Understanding Fears and Phobias

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Fears and phobias are known for their excessive and irrational fear of situations that are not really dangerous. This condition can affect your daily activities while you are at work or out. This article will provide information so you can better understand fears and phobias.

1. What is fear?

Fear is one of the most basic human emotions, programmed into the nervous system and acting as an instinct. From an early age, we are equipped with the survival instincts needed to deal with fear when we sense possible danger or feel unsafe.
Fear helps protect us, while at the same time making us alert to danger and preparing us for it. Feeling scared is natural and helpful in some situations. Fear can be like a warning, a signal that warns us to be careful.
Like all emotions, fear can be mild, moderate, or intense, depending on the situation and the individual. Feelings of fear can be short-lived or they can be long-lasting.

2. How fear works

When we sense danger, the brain responds immediately, sending signals that activate the nervous system. This causes physical reactions, such as a faster heart rate, rapid breathing, and increased blood pressure. The heart pumps blood to muscle groups to prepare the body for physical activity (such as running or fighting). The skin will sweat to keep the body cool. These physical feelings of fear can be mild or strong.
This response is called "fight or flight" because that's exactly what the body is preparing itself to do: Fight danger or run fast to escape. The body will stay in this fight-or-flight state until the brain receives the "clear" message and shuts down the response.
Sometimes fear is triggered by something surprising or unexpected (like a loud noise), even if it's not really dangerous. That's because the fear response is activated instantly and is several seconds faster than the thinking part of the brain can process or evaluate what is happening. As soon as the brain receives enough information to realize there is no danger, it turns off the fear response.

3. Common Fears

Fear is often used to describe our emotional response to something that seems dangerous. However, the word "fear" is also used in a different way: To name something that a person normally feels afraid of.
People fear things or situations that make them feel unsafe or uncertain. For example, a person who is not a good swimmer may be afraid of deep water. In this case, fear is useful because it warns the person to stay safe. A person can overcome this fear by learning how to swim safely.
Fear can be healthy if it warns a person to stay safe around something that could be dangerous. Sometimes, however, a fear is unnecessary and causes more caution than the situation requires.
Many people are afraid of public speaking. It could be giving a report in class, giving a speech at a conference, or re-reading lines from a school play. Speaking in front of others is one of the most common fears people have.
People tend to avoid situations or things they fear. However, this does not help them overcome the fear, but in fact, the fear can develop in the opposite direction. Avoiding something scary will reinforce your fear and make it more intense.
People can overcome unnecessary fears by giving themselves the opportunity to learn and gradually get used to the event or situation they fear.

4. Childhood Fears

Some normal fears can emerge during childhood. Because fear can be a natural response to feeling insecure and vulnerable and much of what children experience is new and unfamiliar.
Young children are often afraid of the dark, being alone, strangers and monsters or other scary imaginary creatures. School-age children can be scared during a storm or when they first wake up. As they grow and learn, with adult support, most children can slowly conquer these fears and develop them more quickly.
Some children are more sensitive to fears and may have difficulty overcoming them. When a fear persists beyond the expected age, it can be a sign that someone is experiencing phobias or excessive anxiety. People whose fears are too intense or last too long may need help and support to overcome them.

5. Haunting

A phobia, derived from phobia, is an intense fear response to a particular thing or situation. With agoraphobia, the fear may not be proportionate to the potential danger, but to the person with the phobia, the danger feels real because the fear is so strong.
Phobias cause people to worry, feel uncomfortable, and avoid things or situations that they fear because the feeling of physical fear can be very intense. So, having a phobia can interfere with normal activities. A person with agoraphobia may feel scared walking to school in case they see a dog on the way. Someone with elevator phobia might avoid an elevator ride. A girl with a fear of thunderstorms may fear going to school if the weather forecast predicts a storm. She may feel terrible anxiety and fear when the sky turns cloudy. A boy with social anxiety experiences extreme fear of speaking or interacting in public and may be afraid to answer questions in class, make reports, or talk to classmates in the lunchroom .
It can be exhausting and uncomfortable to feel the intense fear that accompanies a phobia. You can be frustrated if you miss out on opportunities because your fear is holding you back, it can make you confused and embarrassed to feel afraid of things that are so normal to others.
Sometimes people get teased about their fear. Even if the person doing the teasing didn't mean it badly, the teasing only made the situation worse.

6. Causes of phobias

Some phobias develop when someone has a frightening experience with a particular object or situation. A small brain structure, called the amygdala, keeps track of experiences that trigger strong emotions. When a certain object or situation triggers a strong fear response, the amygdala warns the person by triggering a fear response every time they encounter (or even think about) the object or situation. there.
Someone can develop a fear of bees after being stung in a particularly frightening situation. For that person, looking at a photograph of a bee, seeing a bee in the distance or even walking near flowers where a bee may be present can all trigger phobia.
Sometimes, however, there may not be an event that triggers a particular phobia. Some people may be more sensitive to fear because of personality traits they were born with, certain genes they have inherited, or situations they have been through. People who have had strong childhood fears or anxiety may have one or more phobias.
Having a phobia is not a sign of weakness or immaturity. It's a response the brain has learned to try to protect that person. It's as if the brain's warning system triggers a false alarm, creating intense fear disproportionate to the situation. Because the fear signal is so intense, the person believes the danger is greater than it really is.

7. Overcoming obsession

People can learn to overcome a phobia by gradually confronting their fear. This is not easy at first, you need to be ready and brave. Sometimes, people need the help of a therapist to guide them through the process.
Overcoming fear often begins with making a long list of fears in order from least to worst. Example: With agoraphobia, the list might start with the things the person is least afraid of, such as looking at a picture of a dog. It then works on the worst fears, such as standing next to someone petting the dog, leash, petting, and walking the dog.
Gradually, with support, the person tries each feared situation on the list - one at a time, starting with the least fearful. The person is not forced to do anything and tries to work through each fear until they feel comfortable, as long as it is necessary.
A therapist can also show the person with phobia how to approach, pet, and walk the dog, and help the person try. The person can imagine the terrible things that can happen around a dog. Sharing about this can also be helpful. When people see that what they fear is not coming true, it can be a huge relief.
A therapist can also teach relaxation methods such as specific breathing techniques, muscle relaxation exercises, or gentle self-talk. These things can help people feel comfortable and brave enough to face the fears on their list.
When someone gets used to a feared object or situation, the brain adjusts to how it reacts and the phobia is overcome.
Often, the hardest part of getting over a phobia is starting to face it. Once a person decides to do it and gets the right support, the fear can quickly dissipate.

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Reference article: kidshealth.org