Scared of Storms

by Tracy
(West Des Moines, Iowa)

I am extremely scared of storms, it's weird because I love storms and think they are cool but when they start to get more severe, with high winds and extreme rain and lightning I get really really scared. I was in a daycare center when I was eight and there was a tornado that went right over the daycare and touched down less than two miles away from where I was. I think that is the main reason I'm so scared of storms, it's only when I think they could produce a tornado that I get really worked up.

Just a few nights ago we had a really bad storm in the middle of the night and I was so scared that I slept in the bathtub all night because it was the room that I thought would be the safest place if there was a tornado. I barely got any sleep that night anyway, I probably only slept in half hour increments because I was terrified that if I fell asleep there would be a tornado and I wouldn't know it.

I don't know how to get over the fear, the only thing these internet sites say is to try hypnotherapy but I don't really want to do that. Any other suggestions?