The most powerful emotion each one of us must have experienced at one point or the other in our life is ‘fear’. Ever since we are born, our manifestation and meaning of fear keep changing. From the fear of learning a new skill and failing at it, to the fear of losing our job, money, and relationships, we keep battling our fears all our life. Due to this constant encounter with this emotion, most of the time, fear is notorious for causing stress, both mentally and physically. But is it that bad? Is it possible to conquer our fear? Is it possible to avoid it or accept it? Let’s take a dig deep into the realm of fear.
Olympic Champion Adam Peaty feared water as a child but he conquered it and became Olympics Champion in swimming. The tag line of a very famous advertisement also goes like this; “Darr ke aage jeet hai” (there is victory beyond fear), implying that fear can have a positive impact on our life. In our day-to-day situations, fear keeps us alert enough to be careful and avoid mistakes, it compels us to leave no stone unturned in our efforts. But at the same time, in this routine modern life, people encounter fear more than often, even when it is related to trivial circumstances, like fear of giving a presentation in a meeting or the fear of completing assigned work correctly within time.
Real vs Imagined Fear
Fear has driven human evolution as an important response to dangerous situations. Had there been no emotion of fear, humans would not have been able to protect themselves from real, life-threatening situations. However, in modern life, imagined fears have taken a toll on the physical, mental as well as social well-being of individuals. As a result, even with recurring situations like speaking in public and facing interviews, some people develop an extreme flight-fight-freeze response. According to Psychology Today, some feelings, described as fears are not fears, but the resistance of individuals to come out of their comfort zones and act. Such imagined fears of the unknown and perceived threats, if not dealt with, interfere with routine life activities.
A recent situation of panic buying and hoarding at the beginning of the Pandemic indicated that fear arising out of not-so-dangerous situations can also adversely affect individuals’ ability to think rationally and in the best interests of themselves and the community.
Fear out of Misinformation
We, as social animals, love to communicate our ideas, opinions, and feelings with others naturally. However, at times unintentionally or out of curiosity, some people fan the flame of fear to seek solace, clarity, or simply just to inform the other person about the upcoming scary situation. In doing so, they end up causing lots of stress and panic attacks to others even without validating the cause of fear. Such fear spread out of misinformation and gossip is most of the time, futile but causes substantial disturbance to the physical and mental health of all those affected by it.
Should we avoid fear?
Fear is triggered by perceived threats and thus acts as a survival mechanism, preparing us to respond to danger. According to articles on mental health, fear cannot be avoided but is often extended or delayed. The longer people avoid fearful situations, the stronger they get trapped in it’s vicious cycle. Such chronic fear is detrimental to both physical and mental health. Therefore, the best way to cope up with fear is to face it.
How to Manage Fear?
Here are some ways to manage fear and realize your goals:
Be Informed
Before you get stuck with fear and put yourself in the forever state of anxiety, affecting your daily life, it is extremely important to gain sufficient information about the cause and impact of fear. It will be very useful to dive deep into the news, event, activity, or situation that has scared you the most. You may ask yourself these questions:
- Is this a real possibility or just an outcome of imagination or rumor?
- How worse it can be for me particularly?
- Can it be avoided?
- What are the risks involved?
The more you are informed and aware of the upcoming scary situation, the better you will be equipped to deal with it. If you will do this exercise, you may even realize that the fear of the fear is much worse than the impact of fear itself.
Prepare, prepare and prepare
Fear can act as a powerful obstacle that may limit your potential and hold you back. The Golden Globe Award and four times Grammy Award winner Will Smith once said in a talk show, “I’m really confronting all the things that I’ve ever been scared of and I’m just finding this exuberant freedom in life”. Many successful people like Samantha Larson and Warren Buffet battled their fear through rigorous preparation and ultimately achieved their goals.
So next time you are unnerved about speaking in public or taking up a new role, choose preparation over panic and realize your potential at its best. Create an action plan and acknowledge your small achievements at each step of your preparation. It is quite possible that someday, your most pressing fears may become your greatest strengths.
Seek Support
If you think that your fear has a debilitating impact on your daily life, it is wise to consult a mental health professional, rather than hitting or trying different techniques on your own. There is a possibility that your fear may be a sign of a specific health condition like an eating disorder or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
No matter how disturbing your fear is, remember you have a choice to act or suffer endlessly.
References
- How fear and anxiety drove human evolution. (2021). Retrieved 27 September 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/how-fear-and-anxiety-drove-human-evolution
- Fear. (2021). Retrieved 27 September 2021, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/bas
- Paralyzed By Imagined Fear? Sorting Out The Practical From The ‘Boogeyman In The Closet.’. (2021). Retrieved 27 September 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/85broads/2013/08/15/paralyzed-by-imagined-fear-sorting-out-the-practical-from-the-boogeyman-in-the-closet/?sh=6a58042d19c9
- Impact of Fear and Anxiety | Taking Charge of Your Health & Wellbeing. (2021). Retrieved 27 September 2021, from https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/impact-fear-and-anxiety
- How 8 stars pushed through fear and nerves to find success. (2020). Retrieved 29 September 2021, from https://www.today.com/tmrw/overcoming-fear-celebs-share-inspiring-stories-about-overcoming-fear-t173976
- Stories to Inspire! Overcoming Performance Anxiety: Part 3. (2020). Retrieved 29 September 2021, from https://www.riverbankcounselingasheville.com/2020/02/12/stories-to-inspire-overcoming-performance-anxiety-part-iii/
- Adam Peaty – From fear of water to Olympic champion | Learn to Swim. (2017). Retrieved 29 September 2021, from https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/adam-peaty-launch-new-learn-to-swim-campaign/
Awsum. . Such a deep dive into the fear and then defeating it. . Great piece of writing.