| Storms: big bangs, flashing lightening, loud noises and | | | | flap around in the breeze. You may not be able to do |
| maybe even high winds. Some people are so | | | | this when the storm is in full swing but make a note so |
| fascinated with them that they follow and chase them. | | | | that you can attend to these details before next time. |
| Others cope OK but couldn't really care less about | | | | 3. Get some company |
| storms either way. And some people are just plain | | | | Most things are less daunting if there's someone else |
| afraid of storms. What can you do if you're in this | | | | there with us. This goes for thunderstorms as much as |
| latter group? | | | | anything else. Get a friend to call round or make sure |
| 1. Practice breathing | | | | you can call on someone to join them if there's a |
| Your mother likely told you to take a deep breath | | | | chance of a long storm coming. |
| when you were scared. This still works. Deep | | | | 4. Stay inside |
| breathing will help to calm you down and relax you, | | | | Certain things act as natural lightening conductors. Stay |
| even if there's a sound and light show outside that | | | | inside so that you're not putting yourself close to |
| would make a movie special effects producer go | | | | anything - such as tall trees - that could draw these big |
| weak at the knees with envy. | | | | sparks close to you. |
| 2. Secure anything that rattles | | | | 5. Learn more about storms |
| The sounds caused by severe storms are bad | | | | Read a book or look them up on the internet. |
| enough without your house joining in the chaos. | | | | Knowledge truly is power - the more you know about |
| Windows are good at rattling and making extra noise | | | | something, the less likely it is to be frightening or, at the |
| just to wind you up. So are doors and other things that | | | | least, the better you can cope with it. |