Fears
The Brain, The Body, and The Mind…Dealing with Fear
Credits: https://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2014/11/06/the-science-behind-the-fear/
What is Fear?
Fear is a basic, highly primal human emotion triggered by the perception of danger, threat, or harm- whether that threat is real or imagined. Many of us fear the unknown, so we are very hesitant of new situations, new places, or even new routines. Imagine your husbands family (whom you never met) invite you to stay the night. You talk it over with your husband. Both decide it’s best to bring the camper, and park it within their backyard, to stay the night. It is an unknown environment, unknown people (at least at the moment). The only thing familiar is the camper.
Fear is within us literally, we don’t imagine it. More specifically the amygdala, a part of the brain which triggers a flight-or-flight response.
Flight-or-Flight Response: The Body’s way of Protection
When you encounter a threatening situation, your brain’s amygdala triggers the “fight- or- flight response, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This causes immediate physical changes- such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, heightened alertness, and tensed muscles- to prepare the body to either confront the danger or run away. Imagine you’re at a baseball game. All of a sudden the batter accidently hits the ball into the crowd. Everyone ducks. Why ?. The amygdala sees the baseball as a threat, which potentially could “knock someone out”.
The Amygdgdalla Can’t Differentiate Between Threating and Non-Threating Scenarios
The amygdala does a great job at protecting our bodies during a threating scenario; however there is one surprising fact. This part of the brain can’t tell the difference between threating or non-threating scenarios. An individual has to be the judge of that. Due to this, the flight-or-flight response can manifest either as anxiety or various phobias.
Since the amygdala can’t differentiate between threatening or non-threatening scenarios, some of our fears are often caused by negative associations.
Fear = Negative Association (some fears)
Most phobias develop due to a negative association. Imagine you were flying for the past 10 years, all of a sudden you develop strange behaviors. Like not wanting to travel (something you love doing), not wanting to sit in a plane (which you knew would descend and ascend). Your parents figured out you had a fear of flying, due to the feeling one gets when the plan is descending . Your dad specifically booked a session with a hypnotherapist to help you overcome your fear, now you are not only sitting in a plane, but travelling the world and experiencing various cultures.
Do you have any of the listed phobias ?
Credits: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=%22fear+of+blood%22
Phobia List
Aerophobia- Fear of Flying
Astraphobia- Fear of Storms
Hemophobia- Fear of Blood
Credits: https://imh3.warriorsoflightfoundation.org/acrophobia-fear-of-heights/
Acrophobia- Fear of Heights
Social Phobia ( Social Anxiety: An intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or scrutinized in social or public settings)
Agoraphobia- A fear of situations where escape might be difficult’
Claustrophobia- A fear of enclosed spaces, such as crowded elevators, or MRI Machines
Arachnophobia- Fear of Spiders
Ophidiophobia- Fear of snakes
Cynophobia: Fear of dogs, usually due to past negative interactations or bites (Past Traumatic Stress Disorder)
Trypanophobia: Fear of medical needles, injections, or medical procedures involving blood tests
Mysophobia (Germaphobia)- Extreme fear of germs, contamination, and dirt, which can lead to compulsive cleaning, and certain avoidant behaviors
Atychiphobia- A deep, paralyzing fear of failure
Thanatophobia- Fear of death or dying
Everyone has a Phobia
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While I haven’t listed all phobias (due to space limitations)… I assure you there is not a single person on this planet without a phobia, whether listed or not.
Overcoming Fear
Step 1
Addressing 4 elements of fear, which can also be applied to learning
These 4 elements are present when one is fearful; however these elements also are present when we are learning, competing, performing, completeing art, and playing music.
Uncertainty- Imagine asking a dumb question, silly questions, or the teacher calls on you for an answer and you are uncertain of the the answer
Attention- Imagine speaking up within a group project, or the teacher calling on you in Class. All the attention is on who ?
Change- Imagine you are in art class, either making a sculpture, or painting. But every couple of weeks your art project keeps changing. One minute you are making pots, using the pottery wheel, couple weeks later you are painting.
While change is good, in regards to the amygdala, the line between threatening and non-threatening scenarios is faded. It isn’t clear, or distinguishable.
Struggle- Like I said earlier. The amygdala can’t differentiate between threating and non-threatening scenarios, so everyday this part of the brain is avoiding the task which “causes” less struggle, and is easier. Imagine its the weekend. You are driving your car to run errands, it’s lunchtime and you also have to buy groceries. Which do you choose ? The easier task, as it’s within your “comfort zone” and less of a struggle= go to a fast food place (within your comfort zone) and have lunch, then drive off to the grocery shopping.
While anxiety is building internally, outwardly the stress is more as it limits our opportunity to grow.
Fear Robs Us at the Opportunity to Grow
Credits: https://yourstory.com/2023/07/emerson-overcoming-fear-unleashing-growth
Fear is a common struggle amongst many, but it robs us at the opportunity to grow as human beings. Fear stops us, some fears even prevent us from succeeding in school, college, or our professional careers (like the fear of public speaking or the fear of social anxiety).
Fear can be good and bad. Good being it signals us to stay within our “comfort zone”, which make life happier. The bad being it prevents us humans to grow and take hold of the opportunities, which may come about.
Comfort Zone
We always feels more comfortable within our “Comfort Zone” (hence the name). Within this zone there is predictability, our tension eases, we have a steady heart-rate, and we are much more happier.
Talk, Talk, Talk
It is easy to talk about what we should do or we could do. It is even easier to talk about what others should do and could do. Imagine a young woman competes within the “Voice”. She has to sing one last song, before she has the opportunity to make it to the finale. She hesitates, and loses what she could have gained. It is easy to say that the “young woman could have prepped for her last song by taking deep breaths, easing her anxiety”.
It is easy to Talk, but no as easy to “walk in someone else’s shoes”.
See the Other Perspective
Credits:https://growingtogetherllc.com/tips-on-perspective-taking-seeing-the-other-side/
If we were in their “shoes”, fear would be real. There would be struggles, anxiety, crying, embarrassed, all sorts of emotions would be pouring out. I personally feel fear is an uncontrollable emotion without professional guidance, but it is still possible to overcome or control one’s fear with the right techniques.
Always see one’s perspective. This technique allows partners to understand one another. This applies to marriage, relationships, and dating as well.
Through the process, emotions shift, from seeing the perspective of another to actually experiencing the fear, and finally “killing” the Phobia completely.
How to “kill” the Phobia: Gain experience in Life & develop in Life
Credits: https://www.activekids.com/parenting-and-family/articles/13-must-do-camping-activities-for-kids
Reflect, Realize, and do the Contrary
“Dance with Fear”- Reflect, Realize, and do the Contrary. When our amygdala is activated, we need to reflect, and realize something is about to happen (be aware), next we do the contrary (the opposite) of what the amygdala is signaling our body to do. Yes, our amygdala will have a “freak attack”, but that is only because we are out of our comfort zones. In order to experience life we need to get out of our comfort zones.
Get out of your comfort zones, take every opportunity which is handed to you, and experience life to the fullest. Fear no more !
Fear is a Human Emotion, a Normal Emotion
If you don’t overcome our Fears daily, we can’t grow as human beings, nor can we experience new things, but fear is a human emotion which isn’t bad, it is normal. When we were younger we didn’t comprehend all this, we associated fear with negativity.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to read my lenghthy article (yes I admit)
Claps and Comments are Open
Nikita Nayak Wells
