Help! Stormy Weather

Staying Positive · Post by **Staying Positive** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:12 am

Although the weather is definitley worse in other places today, we're suppose to get some thundershowers (they keep saying some could be strong) and storms scare the crap out of me. When I was a kid we used to play in them and wait to see the rainbow afterwords. When I was a teenager, i remember crawling atop my garage roof to sit and watch the storm. Now, i'm scared of them. The intensity of my fear comes and goes and I try to have faith in God, but you all know how it is when things creep up on you. Now I have my kids. 3 1/2 and almost 2 years old and I think it makes it worse cuz I have to not only protect myself but them also. It's not always bad, but sometimes I just pace and cry. I've never had a full blown panic attack with the weather and I'm not going to if I have anything to do about it. My attacks only started 7 months ago as we were going into winter. But, does anyone relate and/or have any suggestions on how to keep focused and not on the storm? Thanks-

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:38 am

Hi, I work with the emergency management agency across southeastern Indiana as the weather operations officer and have a few tips for you.

If you are scared or lightning, close the drapes/blinds in your house/apt that will block out most of the light.

With thunder, turn on music or a tv and crank the volume up a little higher than normal...not to the highest level but up some.

Winds can be drown out by tv/radio/stero also.

Heavy rainfall rates will only last a few minutes and move on.

Hail: Again, tv/radio/etc will drown out most of the sounds.

I'm not sure where you are located but with the current setup anyone from Northern Michigan to Southern Texas are all under a slight risk for severe weather today..and slight means some areas will see storms while others see rainfall only.

Watch your tv or listen to a radio station starting now for any specific weather forecasts or bulletins for your area. If a severe weather statement is issued do exactly what the bulletin says.

Most of all remember, stay calm, relaxed, and distract yourself from the storms.

Have I ever had anxiety with severe weather? 35 years worth of it and 20 years ago I became a tornado chaser...in a storm I have nothing but normal anxiety, that's it. I've completed the program here at StressCenter.com 1.5 years ago and can handle most anything nature wants to throw at me, smile and keep on moving.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:48 am

Thanks David. I live in Wisconsin about 3 hours east of Minneapolis. I do try to keep myslef distracted, most of the time playing with the kids. My husband would love you, he's always wanted to chase tornado's. Again, thanks for the tips, right now I'm going to distract myself by making a new banana bread recipe!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:49 am

Here is an example of a weather statement issued by one of the National Service Weather service in Topeka Kansas at 1:30 AM cd this morning. These are the bulletins that NOAA radios, tv, radio, news outlets, police, fire, rescue, and emergency management agencys receive within 15 seconds after the issuance of the statement. It's all in CAPS because the NWS stations still work on the old military standards for issuing information to the public.
Btw, this was a real tornado warning early this morning.
----------------------
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS

130 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN CLOUD COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTHEASTERN REPUBLIC COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS... WEST CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

* UNTIL 215 AM CDT

* AT 128 AM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF AGENDA...OR 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA...MOVING EAST AT 31 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... AGENDA... CUBA...

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES. TAKE COVER IN A BASEMENT OR STORM SHELTER NOW!

STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION.
------------------------

You'll be fine, again, relax, distract yourself, turn on a tv/radio now (if a weather alert goes out a loud tone will be sent across either the tv or radio to alert you) and don't think the worst part of the storm front is going to get you because most of the time it doesn't then you've worried yourself into an anxiety or panic attack for nothing.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:50 am

Hi Staying Positive! (What a great name)

I have to write to you on this subject, because this is something I dealt with just 4 days ago! We had a big thunderstorm here where I live. Last summer I was somewhat okay with them, at one point when I was living alone, I was out on my apartment balcony watching the lightening and listening to the loud thunder, thinking, wow this is something. Over this past winter, my anxiety had gotten a lot worse, worse than it had ever been, (at one point I wasn't capable of leaving my bed) so, it was pretty bad! Storms hadn't even crossed my mind until I saw the weather report and saw the words "scattered thunderstorms" I was freaking out! (and I have been doing VERY well with my anxiety lately)

I think us lovely people with anxiety are afraid of the weather for 2 reasons. The first reason being it's something big we can't control, whether it be the noise of the thunder or the random strikes of the lightening. It is something that happens that we have zero control over - that is what makes us anxious about it! You know that expression, "Ya can't control the weather!" Well, we don't like to hear that we can't NOT control ANYTHING!

The second reason being the outcome of that loss of control, whether it results in a panic attack or scattered lawn furniture around your yard. We are ALWAYS worried about what could happen to us, our family, our homes, our town, etc. due to this big thing that happens that we have no control over.

Here is a different way of thinking about it. I like to replace my thoughts with better, more positive ones, and with your name (staying positive!) I'm sure you wont object to this! First and foremost, fully realize that this is the season for thunderstorms and there is nothing you can do about it. And that's okay! We don't need to control everything, and I will tell you why we want to. We want to control everything, because we are terrified of what could happen if we lose control, for example, a loved one getting hurt as a result of the storm! Keep this in mind though, it is not common for a thunderstorm to cause major damage. Make sure you've got your children in the house in a safe room (if the storm is bad enough) and you will be safe and snug as a bug in a rug. The only bad thing that could possibly happen is you have loud rumbling thunder! Say to yourself, "Ok, thunderstorms are just a part of the season, no amount of worry and fear is going to prevent them from happening, nothing bad is going to happen if we have a thunderstorm, I can handle this, I can do this!"

Something I did a few nights ago when the thunder was loud here, is I crawled into bed, turned my fan on high, and watched a movie on my laptop with my headphones. I could barely hear that loud, pesky thunder! I did some deep breathing and repeated to myself, "I am okay, it's just a thunderstorm, no big deal, nothing bad is going to happen" (because it's true, nothing bad is going to happen!) After about an hour, I was able to come out from under the covers and move my location to the couch, right by the patio door, and that thunder didn't bother me much anymore! I think for us, it is the unknown of things starting, but we do get used to them and that fear can't last forever, our brains get tired of keeping it going.

I know this sounds like insensitive advice, but as soon as you are fully capable of saying and admitting to yourself that no amount of fear is going to prevent the storm from coming or prevent anything bad from happening, and the chance of something bad happening is VERY slim to none, you are going to be able to get over it so much faster. I'm not telling you to get out there and enjoy that storm, but you can learn to co-exist with them without getting upset about them.

And remember, it always passes. A storm doesn't last forever. At the most an hour or if it's really big, 2 hours. But I promise you, you can handle 2 hours of being uncomfortable. We are anxiety, we've dealt with worse than 2 hours, am I right? hehe.

And also, think of the benefits of a storm and the rain, it's great for all those beautiful blooming flowers to get a drink of water.

You can do this! No big deal.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:52 am

Staying Positive, I'd be more concerned about shoveling the driveway tomorrow, you have winter weather advisories to the west of you now.

Here click on this link, then select your county and click. This will give you the exact forecast/weather statements for your county in WI.

<A HREF="http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mpx/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mpx/</A>

David

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:54 am

Oh great. I am to the west of her... we are getting snow now? Thanks for the great news, David. haha

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:54 am

Hey Karilynn, you mean to tell me you can't control the weather? Darn it...well..can you control the pollen going into the air? Please? My eyes would thank you for it if you can.

Nice to see ya again. On lunch break here at the office but have to get back to watching the skies in 6 more minutes.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:56 am

Karilynn, not sure how close this statement is for you but...enjoy the snow. LOL

Wright County MN

Tonight...Breezy...cloudy. Snow likely in the evening...then a chance of snow after midnight. Snow accumulation up to 2 inches. Lows around 30. Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70 percent.

Back to work for me.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 4:57 am

Haha David! How are you? I've been away for a few months, you know, recovering from anxiety, feeling free as a bee! *kind of*

I wish I could control the pollen, it's driving me nuts, too.