Rainy weather can be a drag—it’s gloomy, damp outside, and the sky is dark. Though a general preference for sunny weather is common, for some people, rainy days aren’t just dull and gloomy. They can be terrifying, overwhelming, and stop them from doing normal activities like going to class or work. With climate change causing more severe weather patterns like hurricanes and intense storms, it’s understandable that fear surrounding rain is growing for some, as unpredictable weather events can increase anxieties around what rain might bring.
If you find yourself constantly watching the weather and avoiding doing your typical activities on rainy days, or you’re feeling like something horrible can happen from a just drizzle, you might have ombrophobia, known as an intense of rain.
People who live with ombrophobia often believe that rain can harm them in some way. OCD therapist Madina Alam, MS, LCHMC explains, “Fear of rain may involve fears about the consequences of rain or storms. This may include a fear that rain could result in a storm that causes harm or damages property. Someone may also fear rain because of a fear of germs or acid that they worry may be in rain,” she shares.
Alam explains that the fear of rain could also be based on superstitious thoughts and feelings. Someone may interpret rain as a bad sign or omen, worrying about the significance and impact of rain on other events.
How do I know if I have a phobia of rain?
If you have an intense fear of rain to the extent that it affects your daily functioning, you might have ombrophobia. Phobias are anxiety disorders that involve an intense fear of an object, thought, or situation.
Dr. Patrick McGrath, Chief Clinical Officer at NOCD shares, “Most people who have phobias probably aren’t diagnosed, actually. They just kind of live with them. Some people just don’t fly, some people don’t take escalators. Some just hate spiders or snakes. They might move to a place where their phobias are not an issue, like somewhere with the lowest number of snakes in the world.”
Dr. McGrath suggests speaking with a therapist if you think you might have a phobia. This can help you learn the right tools to manage it effectively.
You might be able to tell if you have a phobia of rain if you regularly avoid places or behaviors—checking the weather, going outside, going in the basement, driving—when it’s raining or may rain. For example, if a forecast of rain will cause you to cancel plans you’ve had for months.
Is my rain phobia linked to OCD?
Phobias are technically anxiety disorders, and anxiety disorders are known to coexist with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
OCD is known as an opportunistic disorder because of the way it clings to your fears and anxieties. OCD involves intrusive thoughts, feelings, urges and sensations. These unwanted thoughts get stuck in your head and become obsessions, which create a cycle of performing compulsions (physical or mental acts) to temporarily relieve anxiety and distress.
If you have a phobia, you might be very fearful of something and avoid it, but you won’t experience compulsions or obsessions surrounding it. You will not perform an action or think a certain way to get temporary relief. It is important to note that phobias and OCD are separate issues. You can have OCD related to a phobia, but a phobia itself is not OCD.
Having ombrophobia doesn’t necessarily mean you also have OCD related to a fear of the rain. Dr. McGrath explains, “Phobias are different from OCD in the sense that if you had a fear of elevators and you’re in your house and there’s no elevators, you’re not thinking about elevators, right?” With OCD however, you would still be experiencing obsessions and compulsions in response to general thoughts and fears of elevators.
That being said, the fear of rain could potentially be a sign of OCD, falling under the subtypes of harm OCD, just right OCD, or contamination OCD, depending on the nature of the fear. For example, if a person fears that rain could lead to harm to themselves or their loved one and perform compulsions as a result, it would likely be related to harm OCD. Someone with this fear may avoid driving in rain at all costs and perform repetitive rituals whenever the forecast calls for rain, or bring an umbrella with them whenever they leave the house due to fear of acid rain.
How do you know if your fear of rain is connected to OCD? Alam explains that that people with a fear of rain connected to OCD may find that their symptoms are triggered by:
- Rain/thunderstorms
- Cloudy skies
- Being stuck outside for extended periods of time
- Inclement weather such as hurricanes or snow storms
- Not having the “proper” clothing or items to protect against rain (e.g., umbrella, raincoat, boots)
- Lightning or thunder
- Wet items
- Wet soil/mud
- Corrosive substances like acid
Treatment options
Whether you feel like your ombrophobia exists on its own or is tied to OCD, getting professional help can allow you to better deal with your fears and stressors.
Fear of rain in OCD can be treated by using exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. An OCD specialist with training in ERP will begin by guiding you in making a hierarchy, or a list of exposure exercises from least to most anxiety-provoking. The therapist will help you complete these exposures gradually: you will purposefully and intentionally trigger your anxiety or fear, then resist the urge to engage in compulsions like researching or avoidance. ERP is also used to treat anxiety disorders in general, so it’s helpful for treating phobias, regardless of whether they co occur with OCD.
According to Alam, ERP sessions may begin by having you read worst-case scenarios about rain or briefly wear a wet piece of clothing. Over time, sessions can progress to leaving the house on a cloudy day without an umbrella or not checking the forecast before an outing. You’ll learn that you can live each day without always focusing on whether or not it will rain, and your life will no longer be controlled by that fear.
The bottom line
If you’re struggling with a fear of rain, or ombrophobia, it’s important to know that you’re not alone—and that you don’t have to live in fear of every storm cloud. Effective, clinically proven treatments like ERP therapy can help you face your fears head-on. This treatment is the gold standard for both anxiety or OCD, so whether your phobia exists on its own or comes up with OCD, it will help you confront the fear of rain in a way that’s manageable, allowing you to build tolerance over time. ERP gives you the chance to sit with your discomfort surrounding rain rather than avoid it, so that the fear begins to lessen. With the right clinical support and mindset, you can work through the anxiety and start to break free from the grip your phobia has over your life.