Like an air of apocalypse. “Wednesday evening, storm Ciaran approaches Brittany”, indicates in its Météo France bulletin, which this Tuesday placed three Breton departments – Finistère, Morbihan and Côtes-d’Armor – on orange alert for the arrival of this “very strong autumn storm”, which will hit the north-western quarter of France. “Some gusts will be extremely violent, we expect up to 150 to 170 km/h potentially on the coast,” warns the meteorological agency.
While no one is indifferent to such events, for some, they can be the source of fear, or even great anxiety. A fear of bad weather that has a name: ombrophobia. But can we really have such a phobia?
A phobic fear of the elements
Ombrophobia, in the pathological sense, is a phobic fear of unusual weather events. Rain, hail, thunderstorms and storms would thus be likely to terrorize ombrophobic people. Etymologically, ombrophobia comes from the Greek “ombros”, which means “rain accompanied by violent storms” and “phobos”, which means fear. A term first applied to botany, in the 19th century, by the Austro-Hungarian Julius Wiesner, to classify different types of plants: the ombrophobes, which tolerate rain very poorly, and the ombrophiles, which need a lot of ‘water. It then made it possible to characterize certain people.
“A normal fear, adapted to reality”…
Like all phobias, which are a form of anxiety disorder that can trigger panic attacks, people who suffer from them could experience a range of symptoms: “feelings of dizziness, empty-headedness (…) or feeling like you are about to faint, says Health Insurance. As well as nausea and/or digestive disorders, chest pain or discomfort, feelings of shortness of breath, (…) suffocation. But also heart palpitations (…), chills or hot flashes, even profuse sweating; tremors (…), sensations of legs giving way.”
But in practice, “ombrophobia is not one of the most widespread phobias in the population,” reassures Stéphane Rusinek, author of the book The emotions at (ed. Dunod). It’s an old myth that the Gauls were afraid of the sky falling on their heads. In our offices, this is not a reason for consultation.”
In most cases, “more than pathological ombrophobia, these are people who have a normal fear of bad weather,” insists Stéphane Rusinek. When you tell people a storm is coming, it’s normal for them to be afraid. It is an adapted fear, which is triggered instantly, during storms that roar very loudly, episodes of hail or violent winds. This fear responds to a real danger or risk, he believes. And there are many people who are afraid when they hear the thunder that bursts or the hail that falls.”
…But “not a phobia”
“But it is not a phobia, which is an maladaptive fear, and which is triggered even in the absence of the object of its phobia,” insists Stéphane Rusinek. To really speak of a phobia, these ombrophobic people, when we talk to them about bad weather, would have to have a panic attack when we say the word “storm” or “downpour” to them, in the same way that an arachnophobic person would panic. to the idea of going down to the cellar where there is a risk of coming across a spider.”
Ombrophobia only affects a few rare cases at most, he continues. “People who would have a panic attack when seeing a scene of rain or hail on TV is not at all common. And if you’re on the beach under the bright sun and someone tells you about a storm on the other side of the world, you’re not going to start screaming in panic! “. Conversely, a person phobic of snakes will tend to look away and get chills simply at the sight of a reptile on TV. “And it’s already much more frequent.”
Fear of consequences
However, when severe weather is forecast, “many will legitimately be afraid for their children, wondering if they are well sheltered, if the winds, hail or storms will not damage their roof and cause them injuries.” costs and inconveniences,” says Stéphane Rusinek. It’s not a phobia, but “real projection anxiety.” Which, once again, is quite normal if you are in the affected areas.”
This fear of consequences could, however, have a phobic aspect “when it has been acquired by traumatic elements,” adds Stéphane Rusinek. For example for people living in areas affected several times by violent bad weather.” Like those which affected the Vésubie and Roya valleys.