Learning to Overcome Fear

Learning to Overcome Fear

It is human nature to be afraid. Mostly, people are frightened of the unknown but the world is too vast and too ominous for you to know what to expect, so it is safe to assume that people are generally afraid of everything that they have to come up against. It may be work-related, life-oriented, relationship-based or completely personal; people fear the unfamiliar, making it seem as if man fears life itself.

Knowing Fear

Fear is an unpleasant sensation that can take over your life. Everyone can be a victim of fear but it is still in the person’s control if he or she would allow to be overcome by it.

• Fear comes from the Greek word, ‘phobos,’ and it is classified as a negative emotion that people feel.

• It is distressing and when a person allows for fear to overcome them, it can be strong enough to function as a survival mechanism for the onset of danger. It is a pre-programmed emotion that enables man to respond to all kinds of threat.

• There is such a thing as irrational fears and these are termed so because they are ridiculous and hardly have a chance of happening in real life.

• When a person is enveloped by fear, certain areas of the brain are activated. This brings about the release of adrenaline and the increased flow of blood. It can also bring about increased sweating, rapid heart rate, tightening of muscles, increased blood pressure, sharpening of senses and dilation of pupils.

Dealing with Fear the Wrong Way

People deal with fear the wrong way, sometimes, and they can be too rash that they act on it without thinking. It is quite expected. Human beings are reactive and they sometimes just respond to things without giving it some thought. Here are some of the common mistakes that people make, and you should try to avoid them yourself:

• Being overcome by fear. Many people allow their fears to overtake them. They let their fears grow big enough to take over and influence the decisions they make. Some fears prohibit people from growing. Some fears keep people in the dark. If this is beginning to be a problem, you should strive to do something about it.

• Denying fear. People who are afraid, will not always admit to it. This is most especially true with men who think that their masculinity is being questioned, so they are quick on the defensive and they will deny their fears, just to avoid confrontation and ridicule.

• Resulting to destructive distractions. Some people who are harboring fear will choose to deal with it in the most cowardly way, by turning to drugs and alcohol. They do this to mask all their emotions, and they do this to be able to hide from reality. Alcohol and drugs give you false courage and it is wrong when you begin to completely depend on it to the point that you can no longer function without it.