Less Thinking More Action
It has been proven in many psychological journals that those who think less and go ahead with their plans despite the initial fear, tend to succeed in overcoming fear. To overcome fear, it is important for you to not keep on thinking about all the things that can go wrong but just go ahead with a positive attitude for a good outcome.
The Effects Of Fear And Anxiety
Fear and anxiety often overlap. As noted above, they share many of the same symptoms. But someone that has anxiety will have a more sensitive fear trigger. Even situations that dont present an immediate threat may cause feelings of fear.
For example, imagine that you are in an office and see a group of coworkers chatting casually. This stimulus is fairly innocuous. However, if you have anxiety, you may begin to experience racing thoughts, nervousness, and have trouble saying hello to them. Do your coworkers pose a threat?
In this case, yes. There is no immediate threat or inherent danger your colleagues arent about to run you over or attack you . But if you, say, are concerned that they may be talking about you, youre responding to the perceived threat. Your response is appropriate for what might happen, not whats happening now.
So whats wrong with that? People gossip, right? And werent they probably talking about you? You wouldnt feel this way unless it were true, right? Not so fast.
We assume that our emotions are triggered in response to a certain stimulus. In other words, we react to whatever is happening around us, and we trust our emotions to give us feedback on what we see. However, thats not true.
Why this extra step? Through our experiences and learning, your brain has gotten quite good at predicting. Its helpful because a reactive brain would be too slow to get you out of danger efficiently.
Mind
Stress Is A Modern Word For A Spirit Of Fear
Many people dont even realize that stress is just a modern word for fear. Fear is actually a spirit of fear that influences our thoughts.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
In any given situation, fear wants to help us process the event. It wants to keep us from taking our struggles to the Father who could help us properly process and deal with the situation.
Fear speaks to our spirit, and our theta brainwaves bring the fear thought to our mind to process it. If we dont identify it as an invasive thought and cast it down, we allow that spirit of fear to remain in us and tempt us with fearful thoughts and feelings.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 KJV
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Tell Worry To Take A Walk
Need a mental break from fear or worry? Take a mindful walk during which you focus on your body awareness, movement, breathing, and surroundings. It is a simple way to refresh your mind and be more present. One study found that people who did 30 minutes of mindful walking twice a week for four weeks had less stress and better quality of life.
Two Essential Steps To Overcome Stress
For every fear, there is a remedy found in the Word of God. When you lift that promise up over the temptation of the enemy, you will have blessings and victory. The number one, most important thing is to believe. Will you choose to believe God today?
The next most important thing is to persevere. Its not one and done. It is a process to identify and work through each fear. As you keep on persevering, fear feelings will become less familiar and easier to identify. Through the process, you can have peace with yourself and your loving Heavenly Father, knowing that He will be faithful to complete His good work in you.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 KJV
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Train Your Brain To Stop The Fear Response
President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It’s this fear that paralyzes you before you make that super important call, walk on stage for a keynote the first time, or introduce yourself to the girl of your dreams. The anticipation of fear kicks in and you turn to Jell-o. But after you pull it off, you realize you’re not in danger and no monster ate you. So training your brain to accept that there’s no threat will help you to switch off the fear response. You’ll soon realize that it’s the fear of fear that you fear, nothing else. And that will eventually become easy to manage.
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Create A Memento Mori Practice Or Totem
Memento mori is an ancient practice from stoic philosophy for reminding yourself of your own mortality on a regular basis.
For example: During the European Renaissance, when many old stoic texts were being rediscovered, it became fashionable to keep a skull on your desk or someplace visible as a reminder of ones own mortality .
While its an ancient practice, the psychology behind it aligns really well with what we know from modern psychology:
Avoidance of scary things leads to temporary relief but long-term anxiety confronting scary things leads to temporary discomfort but long-term peace of mind.
When you deliberately remind yourself of your own mortality and death it is uncomfortable, especially when you first start. But longer-term, what youre doing is teaching your brain that youre not afraid of death however uncomfortable it makes you. This leads to confidence. And the higher your confidence, the less fear and anxiety youll feel.
So, to make this practice practical and consistent, it can help to create a small totem or physical object that reminds you of death or your own mortality and keep it somewhere where youll see it every day:
A final point about memento mori: In addition to desensitizing yourself to your anxiety around death, this practice has another, perhaps even more important, benefit:
Being mindful of death helps us appreciate life.
Yes, my days are numbered. Yes, I will die. But I am alive now! And I want to make the most of the time that I do have.
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How To Overcome Fear Anxiety And Worry
Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will for us. Billy Graham
When Billy Graham wrote those words in 1965, no one knew how true they would be 50 years later.
At its best, anxiety distracts us from our relationship with God and the truth that He is Lord of heaven and earth . At its worst, anxiety is a crippling disease, taking over our minds and plunging our thoughts into darkness.
But God wants so much more for us than to walk through life full of fear, worry and anxiety.
Do not be anxious about anything, the Bible tells us in the book of Philippians, chapter 4, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Our instructions dont stop there. The chapter goes on to tell believers exactly what we should focus on. And its not fear, terrorism, illness, death or evil.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.What you have learned and received and heard and seen in mepractice these things, and the God of peace will be with you .
Take The Risk And Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Fear as a tool helps to protect and keep you alive. But when not controlled, it enslaves you.
One thing that makes people remain in their comfort zone is the fear of leaving the known to reach for the unknown.
It is as simple as assuming that you should not start a business of your own.
Rather, you should continue to do your work even if it drains you emotionally.
At least you know you will be receiving your payment regularly.
It makes you understand that you may end up falling if you start your business.
However, when you build up courage, raise the needed capital and resources needed for the business, you step out of your comfort zone by starting the business.
This will not only help you to overcome fear and anxiety, but it will also help you achieve your dreams and goals.
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What Makes You Anxious
Because anxiety is a type of fear, the things weve described about fear above are also true for anxiety.
The word anxiety tends to be used to describe worry, or when fear is nagging and persists over time. It is used when the fear is about something in the future rather than what is happening right now.
Anxiety is a word often used by health professionals when theyre describing persistent fear. The ways that you feel when youre frightened and anxious are very similar, as the basic emotion is the same.
Spend Time With Your Friends Social Support Reduces Anxiety
Three decades of research suggests that people with close friends are better able to survive divorces, job losses, and other traumatic events.
“Friendfluence” author Carlin Flora says that friendship has long been an evolutionary advantage.
“When we lived in groups where survival itself was difficult, you needed someone who would be guaranteed to throw you a lifeline,” she told Thought Catalog. “You can easily theorize that the notion of a best friend developed because we needed someone where we were number one on their list and they were number one on our list in those life and death situations.”
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Social Anxiety Disorder Or Social Phobia
Those who suffer from social anxiety disorder fear being judged by others or embarrassed in public. Its more than just shyness or being nervous talking in front of a huge audience. People with social phobia are afraid that people think badly about them or that they wont measure up in comparison to other people.
In social anxiety disorder, fear and anxiety lead to avoidance that can disrupt ones life. Typical signs of a social phobia could be
- Avoiding certain situations, events, and activities
- Typical symptoms are blushing, trembling, sweating, fast heartbeat, or muscle tension.
Moving To Calm Down: Exercise
The benefits of physical activity are recognized, both from a physiological and psychological point of view. Studies show that it is associated with a significant reduction in depressive and anxiety states. It is being considered as a therapeutic intervention with real curative potential, along with various psychotherapeutic and pharmacological approaches.
Exercise has an impact on the physiological level, by increasing the natural secretion of happiness hormones and decreasing the secretion of cortisol .
On the psychological level, the pleasure and satisfaction felt during the activity are a source of significant benefits. For example, a walk in the woods gives you a feeling of fresh air entering your lungs, magnificent smells and colors, contact with nature, etc.
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What Is Needle Phobia
Does the thought of a needle going into your skin make your heart race and your stomach churn? Is the anxiety so overwhelming that you avoid doctor visits, vaccines, and other medical procedures altogether? Well, youre not alone. Needle phobia is far more widespread than you may have imagined. A UK-based study found that roughly 25% of adults experience an intense fear of needles or injections. Another study estimated that about 63% of young people aged 6 to 17 had the same type of phobia. The name of this common condition is trypanophobia.
As with other phobias, experiencing trypanophobia isnt a reflection of your character or toughness. It can affect people from all walks of life, regardless of age, occupation, or gender. Even some professional athletes have an aversion to needles.
The anxiety that comes with needle phobia is very real and it can negatively affect you or your childs life in all sorts of ways. You might experience high anxiety or sleeplessness during the days and nights leading up to a medical procedure. Or you might decide to skip out on testing, treatments, or dental procedures that are designed to keep you in good health or improve your quality of life. People with a fear of needles are also more likely to be hesitant about getting vaccinated against viruses such as COVID-19.
Tip : Practice Breathing Exercises
Studies indicate that breathing exercises can reduce pain during vaccinations and help to relax the mind and body. A slow and deep breathing exercise will increase the amount of oxygen in your blood and give your body a signal to relax. Your heart beat will slow down, blood pressure will decrease, and muscle tension will ease.
Experiment with different breathing patterns until you find one that works for you. Most exercises involve a slow, deep inhale thats followed by a slightly longer exhale. For example, inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. Another possible exercise simply involves inhaling for 7 seconds and exhaling for 11 seconds.
To help introduce children to breathing exercises, you can incorporate a colorful prop like a pinwheel. As a child breathes out, theyll see the pinwheel begin to spin, adding a playful touch to the exercise. You could similarly use feathers or bubblesanything that responds to slow exhales and entertains your child.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Phobias
The symptoms of a phobia can range from mild feelings of apprehension and anxiety to a full-blown panic attack. Typically, the closer you are to the thing youre afraid of, the greater your fear will be. Your fear will also be higher if getting away is difficult.
Physical symptoms of a phobia include:
- Difficulty breathing
Emotional symptoms of a phobia include:
- Feeling overwhelming anxiety or panic
- Feeling intense need to escape
- Feeling unreal or detached from yourself
- Fear of losing control or going crazy
- Feeling like youre going to die or pass out
- Knowing that youre overreacting, but feeling powerless to control fear
Symptoms of blood-injection-injury phobia
The symptoms of blood-injection-injury phobia are slightly different from other phobias. When confronted with the sight of blood or a needle, you experience not only fear, but also disgust.
Like other phobias, you initially feel anxious as your heart speeds up. However, unlike other phobias, this acceleration is followed by a quick drop in blood pressure, which leads to nausea, dizziness, and fainting. Although a fear of fainting is common in all specific phobias, blood-injection-injury phobia is the only phobia where fainting can actually occur.