Emotions add spice to our lives. Psychologists have spent years of
research in understanding the causes and effects of emotions on human
activity, both physical and mental. One of the most intriguing is the
emotion of fear. Psychologists define fear as the emotional response to
an alleged threat; simply the awareness and anticipation of perceived
danger. Self-preservation is one of the primal urges of mankind and fear
is the cause of the survival instinct against any potential external
threat. Fear is one feeling that brings about a lot of physical activity
in the human body. Some of them may be faster heart beat, dryness in
the mouth because of the improper functioning of the salivary glands,
sweating (especially in the palms), tightness in the abdomen etc.
The
autonomic nervous system is responsible for the visceral functions of
the human body. Its two responses that keep the functions of the body in
balance are sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic responses
allow the body to function under duress. Parasympathetic allows the body
to repose and relax, thereby having an absolutely opposite effect on
the body from that of the sympathetic.
Fear can be better understood as
one of the conditions
stimulated by sympathetic responses in the body.
The response is caused by the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline and
the steroid cortisol.
The process is always physical, chemical and
then rational. As soon as the body comes in contact with an external
fear stimulant, the sympathetic responses of the body are activated
resulting in the release of chemicals. Every time a person encounters a
situation where he experiences fear, the human mind chooses between two
options, fight or flight. In order to prepare itself for the
fight-or-flight mode, the body automatically performs a number of
functions so as to be ready for either a quick action or a quick escape.
- The heart rate increases and pumps more blood to the muscles and brain
- The air intake in the lungs is faster in order to supply oxygen to the
body
- The pupils of the eyes dilate to improve vision
- The activity
in the digestive and urinary systems slows down for those particular
moments to facilitate the mind to concentrate on the fearful thing at hand.
The
third step is rational, where the mind reasons whether the stimulant is
actually harmful or not. Sometimes, the same situation or physical
condition can be experienced without any apparent stimulant, person or
situation. Such a condition is termed as
'Anxiety'. Fear holds a close
relation with many phenomena, such as, worry, caution, horror, and
panic.
The intensity of fear varies. It is a part of evolution for
human beings. Most of the time fear depends on the conditioning of a
child's mind. Conditioned fear infuses dread for otherwise harmless and
inconsequential things being associated with danger. Past experiences
also serve as conditioners. For instance, once a child is hurt as a
result of burning his finger after touching a hot pan, he invariably
takes precaution the next time. This is termed as the mildest forms of
fear;
precaution. Suppose a child has experienced being shut alone in an
elevator, he may develop claustrophobia in the later years of life.
This is a more intensified feeling of fear. A
phobia can rouse
frustration to the extremes. Experiences of fear may be forgotten by the
conscious state of mind but can be stored in the unconscious and may
resurface as nightmares. Such a situation may lead to
paranoia. Extreme
fear can lead to many pathological conditions such as
schizophrenia and
post-traumatic stress disorder. Unconditioned fear is instinctive. It
cannot be learnt, rather, it is more of a heritage from our ancestors.
Research has revealed that a person feeds his own fear. People are
social by nature. The most deep rooted fear of man lies in
'being
isolated'. This has bred the apprehensions of being abandoned, losing
security and ones identity, feelings of inferiority and discrimination,
losing face etc. These feelings often incite people to behave
irrationally. Much of the anti-social behavior of people is a direct
consequence of these fears. However, fear can prove to be healthy too.
Psychologists term degrees of fear as 'good' or 'bad'. The fear of
uncontrollable things is only upsetting; however, if there is room for
improvement induced by fear, it is a much healthier condition of fear.
For example, the fear of being humiliated may lead a student to work
harder for his/her exams and attain a better result.
To get rid of
fear, it's important to face it first. The best way to tackle fear is
being aware of the nature of it; being aware of the kind of feelings it
arouses and what are the outcomes of it. There are many behavioral
techniques devised by psychologists to reduce the feelings of fear and
thereby reduce stress. Most importantly, it is necessary to understand
and accept the fact that everyone has the same underlying fears. This
feeling of empathy helps us to deal with fear in a much better manner
and get results faster.
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