Earthquake fears have you rattled? You could be dealing with “Seismophobia”

San Simeon, California, December 22nd, 2003 is when the quake struck.

The 6.6 temblor rocked the city, and the surrounding area, killing two people and causing nearly $300 million in damage.

You can find all of our special earthquake coverage here: Earthquake Alert

A woman who endured the quake spoke with us via Skype.

“All of a sudden everything started to move, but it was actually the kitchen counter was actually swaying back and forth, and I’m not exaggerating, it was swaying back and forth,” said Ellen Kiley.

Kiley, a seismophobe, and her husband Bill were living in nearby Paso Robles when the San Simeon quake struck, and for them, it was close enough.

In fact, they were left feeling so rattled, they decided to leave quake-prone California and moved to Arizona.

“It’s the unknown. Everything is shaking around you. It’s like, uh-oh, things are not stable. I like it when things are over in 30 seconds, but lots of times, they’re not,” said Kiley.

While specifics are not available for the number of people who would classify as “seismophobes”, the symptoms are clear, and include heart palpitations, sweaty hands, constant worry, and intense fear when even thinking about quakes.

“The heart starts going, the adrenaline is pumping, it’s frantic, frantic, absolutely frantic,” said Kiley.

For anyone scared of earthquakes, but who may not have the option of moving to more stable areas, Rancho Mirage therapist Kelly Lewallen says there are a number of strategies for calming those anxieties.

“I’ve actually had somebody with seismophobia in my office when an earthquake occurred, and they were under the desk, under my desk, they were just terrified,” said Lewallen.

For those who fear quakes to the point it interferes with daily living, Lewallen recommends a therapy called “EMDR”, which stands for, “Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing”.

Its a psychotherapy treatment which allows patients to process negative emotions while focusing on an external stimulus.

“Any phobia can be cured, you just need to have the right form of treatment,” said Lewallen.

Lewallen’s other recommendations to reduce quake fears include focused breathing, meditation, petting a cat or dog to release the mood enhancing hormone Oxytocin, and calling or talking with a family member or other loved one.

“If the person is having a hyper-aroused state, or an anxious state, hearing the voice or seeing the face of someone they’re close to can really help their anxiety,” said Lewallen.

She also says participating in Tai Chi and Yoga, and going for a walk can be helpful.

The therapist also recommends an app, which she says is an effective tool for guided breathing and meditation exercises.

It’s called “The Mindfulness App”, and it’s available at the App Store and on Google Play.

Kiley acknowledges there are some people scared of quakes who can be helped by counseling, but she’s convinced she’s not one of them.

For people who can live with that fear, and for others who aren’t scared at all, Kiley said, “I admire people who live in earthquake states.”