A great number of people around the globe are afraid of thunder and lightning, a common condition called brontophobia. For as long as this fear has been around, people have been looking for ways to overcome it. Currently there is a variety of treatment options used. To help vanquish this phobia, professionals call for specific hypnotherapy techniques that are shown to work in alleviating fears and phobias.

People suffering from brontophobia have an abnormal fear of storms. Loud, booming thunder and cracks of lightning can spark nervousness and anxiety attacks in people with brontophobia. Other effects include a rapid heartbeat, sweating, and a strong sense of fear, which increases until a person feels ill.

The fear of thunder and lightning starts early for many, when as kids, we cower under the sheets during a big storm. Brontophobia can be especially hard on small children. Many scared children feel helpless during bad weather, and their parents may also feel helpless to help them cope with their fears.

In spite of its frequency in children, the fear of storms can be triggered at any time in life, often after someone has an experience such as getting shocked, which recalls a flash of lightning. A traumatic experience such as surviving a tropical storm can also cause a fear of thunderstorms.

Many people may come to link loud sounds, the sensation of discomfort, or terror with thunder and lightning, which can grow into a phobia. Brontophobia is so widespread that it's even seen in many animals; for example, many people report that their pets seem frightened during storms.

Phobia sufferers try to avoid the sights and sounds of storms. People may experience anxiety during storm disasters such as floods. This can endanger them if they cannot function under circumstances which requires them to stay calm and respond quickly.

Phobia sufferers often dread storm season, often suffering in summer when storms occur frequently. They might obsessively check weather forecasts and act extra cautious during periods of inclement weather. To other people, this behavior may seem extreme and highly paranoid. Phobia suffers may find this condition gradually taking control of their lives.

A wide range of options are available for relieving brontophobia and other strong fears. Common ones include counseling, anti-anxiety medication, and hypnotherapy. Hypnosis tends to offer safer, faster results and it is also non-invasive, having no harmful side effects. For these reasons, hypnotherapy has become a widely used therapy.

Hypnosis therapy is ideal as a class of relaxation therapy and has traditionally been used for this purpose. By starting with relaxation techniques, hypnosis helps tense, worried phobia sufferers initiate the process of recovery. When someone is feeling at ease, it is easier for hypnotherapy techniques to direct the unconscious into a fear-free thought process.

Most phobias are connected to negative images or triggers, which become connected to fear deep within the unconscious mind. For people with brontophobia, the loud rumble of thunder, the blinding flash of lightning, or even the smell of rain often triggers alarm. Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) work at the unconscious level of the mind to dissociate fear from these triggers to bring powerful fear relief. One of the most successful techniques is called the NLP Visual/Kinesthetic Disassociation.

Ericksonian hypnotherapy is a type of hypnotherapy that is often used to treat phobia-related stress. Named for its developer, Dr. Milton Erickson, MD, this type of therapy uses indirect suggestions hidden in conversation, metaphors, and stories to treat a phobia. Indirect suggestions work better than conventional direct suggestions because people tend to question, resist, and reject being told what to do. Those which indirectly communicate to the conscious mind are more able to empower people to vanquish their phobias.

NLP techniques and Ericksonian hypnosis have another advantage over traditional hypnosis programs because they are designed to treat any phobia. So a single program is suitable for treating any phobia, or even multiple phobias if need be. Plus, each program utilizes many different techniques to be effective for anybody.

Hypnosis therapy is an ideal treatment option for many people, which delivers quick and permanent results. Shivering in bed and being frightened is not the way a brontophobia sufferer should have to live. Using hypnotherapy and NLP techniques, nearly everyone can vanquish this irrational fear.

Alan B. Densky, CH has been treating phobias using Hypnosis since 1978. He offers how to overcome fear NLP & hypnosis CDs plus a broad range of Self-Hypnosis CDs for stress & depression related symptoms. Visit his website for free NLP MP3's.