How does Fear Impact Behaviors?
In order to Understand How Fear Impacts our behaviors We must first understand how it impacts our beliefs. To do this we need to know what fear is and how fear works.
What is Fear?
Fear is one of the seven universal emotions. These emotions are experienced by every human across the planet. Fear arises with the "feeling" of the threat of harm. This fear of harm can be either physical, emotional, or psychological. It is also important to realize it can be real or imagined. While traditionally considered a “negative” emotion, we should remember however, that fear actually serves an important role in keeping us safe as it alerts and prepares us to cope with potential danger. While there are certain things that trigger fear in most of us, we can learn to become afraid of nearly anything and that can have a negative impact on our beliefs and behaviors.
Some Common fear triggers:
- Darkness or loss of visibility of surroundings
- Heights or high places
- Flying or just Travel
- Failure or being judged by others (or ones self)
- Interaction and/or rejection
- Spiders, other insects
- Wild animals or animals in general
- Death and dying
How does Fear work?
Fear can interrupt processes in our brains that allow us to regulate emotions. It can have an effect on our ability to read non-verbal cues and other information presented to us. Also affected is our inclination to reflect before acting, and act ethically. This has a profound impact on our thinking and decision-making in negative ways, The side effects of this can spark very detrimental and intense emotions and impulsive reactions.
It is important to note that fear prepares us to react to danger. Once we sense a potential danger, our body automatically releases crucial hormones. These hormones are a part of a sophisticated defense system. They can Slow or shut down functions not needed for survival. One example might be our digestive system. However, they can also sharpen functions that might help us survive, such as elevating eyesight. .In addition, our heart rate increases, and blood flows to muscles so we can run faster if needed
It has been found also that our body can increase the flow of hormones to an area of the brain known as the amygdala to help us focus on the presenting danger and store it in our memory..
In the face of fear, you might turn to different behavioral patterns than normal (like various addictive behaviors such as binge eating, TV or Netflix, Drinking, shopping etc...), Many of these behaviors can be irrational and harmful so it is important to control these responses.
The best way to combat this is to “pull ourselves more into the rational brain.. Do that by noticing when you feel nervous or scared, and remind yourself of rational facts you know are true: for example,
Is Fear Normal?
The Good news is yes! It is a natural part of our defense systems and we do need to learn to Embrace our Fear. Embracing fear can ONLY happen once we have identified the source of the fear. "Healthy" fears are those that are "real" and can truly cause us harm. To these fears we must allow our fight or flight response to do it's job and act accordingly. However, there are many stifling and even unhealthy fears that we must learn to overcome. These are the fears that need special attention no matter if they are real or imagined. We must Embrace and face these fears.
Embracing and Facing Fear
We must face our fears for a reason: it helps us to grow and keeps us from spending valuable mental energy stifled by them.. If you don't overcome your fears, you will never move from where you are. You will never develop a growth mindset and become a person of action, who is moving forward toward achieving your own goals. Instead, you will remain stuck in your current situation.
Confronting your fear head on can also increase self confidence. It can be very liberating and transformative. it can show you that you are capable of things you did not think were possible.Take a few deep breaths immediately. and learning how to do specific breathwork practices can be the most powerful tool to use.
You might also, take a moment and remind yourself that your body and mind are “doing exactly what they should be doing, but I’m reacting to be healthy and safe,
How Can I manage or Overcome Fear?
The Necessary Steps to Manage or Overcome unwanted fear are:
- Identify the fear
- Determine if the fear is healthy and necessary
- Embrace the fear you have identified
- Listen to the fear and sit with it, give it value
- Speak directly to it and propose healthy forward movement while reassuring that voice within you are being cautious
- Take the appropriate positive forward moving action
As mentioned previously, fear is an appropriate response to something threatening that you don’t understand. The challenge, we believe, comes in not seeing fear as a bad thing or trying to completely get rid of it, Ideally, you should embrace, then manage the negative effects of what you identify as stifling or unhealthy fear enough so that you can function.
Many have claimed the best ways to do that are to do things that make you happy, whether it’s binge-watching Netflix or going for a walk outside, These activities can sometimes help as they trigger your brain to “function in a more healthy way,”
However, Many studies now show that exercising proper breathwork techniques that are carefully developed to expand your ability to reach areas of your body with specific intention can be far more effective..
We have developed a approximately 1 hour long breathwork Session specifically designed to help you embrace and face fear, This is a SOMA Breath Energized Meditation Routine which includes immersive music with several minutes of dancing/shaking to move the energy, followed by calming chanting, guided meditation and 3 rounds of Rhythmic breathing, each concluding with a long breath hold. These specific techniques are proven to over time provide vast improvements. These Embracing and Facing Fear sessions are available live on Zoom with a Certified SOMA Breath Instructor, or you can purchase a recorded session to download and use as often as needed which is also guided by a Certified SOMA Breath Instructor.
These sessions are an integral part of a good overall management plan to break free of letting fear control your life!