I am staring at a blank page, afraid of writing this article. I am not fearless, heck I am not even a tricenarian; just human like you. Nothing gives me the courage to write about fear; instead, the uncertainty of what I will write and whether it will make sense, enlighten, or inspire my readers is what clouds my mind—fear of the unknown. One thing I prefer, though, is to move from fear of the unknown to now I know. I like being in the position of Now I know because I can make informed decisions with little to no regret. So, I will take this article by the horns and run with it. Here I come; wish me luck.
Fear knows no gender, age, race, or religion. It's like love, an emotion but an unpleasant one. It arises from a real or perceived threat of harm, pain, or danger. Fear has a connotation of negative but it protects us from real danger. It is our survival response to physical or emotional danger or pain. We must experience fear because it keeps us safe.
Fear begins in the mind and then triggers physical and emotional reactions. For physical reaction, when we feel fear, a small organ in the middle of the brain called the amygdala alerts our nervous system. It sets the body's fear response (fear or flight) into motion. Heart rate increases, rapid breathing and blood pressure go up.
Fear also has emotional effects. As the body prepares for action, stress hormones are released, and the brain's center for reasoning and judgment – the frontal lobe becomes impaired, making it difficult to make rational decisions. While our response to fear is often automatic, we experience it before confirming whether the danger is real or perceived.
Physical reactions to fear are easily recognized as either real or perceived, which would activate a fight or flight response. We look both ways before crossing the streets because we fear getting hurt or death, and when we notice a speeding car while crossing, we move fast. Emotional reactions are, however, difficult to decode as either real or perceived and can even go unrecognizable—fear of what the future holds for us, not getting that job, or never recovering. The crazy thing about it is whether triggered by real or perceived fear, the body's response is the same.
EXAMPLES OF FEAR
Fear of change
Our brains have been wired to prefer consistency and routine since ancient times. Change is inevitable, and so is fear. When we intentionally initiate change, such as a new home or new job, we feel in control of the outcome and less fearful. When the change is initiated by outside forces such as a new boss, new partner, or an accident, we are hardly in control of the outcome and are more fearful. The latter state comes with strong resistance to change mainly because of the uncertainty of what to expect. However, the comfort of routine and fear of change can cause complacency and hinder us from necessary growth.
Life always begins with one step outside of your comfort zone.
Fear of rejection
This fear stems from our innate need for recognition, acceptance, and understanding, which constitutes human nature. That explains why we present a slightly different version of ourselves depending on our company or environment. Different versions can be characterized by how we dress to work, school, family gatherings, or friends' hangouts. However, some people take it to the extreme and compromise themselves. Lack of recognition, understanding, or appreciation can stir sadness or shame. This feeling eventually makes us sensitive to the feeling of rejection. Ultimately, we cannot run away from rejection; it is a known fact not everyone will vibe with us, and that is perfectly normal. This feeling limits how we want to show up and how we can learn to improve. We cannot run away from rejection; it is a known fact not everyone will vibe with us, and that is perfectly normal.
Atelophobia
Atelophobia is the fear of making mistakes. It can come from the fear of being seen as wrong, being at fault, or failing. No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes on a daily. Although it's normal, it can be stupefying. It can cause us to avoid situations we think we might make mistakes or take risks. We may act extremely cautious, seeking frequent reassurance and always anticipating every potential way things could go wrong. We counteract the anticipated mistakes by overthinking and doing the extreme. This fear may halt our decision-making process and cripple us from acting. To others, the fear of failing erodes their self-esteem.
Our love of being right is best understood as our fear of being wrong. – Kathryn Schulz, Journalist and Author
Fear of appearing vulnerable
Vulnerability is when we are emotionally raw and open. Vulnerability exposes us emotionally because it is letting the people around us close to the most sensitive part of being human; our emotions. To some people, vulnerability is a weakness because of its threat. It is a state that comes with a degree of uncertainty and fear, which is so deeply rooted and might be unrecognizable. As the nature of fear, it will cause us to overestimate the threat and go to extremes to try to protect ourselves. The extremes could be closing off, keeping people around at arm's length, unwillingness to be open about our needs, or talking about how we feel or our mistakes. However, these extremes put distance and deter us from truly experiencing intimacy in relationships with the people around us.
Fear of any nature can arise from threats of the unknown future or triggers from past experiences. Among the ways we respond include learned responses from past experiences. When we can cope with the threats and triggers, we lessen the effects of fear. Alternatively, indulging in it intensifies the effects, causing us to miss out on what could have been.
Courage is not the absence of fear; it is taking action despite the fear. Courage is realizing fear will not go away and doing what you want anyway. Without fear, there is no courage. – Master Your Emotions by Thibaut Meurisse.