Fear Of Rain Or Ombrophobia: I Get Scared When It Pours

A little drizzle is okay, but rainstorms are way too difficult to handle!

Now, I have to admit that I have a passion for strange phobias and to be quite honest, I've got a few of them. You're no doubt reading this and thinking that I'm just being dramatic, but I assure you, omprohobia is real, and lots of people are terrified of the rain. In fact, we're not scared at the sight of seeing rain, but rather at the sound of it. The harder it falls from the sky, the more anxiety it causes us.

Anna (Kristen Bell) in the series 'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window' struggles with the rain too!  © Netflix

Ombrophobia meaning: It's the inexplicable fear of rain

As with almost every phobia, the name comes from Greek, with ‘ombro’ being the Greek for a rainstorm. As a general rule of thumb, it’s the thudding noise of the rain that bothers sufferers, although, in more severe cases, even the mention of the word ‘rain’ can cause panic attacks and serious anxiety. Plus, some ombrophobes also suffer from aquaphobia too, meaning they are completely terrified of water. Here, they are fearful of rain because they are scared of flooding or drowning.

What does being scared of the rain reveal?

This fear indicates a feeling of insecurity in people, just like being scared of the world coming to an end, or losing control over a situation, for example. This irrational fear is therefore amplified when the weather is bad and storms and hailstones are forecast.

A passion for the weather ☔

People suffering from ombrophobia frequently have trouble heading outside and leaving home because they are scared of an eventual bout of rain. This explains why suffers are often glued to weather apps to avoid stepping out when the heavens open. Although this might seem like a good prevention tactic, this actually amplifies anxiety levels.

How can you stop being afraid of the rain?

Causes of such a phobia are rarely determined, yet hereditary issues and traumatic experiences are typically to blame.

Ombrophobia can be cured by cognitive and behavioral therapy or with hypnotherapy. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or even abdominal breathing are also helpful when panic attacks occur.

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