What is the fear of earthquakes (seismophobia)? | ListList.com

Türkiye, as you know, is a country located in a seismic zone. Finally, the strong earthquake that occurred on February 6, and whose epicenter was in Kahramanmaras, deeply affected all of us. In fact, many people have begun to fear earthquakes, also called seismophobia. Seismophobia, which if left untreated can lead to very serious psychological illnesses, is a picture in which a person experiences intense fear, as if at any moment an earthquake will occur and the quality of life will decrease. So what are the symptoms of earthquake fear? How to deal with seismophobia? In this article we have prepared for you, we have collected answers to all questions about the fear of earthquakes.

Why be afraid of earthquakes?

Everyone has some kind of fear. While some are afraid of heights, others may be afraid to stay indoors. One of the common fears in earthquake-prone countries such as Turkey is the fear of earthquakes. Earthquake fear is a person’s intense anxiety that he and his immediate environment will be affected by an earthquake. This fear, which can cause a variety of symptoms from sleep disturbance to shortness of breath, also significantly reduces a person’s quality of life. Seismophobia, which is mostly seen in people living in earthquake zones, can also lead to many psychological disorders if left untreated.

What are the symptoms of fear of an earthquake?

Seismophobia can lead to some physiological or psychological symptoms, depending on the degree of fear. Among these symptoms:

• Desire to run or hide
• Cry, scream, even at the thought of the possibility of an earthquake,
• Increasing the level of anxiety
• feeling of anxiety
• sleep problems
• heartbeat,
• fast breathing,
• Dyspnea,
• dry mouth
• headache/dizziness,
• nausea and
• Possible disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

How to overcome seismophobia?

One of the best ways to overcome your fear of earthquakes is to learn about earthquakes and take some precautions. For example, ways to protect the family and home can be determined in advance without going beyond. At this stage, preparing earthquake gear and identifying a home to shelter during an earthquake will make the person feel more comfortable. In addition, for peace of mind, it is extremely important to find out if the house you live in is earthquake-resistant and take appropriate measures.

However, following earthquake events on the news or social media, or having a highly visible earthquake bag, can keep people with earthquake phobia active. For this reason, care should be taken that the earthquake bag is not too visible and the earthquake agenda is not followed too carefully. In addition to all this, when you feel a sense of fear, you can listen to relaxing music, meditate, do yoga or breathing exercises. A long walk in nature can also help reduce feelings of fear and anxiety.

If the fear of earthquakes greatly affects daily life, professional support should be sought. Regular psychotherapy and, if necessary, treatment with the help of a psychiatrist will help overcome the fear of earthquakes and make a person calmer.

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