Fear. This term identifies different states of emotional intensity that range from a physiological polarity, such as fear, worry, anxiety or hesitation, to a pathological polarity such as phobia or panic.
With the word fear we express a very strong and intense emotional moment caused when there is the perception of danger, real or not. This definition indicates, by itself, that fear is a constant in our existence. But… would it be possible to live away from this bad feeling?
According to the Ledoux theory the organs of our body that are responsible for collecting the first sensory stimuli (eyes, tongue, etc.) receive information from the environment and indicate the presence or possibility of danger. This information reaches the amygdala through two routes: a direct one that comes directly from the thalamus and a longer one that passes through the thalamus and then through the cortex to finally reach the amygdala.
The hippocampus also plays an important role: it is responsible for making comparisons with our past experiences and is able to provide contextual information about the object of fear.
From the results of many empirical studies it has been concluded that practically Any object, person or event can potentially be experienced as dangerous and, therefore, induce a feeling of fear. Its variability is absolute, even the threat can be generated by the absence of an expected event and can vary depending on the moment.
The origin of fear also depends on the type of fear it is at each moment.
Essentially, fear can be of two types: learned (caused by past experiences, direct or indirect, that have proven negative or dangerous) or innate (such as fear of certain animals, of darkness, of blood, etc.) The fundamental factors to determine this continue to be the perception and evaluation of the stimulus as dangerous or not.
Why do we need to feel afraid?
Fear is an emotion predominantly governed by instinct and its objective is survival in a supposedly dangerous situation; That is why it manifests itself every time there is a possible risk that threatens our security.
Generally this is something positive in our lives, as is physical pain, since informs us about a state of emergency and alarm, preparing the mind for the body’s reaction which will probably manifest itself in attack or flight behavior. Obviously, if this emotion manifests itself intensely, causing anxiety, phobia or panic, it loses its fundamental function and becomes a psychopathological symptom.
It’s an important emotion!
Fear has an essential function in our lives, and that is why it is important to address and understand it.
If for a moment we could erase prejudices and observe fear from a new point of view, a scene dense with meanings would open before us. Behind our own fear, harmless or uncontrollable, hides its reason for being: plays a specific function that has its origin in the personal history of each of us or better yet, in our unconscious.
At the same time, we can dare to think that fear is our ally and that it serves to keep us stable, that is, to remain in a situation of mental and physical balance. Therefore, we could consider it as a trusted friend who protects us.
Overcome fear, live without fear
At this point it would be useful to ask ourselves: How can we overcome it and live without fear?
Winning over fear does not mean “erasing it” by totally ignoring it, and it does not mean that we have to surrender and surrender to it, just as adopting “declaration of war” attitudes does not lead to any positive results.
Rather, it is inevitably more advantageous to accept him as if he were an annoying but necessary guest. lAcceptance, then, is the first step. This means admitting to having a fear and also trying to understand it, and surely the rational way alone is not the best option. Understanding it means welcoming it within us, giving it the possibility of existing. I feel that fear and I make space for it inside me, so that it can perform its function, but at the same time I know that it also helps me better understand what I am. Fear often reveals to us aspects of ourselves that we are often unaware of.
When we overcome a fear, it means that we have opened ourselves to a new consciousness, we have made our own those aspects of ourselves, and of life, that we did not accept and that we rejected.
