It's a response the brain has learned in an attempt to protect the person. It's as if the brain's alert system triggers a false alarm, generating intense fear that is out of proportion to the situation. Because the fear signal is so intense, the person is convinced the danger is greater than it actually is.
People can learn to overcome phobias by gradually facing their fears. This is not easy at first. It takes willingness and bravery. Sometimes people need the help of a therapist to guide them through the process. Overcoming a phobia usually starts with making a long list of the person's fears in least-to-worst order.
For example, with a dog phobia, the list might start with the things the person is least afraid of, such as looking at a photo of a dog. It will then work all the way up to worst fears, such as standing next to someone who's petting a dog, petting a dog on a leash, and walking a dog.
Gradually, and with support, the person tries each fear situation on the list — one at a time, starting with the least fear.
The person isn't forced to do anything and works on each fear until he or she feels comfortable, taking as long as needed. A therapist could also show someone with a dog phobia how to approach, pet, and walk a dog, and help the person to try it, too.
The person may expect terrible things to happen when near a dog. Talking about this can help, too. When people find that what they fear doesn't actually turn out to be true, it can be a great relief. A therapist might also teach relaxation practices such as specific ways of breathing, muscle relaxation training, or soothing self-talk. These can help people feel comfortable and bold enough to face the fears on their list.
As somebody gets used to a feared object or situation, the brain adjusts how it responds and the phobia is overcome. Often, the hardest part of overcoming a phobia is getting started.
Once a person decides to go for it — and gets the right coaching and support — it can be surprising how quickly fear can melt away. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Fear? How Fear Works When we sense danger, the brain reacts instantly, sending signals that activate the nervous system.
Others have a negative reaction to the feeling of fear, avoiding fear-inducing situations at all costs. Although the physical reaction is the same, the experience of fear may be perceived as either positive or negative, depending on the person.
Fear often involves both physical and emotional symptoms. Each person may experience fear differently, but some of the common signs and symptoms include:. In addition to the physical symptoms of fear, people may experience psychological symptoms of being overwhelmed, upset, feeling out of control, or a sense of impending death.
Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing persistent and excessive feelings of fear. Your doctor may conduct a physical exam and perform lab tests to ensure that your fear and anxiety are not linked to an underlying medical condition.
Your doctor will also ask questions about your symptoms including how long you've been having them, their intensity, and situations that tend to trigger them.
Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may diagnose you with a type of anxiety disorder, such as a phobia. One aspect of anxiety disorders can be a tendency to develop a fear of fear. They perceive their fear responses as negative and go out of their way to avoid those responses. A phobia is a twisting of the normal fear response. The fear is directed toward an object or situation that does not present a real danger.
Though you recognize that the fear is unreasonable, you can't help the reaction. Over time, the fear tends to worsen as the fear of fear response takes hold. Fear is incredibly complex. Still, other fears may occur because they cause physical symptoms, such as being afraid of heights because they make you feel dizzy and sick to your stomach. Some common fear triggers include:. Certain fears tend to be innate and may be evolutionarily influenced because they aid in survival.
Others are learned and are connected to associations or traumatic experiences. Some of the different types of anxiety disorders that are characterized by fear include:. Repeated exposure to similar situations leads to familiarity, which can dramatically reduce both the fear response. This approach forms the basis of some phobia treatments , which depend on slowly minimizing the fear response by making it feel familiar. Phobia treatments that are based on the psychology of fear tend to focus on techniques like systematic desensitization and flooding.
With systematic desensitization, you're gradually led through a series of exposure situations. For example, if you have a fear of snakes, you may spend the first session with your therapist talking about snakes. Slowly, over subsequent sessions, your therapist would lead you through looking at pictures of snakes, playing with toy snakes, and eventually handling a live snake. Coping: What, if any, actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate the threat?
Source: Atlas of Emotions. What makes us fearful. Common fear triggers:. Moods and disorders. Recognizing fear. Facial expression of fear. Vocal expression of fear. Sensations of fear.
Posture of fear. The function of fear. Responding to fear in ourselves. Responding to fear in others. Additional Resources. The weaker activity in these brain areas helps explain why this might be; the parts of the brain responsible for keeping a cool head and assessing the situation are muted, thereby allowing more emotional regions to play their hand.
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