Do you have FEAR?

This article won’t apply to everyone, but if it doesn’t apply to your personal life, you may be the perfect person to help someone who needs some encouragement from you.

So, is fear good?  Is it bad?

Some things that we’re afraid of… are they really things to be feared? Like apparently “fear of public speaking” is the number #1 fear…even over death? 

That doesn’t make much sense, does it.  But when you get right down to it, most of our fears go in that same category.

The small and random fears that don’t affect our daily lives are a natural and biological condition, positive and healthy, and can actually help keep us safe.

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 As with other things that affect our health, our body gives us signs.  It’s trying to talk to us.  Our bodies tell us when it needs our help.

Fear kicks your fight-or-flight response into overdrive.

The adrenal gland produces two fear hormones: adrenaline and cortisol.

They are quickly carried in the bloodstream to all parts of your body.

Your brain’s frontal lobe (logical thinking and planning) slows down.

(The increased cortisol levels also increases inflammation in your body)

It affects your thinking, your heart rate, breathing, muscles, digestion and more.

Our stomachs and intestines store our fear.  It can cause digestive problems, pain, bloating, constipation, and even Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

What does Fear do to our brains?

As some parts of our brain are revving up, other parts are beginning to shut down.  When our brain (amygdala) senses fear, the area of the brain that gives us reasoning and judgment (cerebral cortex) becomes impaired.  This makes it hard to make good decisions, or to think clearly.  It also may keep us from being able to rationalize that a threat is not real.

So what causes people enjoy the fearful moments in haunted houses? Horror movies? Roller coasters?

It seems during these experiences, your brain produces more dopamine, and dopamine also gives our brains pleasure.

Chronic Fear, can lead to Degeneration and Slow Functioning of the brain, which may account for the increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and dementia.

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):

There are some deeper fears, experienced by many (6.8 million adults, and over 10% of children under the age of 18):

Some people are in a state of constant fear, which makes daily life feel like a constant dread.  GAD is a relatively common disorder according to Boston Children’s Hospital.

Some of the symptoms of a disorder involving fear (or anxiety) could be:

Worrying excessively about simple everyday things

Feeling restless, with trouble relaxing

Having a hard time concentrating

Trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep

Tiring easily, or feeling tired much of the time

Having headaches, muscle aches, stomach aches, or unexplained pains

Feeling irritable or “on edge”

Both children and adults may experience the physical symptoms, which makes it harder to function in their everyday life.

Children (with Generalized Anxiety Disorder) worry about performance in class in school,

or about performance in sports;

They worry about catastrophes, such as earthquakes or war;

They worry about the health of family members.

Adults (with GAD) worry about everyday circumstances, such as:

Performance on the job, or job security

Health

Finances

Health & well being of family members

Being late

Completing household responsibilities.

What Causes this Generalized Disorder?

Some researchers believe it can be genetically transferred.  However external causes such as traumatic events or being in a stressful environment also are a cause.

Fear can begin with external causes including almost anything that unusually disturbs your peace, or causes you distress over a long period of time; but there are external things that show to contribute to the problem.

1.     Continuous Negativity being fed into your thoughts.

2.     Watching News programs, or News Notifications.  If you must watch the news, just keep reminding yourself, a higher power knows what’s going on, and He is in control.

3.     There is a term called “doomscrolling”, looking for the latest hyper-news of the day (usually negative).  That increases anxiety.  Leave that for other people.  Try “hope scrolling”.  Find things you look forward to seeing. Connect to those.  Things that make you feel good.

4.     Continuous interruptions don’t affect your fear directly, but they increase anxiousness, which gradually can lead in the direction of various fears.  Disconnect yourself from distractions as much as you possibly can.

How can this Generalized Fear be overcome?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy commonly used by traditional medicine.  It teaches you ways to change your thinking, behavior and reactions to situations that help you feel less worried. 

This treatment is considered to be the gold standard treatment, along with psychotherapy and medication, according to traditional treatment of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Another treatment used is ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) which uses mindfulness and goal setting, along with traditional therapy.

Researchers have also found that a healthy lifestyle can combat fear, however psychotherapy and medication are being paired with these techniques  in the traditional medicine approach.

(This “healthy lifestyle approach” includes Implementing healthy choices in daily life (reducing caffeine, getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, etc.)

The next stages of fear are phobias and panic, which we won’t go into today.

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I know some (normal) people who have social anxiety, who are very fearful to be in a social setting.

I know of these same type (normal) people who have a constant fear of doing something “wrong”.  I feel I’ve been in that spot myself, in the past.

I know of these same type people (normal) who have a constant fear of failure.

I know people who carry fear of pain—physical and emotional.

Some people fear failure.  Some people fear success.  Some people fear judgment.  Judgment from other people, and judgment from themselves.  Some people never get over these fears.  These fears cause us to doubt ourselves.  They hinder or paralyze their lives, keeping them from being whoever they want to be.

Can these fears be overcome?

So what’s outside “traditional medicine” that can help with “fear”?

I have found that there are some little-known and little-used stress management techniques such as exercise, mindfulness and meditation, along with eating nutritious food, drinking plenty of water, getting good sleep at night, etc., that will help a person to overcome constant fear.

There is a simple and easy technique that can be used “in the moment” to help you focus and “ground yourself” when anxiety begins to overwhelm.

1.     Name three things you can see

2.     Name three things you can hear

3.     Move three different body parts

This strategy can usually help you overcome the anxiety in the moment.

But, in talking with my clients, I believe as much as anything else, a caring, listening, accepting ear is very instrumental in helping clients experience the calm they long for.  (It sort-of puts a strong responsibility on each of us who don’t carry these fears, to lend that loving, caring, accepting ear.)

A caring friend (brand new friend, or old friend) can help you in your process of gradually confronting feared situations.  This will lead to improvement in your self confidence, and will help lower your fear and anxiety level.  It will give you courage to go into situations that fear has kept you from confronting.  A friend can actually help begin this change.

Abnormal Fear, as with any fear, starts in our brain.  It’s our brain that needs relief.  I believe there are some simple things that will help this issue long term.

1.     A group of caring people, as in a church, or a group in a caring organization that shares your interests, can nurture you and ease the strength of your fears.

2.     Having a friend helps.  There are people who want to be your friend.  They may not know it, and you may not know it, but it is so. 

a.      To find that person, you have to be around people, and you have to actually talk to the people.  That’s the only way. 

b.     People typically aren’t going to just come to you.  You need to reach out, in the way of just talking to them.  Find your voice.  You will be rewarded with the ones who respond to you.

c.      These people will give you value.  This will help you begin to feel your own value.

d.     If they don’t help you feel that you are truly valuable, it’s the wrong group.  There are people “out there” to help you.

3.     You absolutely do need to eat the healthiest food you can.

4.     You need to drink plenty of water every day.

5.     You need to exercise every day.  More than you think you have time for (or energy for).  Walking outside is one of the best things you can do to overcome your fears.  Feeling the outdoors—the sun, the wind, whatever it is.

6.     You need to get good sleep.  It’s amazing what regular sleep can do for us.  There are all sorts of things you can do to practice “sleep hygiene”.

a.      Go to bed at the same time most nights.

b.     Get up around the same time most days.

c.      Bedroom should be dark

d.     All electronics (including tv) turned off an hour or two before bed

e.      Phone is separate room

f.       Have a nighttime routine, including dimming the lights if possible, so your mind and body get a signal that they get used to each night, letting them know it’s time to wind down.

g.     Eat as early as you can in the evening, at least 2 hours before bed if possible.  Light meals if possible.

h.     No alcohol in the evening.

i.       Before bed, No Rushing, No talk of Finances, No Exercise.  If the news is disturbing to you, No News.

j.       An early morning walk starts your circadian rhythm, getting you ready for a good night’s sleep that night. 

7.     Periodically make a concentrated effort to notice the fear as it occurs, and replace it with “courage”.  Take the risk.  Do this as often as you can.

8.     Think of what you would like your life to look like, and take one baby step in that direction.  Then another.  Then another.

9.     The Bible says, “Fear not, for I am with you”  (Isaiah 41:10).  Believe these words.  Courage is not easy.  But it brings great rewards.  Quiet time with God also brings rewards.

10. There is no telling who you can become! It’s not easy, but as you focus on “where you want to be” and “who you want to be”, and take one step, then take another.  Putting one foot in front of the other…You’re on your way!

(A Functional Medicine approach can be used alongside conventional care of medication and psychotherapy, if necessary.  Medications used in conventional care include antidepressants, beta-blockers, and anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines, etc.))

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If you are haunted by fears in your life, for whatever reason, Now is the time to begin the process of setting yourself free.

If you begin trying out these steps, your overall well-being will improve, and it will be easier for your fears to gradually lose their grip, so you can eventually be able to live free of your fears.

Try these things listed above, and if you need any help at all, please message me.  I will be waiting to help you find your way.

If you are not bothered by fears, you truly may be the perfect person to reach out to someone who needs your care and support.

Thank you for reading!

And Take good care of yourself!

Sharon J. Cole

Resources I used for this article are from:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.gov)

PubMed (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

National Institute of Mental Health (nimh.nih.gov)

Northwestern Medicine (NM.org)

University of Rochester Medical Center (urmc.rochester.edu)

MyWellbeing.com

RupaHealth.com