Fear is a part of us, and it’s not always that bad. A normal fear level can keep you safe by helping your mind create action towards dangerous situations. However, too intense fear can affect your daily life negatively.
People’s life situations are different, and the fears we develop won’t be exactly the same. But no matter what type your fear is, you are not alone. If you need extra help to manage your fears, you can always come to the people you trust or participate in a training program for a fearless mindset. But regardless of what solution you have in mind, you start overcoming your fear and live boldly.
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Is Phobia Same as Fear?
Some people get confused between fear and phobia. There are various types of phobias such as glossophobia or the fear of public speaking, acrophobia or fear of heights, and more. However, a phobia is not exactly the same as fear.
Fear is already part of our emotion that responds to danger. On the other hand, a phobia is an extreme fear of certain objects, animals, or situations that do not really impose the kind of threat the mind perceives.
The Negative Effects of Fear
Your fear reacts to the threat you feel, which is a great survival instinct. But if you have extreme fear, you can experience unwanted physical fear symptoms, such as muscle tension, trembling, or chest pain. In addition, your fear can also lead to the following negative effects:
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can be extremely uncomfortable. Plus, anxiety problems can significantly affect your mental condition and day-to-day life. It will give you plenty of negative thoughts that will prevent you from making your day productive or even give you medical conditions like a heart attack. To prevent it from getting worse, you should take quick action and start looking for anxiety symptoms like the following:
- Nervousness
- Palpitation
- Overthinking
- Changes in appetite
- Weakness or tiredness
- Concentration difficulty
- Lack of interest in things you like
- Sleep problems
Having anxious feelings might seem pretty normal for some people. However, they can cause serious problems. When you always feel anxious or see some of the symptoms, don’t just ignore them. If you don’t have any, don’t let your fear worsen and lead to an anxiety disorder.
Panic Attacks
Panic attacks are not fatal. However, they can get worse over time and lead to more complicated mental problems. Here are some of the physical effects of a panic attack:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Chills
- Numbness
- Abdominal pain
- Chest Pain
Loneliness
When fearful thoughts are running in your mind and taking control of your decisions, you can end up isolating yourself from other people. If you keep running away from what makes you scared, it can cause loneliness, depression, or worse. No one wants to feel lonely and that feeling can make a person go crazy. Therefore, you have to be strong and always choose to fight your fear.
Loss of Motivation to Succeed
Fears won’t only cause loneliness, anxiety, panic attack, or other mental health issues: They can also make people lose the motivation to succeed. If you don’t do something to conquer your fear now, you might end up wasting the opportunities that can bring your close to your goals.
The Right Fear Response
As you have read, too much fear has plenty of negative impacts on people’s lives. For this reason, you have to make your decisions and choose to take a step towards overcoming fear. Below, you’ll find tips on how you can respond to fears the right way.
Identify Your Fear and Accept it
Having something you’re afraid of might be a weakness, but it’s still a part of you that you have to accept. So, whatever your fear is, recognize it. You’ll never be able to run away from your fear. It won’t go away until you accept and choose to face it.
Be More Optimistic About Your Situation
You might have a different kind of fear from other people, but you are not alone. There are still individuals with the same cases as yours, or even worse. If it’s possible for others to get past the fear that is pulling them back, it won’t be impossible for you. Therefore, try to be optimistic instead of feeling down and giving up. Use your great capabilities as a strength to help you overcome your fear.
Say “Yes” to What You Desire
Your fear will keep stopping you from doing some of the things you want to try. But the choice is yours, and it’s your life to control. So, don’t be afraid to make the bold decision and do what will make you happy. Life is full of adventure, and you won’t live it boldly if your fear keeps you frozen.
Talk to an Expert
If you know that you can no longer deal with fear yourself, asking for help won’t make you less of a person. Thus, don’t be hesitant if it’s necessary to talk to an expert to get some tips and comfort. It will take courage to share your story, but courage is the best tool to win against your fear.
Tiffany is a Medical Student and also works as a fitness coach in part-time. She is also a writer and writes on health and fitness articles. Tiffany loves to engage with users and help them provide various useful information on General Health. She provides researched-based information and also featured on various blogs and magazines.