I'll admit it: as a child, I was afraid of the dark. Growing up, I learned to think of this as an irrational fear. Nothing was hiding under my bed, and no strangers lurked around that dark corner of the house.

But fear is not irrational. It can actually be debilitating.

Did you realize the air we breathe can be debilitating to some? It's an extreme fear known as astraphobia. But what about other weather phobias? You may be surprised by the lists below.

One way our team of meteorologists helps calm that fear is by sharing the motto, "Don't be scared, just be prepared." Knowing what to do ahead of a storm takes away some of its power over you.

The more you know about a weather phenomenon, the easier it is to overcome your fear.

Study what scares you. Suffer from grandophobia, the fear of hail? Read up on hail development and crack the mystery behind it. You may find the process interesting, then know what to do if hail develops in your area.

Face that fear but do so a few minutes at a time so you don't become overwhelmed.

Still scared? Take deep breaths and concentrate on something you enjoy. Do some exercises as a helpful distraction, and be sure to seek help from a therapist who can talk you through how to handle your phobia if you can't seem to shake it.

Just maybe, you'll go from having a phobia to being a "phile."