Fear Of Heights And Different Things

As humans, everyone thinks and feels differently. The emotions experienced compels us to take action, big or small. Fear is a powerful emotion characterized by increased heart rate, high adrenaline levels, tense muscles, heavy breathing, or sweating. According to Merriam Webster, it can be defined as an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by expectation or awareness of danger. Personally, fear can be viewed as an obstacle between us and the things we are most capable of.

It is the cold feeling which sucks out any hopes, leaves a sick feeling in the gut, a cold sweat on the top of the forehead, a chill up the spine, the tiny hairs on the back of the neck to stand up.

Some emotions are short-lived, such as a feeling of annoyance at another or a feeling of sadness on the worst of days. On the other hand, unresolved fears remain as phobias. In the article “Understanding the Dynamics of a Fear Response” by Lisa Fritscher, “A phobia is a twisting of the normal fear response.

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The fear is directed toward an object or situation which does not present a real danger”. This includes but is not limited to: Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, Autophobia, the fear of being alone, and even Acrophobia, the fear of heights. Emotional responses to these actions are personal to each individual. When faced with an acute amount of stress, the body is triggered into either fighting or fleeing. “By priming the body for action, it is better prepared to perform under pressure” (Fritscher).

Fear in a historical context has promoted the survival of many of ancestors. Although no longer running from animals in the wild, fear is far from outdated. Fear serves to protect humans now as it did when faced with a sabertooth tiger in the wild. According to the article “What Happens in the Brain When We Feel Fear” written abesby Arash Javanbakht and Linda Saab, “Fear creates distraction, which can be a positive experience”. There are many ways of approaching fear. However, since it is such a personal issue, most approaches depend on the person. To overcome fears, first come to terms with them and understand how destructive they can be. A common fear which a lot of people share is the fear of failure. Everyone hates to fail, but at a certain point, the threat of their failure exceeds their motivation to succeed. This fear of failure causes a person to sabotage their chances of success. Embracing the little, helpful fears which come in small doses have the power to transform humans into better, healthier and more engaged people.

Through experience and information, fear and phobias hinder a person from doing tasks, giving them strength to run away from their problems. As humans, being scared is common.When faced with problems, most people would rather flee than fight them. People are scared of the outcome of their actions- scared of the future in other words. By giving in to fears, it allows something outside to have more power than humans believe they have on the inside. Being confronted by the darkest of fears and accepting, confronting, and overcoming the fear, enables growth. Feeling fear is human, but conquering it will make a person feel empowered, courageous, and proud. Fear is what we make of it. Give fear power and it owns you.  

Works cited

1. Fritscher, L. (2020). Understanding the Dynamics of a Fear Response. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/fight-flight-or-freeze-2584277
2. Javanbakht, A., & Saab, L. (2019). What Happens in the Brain When We Feel Fear. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/what-happens-in-the-brain-when-we-feel-fear-108596
3. McNeil, D. G. (2020). Fear, Outrage, Frustration: Coronavirus Fears Take Toll on Mental Health. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/health/coronavirus-mental-health-anxiety.html
4. National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Anxiety Disorders. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
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