Fear - the most powerful and the most ancient human emotion. He warns us of the possible dangers, so fear played a crucial role in the survival of our ancestors. But today, this emotion that is anything but pleasant, still exists, though not already played a special role in the preservation of mankind. And not only there, but also sometimes very worried about this or that person. How to overcome fear, if it already exceeds the bounds of reasonable?
Psychology of Fear
What is the general nature of fear? It can be divided into two types: fear, as a biochemical response of the body to a certain situation, and fear is an emotional reaction. Biochemical response is universal, while the emotional reaction is always individualized.
Biochemical reaction
When we are faced with a potential threat, our body reacts in a certain way. Physical reactions include sweating, heart palpitations and high level of adrenaline in the blood. It is this reaction was necessary to our ancestors, because it prepares them to the body, or a quick getaway, or to join the fight against the enemy. Biochemical reaction of the body - is an automatic response to a dangerous situation, and that automatism was of great importance for survival.
Emotional reaction
The emotional response to fear, as we have said, is personalized. Some people adrenaline in the blood occurs in the classroom, such as extreme sports, while others fear causes a speech before a large audience, and someone to death can scare small spider, which, together with gossamer wind skidded on sleeve clothing.
Some people in every way will avoid situations that cause their panic attacks, while others are thrill and try as often as possible to tickle your nerves. Although physical reaction to the dangerous situation of all will be the same, but from an emotional point of view, one will perceive fear as a negative, and the other - as a positive emotion. All depends on the individual.
Getting used to the fear
Repeated exposure to the same frightening situation leads to the fact that the fear begins to wear off. The human brain gets some "experience": this situation does not lead to danger. Biochemical reaction ceases to be such a violent and the person ceases to be frightened. Lovers of adrenalin is pushing to ensure that they are beginning to look more and more thrills. The same mechanism of addiction lies at the basis of the treatment of some phobias. This is what we'll talk about later.
Psychology Phobias
One aspect of anxiety disorder can be a tendency to develop fear again experience fear. Where most people tend to feel fear only in a situation that occurs suddenly and it seems frightening, people suffering from anxiety disorders, pre-afraid that they will be scared. You could say, they know that they will be scared, even when a frightening situation has not come yet. And they will be in every way to avoid it.
Phobia - a distortion of the normal fear response. Here, fear is directed to the object or situation that does not represent a real danger. The sufferer admits his fear entirely unfounded, but could not overcome his reaction. Over time, the phobia tends to increase if nothing is done.
What are phobias
All phobias list is probably very difficult. This is the case when we can talk about the personalization of fear - it all depends on the individual. Sometimes the fear of death, fear of the sight of blood, and even the fear of phobias (phobophobia). The most common phobias are:
Social phobia - fear of interacting with other people;
Claustrophobia - fear of enclosed spaces;
Agoraphobia - fear of open spaces and large crowds;
Erytrophobia - the fear of blushing;
Hypochondria - the fear of ill;
Avtofobiya - fear of driving;
Aerophobia - fear of flying;
Arachnophobia - fear of spiders;
Zoophobia - fear of animals.
Social phobia may start as shyness, which then becomes too strong and will be able to ruin your entire life. Agoraphobia is often associated with panic attacks, and people with it, by hook or by crook trying to avoid places that may cause them to panic. I must say that with specific phobias is much easier to live with than the more generalized phobias. After all, avoid contact with, say, a spider is much easier than dealing with a large group of people.
Symptoms that occur when phobias
Symptoms can appear at the phobic person, when it is close to the object, causing him to panic, or even to think about this subject. Common symptoms include:
Shortness of breath;
Heart palpitations;
Nausea;
Dizziness;
Blackouts;
A strong fear of death.
In some cases, the symptoms of a phobia may develop into full-blown panic attack. To avoid such sensations, one starts to seek isolation, which can seriously disrupt the normal course of his life.
How to cope with fears and phobias
The fear becomes a phobia when you have to change your lifestyle, greatly limiting yourself. But you do not have to live with a phobia. All kinds of obsessive fears treatable. Some phobias, such as fear of snakes, usually do not affect everyday life. But some phobias cause a person to radically change their way of life. They begin to refuse to work because they are afraid to go to transportation, or no longer leave the house to avoid meeting people. For these sufferers have no other options, how to overcome fear, but to seek help from professionals.
Treatment of phobias
The main method of treatment of phobias - is systematic desensitization, addictive to fear (or the object that causes fear). This method works with the physiological and emotional responses in order to reduce the feeling of fear. The client is gradually carried out through a number of situations, such as related to the object of his fear.
For example, a client with a fear of snakes first passes through the process of talking about snakes. In the next session it would consider the images and pictures of snakes, play with a toy snake, and eventually it will come into close contact with the snake - for example, will look at the snake through the glass terrarium, or even take up the snake.
It is important that these sessions were carried out only under the expert guidance! This is a potentially traumatic method, but it gives you a great chance of success.
Ten ways to beat their own fears
If the case is before the phobia has not yet reached, and then you wait is not worth it. Regardless of what you are afraid, you can help yourself, if you know exactly how to overcome fear. Here's what you should do:
Take time out
Do you feel that you can not think clearly, when the fear begins to overflow you? The first thing to do is to get away from everything and try to relax, to calm down and stop to feel the heart beat, dizziness and other symptoms of physiological response to fear. Do not think that you are excited. Make yourself a cup of tea, take a bath or go for a fifteen-minute walk. When you calm down and become physically feel better, it will be easier to make a decision to deal with the situation.
What's the worst that could happen?
When you are very concerned about something (for example, the results of negotiations at work or worrying about exams), try to imagine what would be the worst case scenario. Agree, the world certainly will not fail! Sometimes the worst thing that can happen - this is the panic that takes hold of you right now. So, try to calm down. Put your hands on your stomach, close your eyes and start making slow and deep breaths. This helps overcome a panic attack!
Train your resistance, deliberately exposing themselves to fear
If you always strive to avoid situations scare you, then fear will only increase, and as a result you will "nurture" in his phobia. We already wrote about the method of getting used to the fear. Try to work on their fears on the same principle. If you are afraid, for example, the contact with the street dogs, try to communicate with the dog some of his friends. First, just go visit the house where the dog kept, then pat it until the owners will keep the dog by the collar, and then try to communicate with the dog alone.
Laugh
Laughter is able to completely eliminate fear. If you feel that you are beginning to embrace the excitement, try to think of something that is able to make you smile. Turn lively music, watch a comedy.
Do not aggravate the situation farfetched fears
For example, a girl who was scared someone on the deserted evening streets, very scary to go out again in the evening. It seems that it certainly pristanut again. But the likelihood of recurrence of unpleasant events is very small, so do not scaring themselves specifically. Fears tend to be much worse than the reality.
Do not demand perfection from yourself
It has long been observed that perfectionists are much stronger than other people prone to stress, and consequently, and panic attacks. If you think that DVD-drives, not standing roots in one direction, say that you - a loser, you thereby only setting yourself up for trouble. Life is full of stress, and to anything to require it to make it perfect. Bad days and failures in affairs are absolutely all people, and do not panic because of the fact that you have an unlucky streak. Following it, as we know, in life there are white stripes!
Visualize
Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a safe place where you can feel particularly relaxed. This may be a picture of the sea coast and the beautiful beach, where you sunbathed last summer and have been happy with that could afford to come to the south; or minutes, in the evening when you sit down in your favorite chair, wrapped in a blanket and took arms purring cat, and watch a good movie. Positive emotions you experience, you rest until you feel relaxed.
Talk about your fears with someone, who do you trust
Sharing emotions can significantly reduce the effect of negative feelings. In addition, your partner will be able to, it is likely to find persuasive arguments to convince you of your causeless fear. Or just support, comfort you. The hardest thing to feel lonely when you are afraid of something, and save you from the source of this feeling.
Aim for a healthy lifestyle
Good, good sleep, healthy food and regular exercise have always been the best medicine for the treatment of anxiety. The easiest way to fall asleep quickly when thoughts began to spin in a circle, is to try to stop thinking about the cares of the day. To solve the problem, you will be tomorrow, and today you have to rest. Many people turn to alcohol to get rid of anxiety, waiting to get relief. But alcohol only exacerbates the problem, making a person more nervous. Yes, and the problem of alcoholism is added ... It is better to seek help from a doctor if you feel you can not cope with their own fears.
Reward yourself
Deliver yourself pleasure, allow yourself to do something that you would be especially welcome. Able to steel himself and picked up the spider? Make yourself some gift - buy a cake, go for a massage, take a trip on a tour ... but you never know what can still indulge in such clever as you!
Do not blame yourself for being afraid of something. Look around you - all from time to time are afraid of something. The most successful people have mastered the ability to call for help and the courage to learn to move forward, not letting his fear and anxiety interfere with achievement of the objectives. Right now decide to take control of at least one of your fears. Try to do exactly what you have always been afraid to do. When you see your fear with courage in the face, you'll see that it will go away from you much faster than you could imagine.
When you get rid of fear, you give way to your freedom and happiness that will allow your dreams to become a reality. And then a good life for you will simply inevitable!
