preparing for another storm today, we had one last night night at midnight that was pretty bad, it actually woke me up but seeing as mymed knock me out i fell to sleep pretty quickly again.. Thanks i just needed to get that out. feel alot better now... :-)

Posted 10/11/2007 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear it's that time of year for you liquid. I can tell you that bad storms trigger panic attacks for me too. I cannot handle not being in control of EVERYTHING. Mother Nature scares the crap out of me. Try to relax...Wishing you all the best!
Posted 10/12/2007 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
I get very anxious during storms too, I used to love them and now dread them!  When we have them at night, I have to stay up with our dog who also has panic attacks and is terrified of storms.  It's hard enough for me to deal with it, but then to have to take care of him and not get any sleep...it's miserable.  I've been trying a few things lately that may help you as well.  I turn the tv and the ceiling fan on, as well as closing the bedroom door and pulling the shade.  I don't see it or hear it as loudly then and if the storm isn't too bad, the dog will sleep right through it, then we are both happy!  Hope the stormy season isn't too bad for you this year!

Posted 10/12/2007 5:29 AM (GMT 0)

liquid,

You are not alone in this fear of storms as many others feel the same way.  Sometimes when there are bad storms our lights will go out and we have no power.  I will go to our lower level and curl up on the couch with my comforter and my dog as she is so afraid that I find I am trying to comfort her and I forget how much I hate thunder.

My Mother always told me thunder was God rolling beer barrels in heaven.....my Mother had a drinking problem.  J

Posted 10/12/2007 6:55 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the advice and understanding guys,

The last of the storm is just about over now, and we shouldnt have any more for a few days, but ive now found that if i use my mp3 player, and turn up the tunes, it helps.

dosent fully stop the attacks or anxiuosness, but relieves it alot. Ahhh where would i be without Iron Maiden. hehe.. :-)

Posted 10/12/2007 1:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Liquid,

 

I never used to mind thunder storms, but now they scare the b-jeebers out of me, along with my dogs who are both petrified of thunder storms.  My youngest dog will climb right on top of one of us and I swear if she could climb inside of us she would!  The other one will lay right next to one of us and bury his head in our armpits - LOL.

 

I will also turn on the TV, turn up the volume, or listen to music with headphones on to try to drown out the noise. 

 

It also scares me when we have a bad wind storm - the entire house will shake and the windows rattle like crazy and I always think they are going break.  This is when I go into my cellar because then I can't here very much of it and yes, of course, the scaredy-cat dogs come with me - LOL.  I'm still anxious but it helps to not be able to hear it so much.

 

Let us know how you are doing during the storm season - I wish you well.  :-)

 

Wen

Posted 10/13/2007 9:11 AM (GMT 0)
yeah lightning is awesome. It always energizes me when a storm passes through.
But I wonder, what happens when you only hear thunder, like if you were listening to a recording and there was no storm? Do you get the same feeling as when the lightning is real? If so - do you think you could condition yourself into not being affected by the storms?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but being afraid of lightning sounds like a very psychological kind of anxiety, so I hope you can fix yourself before the next season.
Posted 10/13/2007 11:29 PM (GMT 0)

Hi el-pato,

Thats an excellent point, it may be that it is a phsycological anxiety, lightning never used to bother me i used to sit outside and watch it or film it, but now terrifies me, its not the thunder so much as the lightning. I will deffinately try to get a recording of a storm and try listening to it when no storm is happening, and see what happens, as you say it could be a way to eleviate the anxiety..

Thanks heaps for the advice.. :-)

Posted 11/4/2007 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hello liquid, I sympathize for you. I used to be really bad with storms. Here in the midwest of the us it can get pretty nasty. I have gotten a little better with it but I still get very anxious sometimes. I can't remember any bad experiances with them but I know that from my freshman year in high school till about last year I was terrified. I wouldn't make plans if storms were a threat. I wouldn't go outside let alone look outside. El_pato brings up a good point. In my opinion I feel its mostly psychological. My thing was not being in control of what could happen. I was affraid of dying. Fact is I have realized that mother nature is her own being and I cannot change that. My biggest obsticle now is tornadoes. The recorded storm idea is a good one. I feel it helped me become more accepting to the real thing. I always thought I was alone on this topic but its good to see I'm not. Anyway till next time. Hang in there it will be alright, Allmixedup
Posted 11/4/2007 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
I gues I am the odd one out here........I love the thunder and lightning but from watching it inside ..........lol

Mother Nature Is Fascinating to me but I am sure that is because of my Native Heritage ..........

I am so sorry that you all feel this way and go into panic mode or anxiety over this .........

As I said I am the " odd" one .............Naturally
Posted 11/4/2007 11:43 PM (GMT 0)

It's actually getting better i think i just had to adjust to it.

Now the kids get more freaked out than i do i actually sit on the balcony watching the lightning (we get awsome lightning shows here) ... :-)

Posted 11/5/2007 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
They can be so beautiful to watch Eh Liqued

Yes I am from Canada ........EH...........LOL
Posted 11/5/2007 10:39 PM (GMT 0)

Heheheheheh, I like Canadians, i have some freinds that have toured alot of Canada and the pictures they have brought back are amazing, Some really beautiful places in Canada.

Would love to tour there one day.. EH..lol's

((((((((HUGS))))))))... :-)

Posted 11/6/2007 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
My husband used to live in Australia when he was a child and he said along with the thunder and the lightening there would be hail stones the size of tennis balls and he said because of their size they would smash things and that would make a terrible sound too! I am glad I live in the UK and don't have to put up with things like that!
Posted 11/6/2007 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
Yes we do get some huge hailstones here in Aus especially in the northern part of Aus I'm in the middle of the eastern side of Aus right on the coast, and recently we had shocking hail storms with hail the size of golf balls, and they do so much damage to cars, that insurance companies wont insure against hail..lol

Posted 11/8/2007 9:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there liquid

I just wanted to say hello as I am a 'Queenslander' as well (live between Brissie and the Gold Coast). I usually frequent the BP and depression forums as my hubbie is BP1, but I think I might spend some time over here as I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and also agoraphobia at certain times and am currently taking Lexapro.

I moved here from the UK 5 years ago so the storms really freak me out as well. I think unless you have lived somewhere that has storms of this severity (I never experienced anything nearly as bad in 30+ yrs of living in the UK) you cannot appreciate how ferocious they can be.

We also had hail the size of golf balls last week, plus the tin roof on our house makes the rain sound much much louder than it is. We live on a hill so we can see the weather rolling in towards us and get some amazing lightning shots from the front balcony.

It is funny you talk about feeling anxious during the storms, I thought it was just me being 'silly' but I did feel the same as you last week. The rain and hail woke me up and I felt very jittery until it died down a bit.

In fact more than anything it is the wind howling that really freaks me out and has done ever since I was little. I used to put my fingers in my ears and try to block it out when I was younger. I have never heard such strong winds before so for me it can be quite frightening.

Anyway, keep smiling

Honey Bee :-)
Posted 11/8/2007 11:33 PM (GMT 0)

Hi there Honey,

Great to see a fellow Queenslander on the forums.. :-)

I live on the Gold Coast, and fortunately we didnt get the hail that you got last week, Although i found myself constantly checking the storm warning website.

And your right unless your used the to the severity of the storms we get it is very frightning, i've lived here for 11 years and am still getting used to the severity of the storms...

Hope all is well for you and hope to see on here in the future.. :-)

((((((((HUGS)))))))) to all.. :-)

Posted 11/9/2007 6:42 AM (GMT 0)
Liquid,

Thanks for your friendly response.

I will put a post on this forum about me when I get a chance just at the moment spending all my time looking after my dear hubbie of 20 years who has been very ill for the past year suffering from his deepest and worst (suidical) depression yet.

Look forward to chatting soon.

Honey Bee :-)
Posted 11/11/2007 1:45 AM (GMT 0)

I'm really sorry to hear about your hubby,

If there is anything i can do to help please dont hesitate to ask.. :-)

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