Have you ever found yourself feeling anxious or edgy, even though there seemed to be no reason for it? There are lots of obvious reasons for us to feel fearful in various situations. It is natural to be afraid of things like physical danger, traffic accidents, floods or other natural disasters to name a few. In situations like these, our body’s reaction is perfectly appropriate, as the fear and physiological changes that accompany it prepare us to protect ourselves by fighting or fleeing.
Unfortunately, when our fears are inappropriate, the fight or flight response is unnecessarily triggered. We end up feeling defensive, nervous, and “on edge” even though there is really nothing to dangerous to react to.
Here are some examples of situations where our fearful response is totally inappropriate. We make things worse if we’re fearful during things like job interviews, social or sporting events, while giving a speech and any other situations where our life isn’t in danger. These situations pose no physically threat to us, but our fear causes our bodies to react as if they did.
Do you struggle with the bad consequences of irrational fears like these?
No matter how irrational these fears may be, they are based in your own thoughts. Too often, when we’re faced with situations that could possibly have a negative outcome, we focus on the worst possible outcome instead of all the more positive ones. When you are faced with such a situation, do you start thinking things like this: “I can’t give a speech in front of people, what if I mess up? I’m no good at sports. As soon as I get the ball I’ll totally embarrass myself. I don’t want to go to the doctor! He might find something awful. It’s better not to know.” Thoughts like these trigger the same kinds of physical responses that your body makes when your life is in danger. They’re totally inappropriate for your current situation, but they’re the way your body reacts to fear.
How Your Body and Mind React to Fear
There are certain unmistakable signs that indicate you are having a fear reaction. Note that you can have such a reaction even without consciously realizing you are afraid. These signs may include any or all of the following:
- Tightening of your neck, shoulder, and back muscles
- Tightening or queasiness in your belly
- Tightness or pressure in the chest
- Shortness of breath
- A racing, fluttery, or pounding heartbeat
- Restlessness
- Weak or shaky arms and legs
Those are just the physical symptoms. Psychological symptoms you may encounter include:
- Defensiveness
- Irritability
- Frustration
- Anger
- Aggression
- Sadness
- Helplessness
Continuously being faced with situations that cause you to be afraid can lead to serious physical and emotional problems such as:
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Appetite changes
- Weight loss or weight gain
- Paranoia
One Simple Thing You Can Do When Fear Grips You
Fortunately for us, people have developed lots of tools and techniques to get yourself out of a fearful state of mind. One that you can start using right now is positive self-talk. Rather than worrying about negative things that could happen, ease your mind by telling yourself useful things like, “There’s nothing to be afraid of. It will all work out fine. All is well. I know I can handle anything that might happen.”
Even better, intend to do everything you can to bring forth a positive outcome for the fearful situation. Here’s one simple example. Instead of worrying about how you will mess up your upcoming speech, practice it over and over until you are comfortable in your ability to present it.
When you change the thoughts that are triggering your fear response, the fearful feelings subside.
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