I want to start out by saying I do not have a significant or even diagnosable PTSD.  There was a fire at my neighbors house over the summer, sparked by arcing power lines, caused by the most intense thunderstorm we've had in years.  Eventually, 2 houses and 3 garages on my block caught fire.  I spent 6 hours on the street (we couldn't go back in our homes in case they caught on fire as well) watching the firemen try to put out the fires as they kept getting reignited by the lines, until at last DTE could shut off the power.  During this time is when the new fires were ignited.  It took those 6 hours because there were 7 other fires in my hometown alone.  The arcing powerlines sounded like giant booms everytime they had a surge, and I had a new panic attack each time that sound happened.  It was just so loud, and I realized each boom meant a new spark that could light a new fire.

Now, every thunderstorm has me incapacitated in my bed, trying to drown out the sound of the thunder and rain with music.  Each boom of thunder sounds so similar to the sound of the angry powerlines, and I'm terrified to do anything except be ready to run outside like last time.  I can't breathe, sleep or do anything that could distract me from being ready to run.  On worse days, I panic attacks until I'm sure the storm is over.

I realize that this isn't genuine PTSD, but I wasn't sure where else to go to look for help.  Does anyone have ways of calming down during intense moments like these? Ways of focusing on what's really happening, rather than what happened in the past? (I'm sorry for intruding on this group, and if you'd prefer that I leave I entirely understand--I really really do)