There are some fears that are, more or less, justified, or at least understandable. Fear of death, fear of war, fear of illness—these are simply frightening facts of human existence, about which we can do little.

At the same time, these usually aren’t the fears that keep us up at night, or prohibit our day-to-day activity and movement.

Most of our fears are actually phobias; a phobia is a fear that is totally irrational, and, when viewed from the side, can seem utterly ridiculous.

“Phobia” simply means “fear” in Greek, and, when combined with other Greek words, it gives us the names of some common phobias: “acron” (summit) plus “phobia” gives “acrophobia,” the fear of heights. “Agora” (marketplace, city square) plus “phobia” gives, “agoraphobia,” the fear of public spaces and crowds. Triskaidekaphobia, from the Greek word for thirteen, means a fear of the number thirteen!

See how absurd some phobias can become?

If your fears are frustrating you, and interfering with your daily life, it’s time to get serious and overcome your phobia. Below are just a few useful tips on how to conquer your fears: More on Conquer Your Fears and Phobias

Everybody has certain fears, and depending on the fear, it can have a great impact on how you live your life.

Some fears are reasonable: fear of upcoming surgery, fear about troubled children and fears related to certain life challenges that can have a negative impact on lifestyle or health.

However, many people have fears that may be exaggerated and take the pleasure out of everyday living.

Fear and anxiety are probably the most common psychological problems people face. Mental health workers spend a great deal of time helping people cope with fears and anxiety.

According to Dr. Deborah Osgood-Hynes, it is very uncomfortable for people to feel the bodily sensations that go along with fear and anxiety. They can cause a racing heart, dizziness, racing thoughts, and nausea. In order to gain control of the fear, there is a multitude of advice, and there are several therapies that have been employed over the years.

Dr. Phil recommends a few simple things to think about when trying to face your fears. One is to understand that an irrational fear of crossing bridges or going through tunnels, or flying, or other commonplace things is just that: irrational.

These things should not engender such an intense fear that you keep away from them.

Secondly, Dr. Phil suggests that you understand that you do have control. Fears have a lot to do with the fact that people feel they don’t have control in a particular situation. This comes from one’s internal dialogue.

It always helps to balance your fear of things like plane rides and crossing bridges with statistics. We can never predict what will happen to us from one day to the next, but we are armed with statistical information every day when we know that millions of people fly in planes safely and cross bridges safely. There’s comfort in numbers.

If you have really intense fears that don’t seem to go away, even with the above suggestions, you can take advantage of behavioral therapy. In this type of therapy, you have to face a fear in order to reduce a fear.

This has been used very successfully in people afraid of flying. For example, if you fear plane trips, you need to take a plane trip. Some airlines in the past have even offered sessions for people with a fear of flying, leading them up to the plane, and then actually sitting in the plane and taking a short flight.

You need to remember that as long as you have irrational fears, you will avoid certain things in life and not really live to its fullest.

Therefore, it’s important to begin to face your fears, and put them in perspective. Once you take the first step, the next steps will be easier.

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photos by Trapingus Parish, shoothead — flickr.com

Fear can stop you in your tracks, tie your hands, and prevent you from doing anything constructive. Fear can be debilitating, despite its irrationality. Everyone has their particular fears, from more existential and abstract fears, like the fear of dying or loneliness, to more concrete, everyday fears and phobias, of insects, heights, and even the number thirteen! For those with serious phobias, such as agoraphobia (the fear of public spaces and crowds), fear can seriously limit their ability to function as a normal person. If your irrational fears are proving to be real obstacles to a normal life, it may be time to get serious about dealing with your fears.

Take the fear of airplanes, for example. Everyone knows the statistics, which prove that one is actually safer in an airplane than at almost any other time in this unpredictable life of ours! Few are afraid to step in a car, although the fear of a car wreck would, in any case, be a more reasonable fear, based on the facts. Often, the fear is actually of the unknown or unfamiliar. Car trips are a familiar part of our everyday routine, so it’s hard to be afraid of them. But for those unused to flying, a plane ride can be downright traumatic. At the same time, if you refuse to fly, it can be very limiting in terms of your mobility, preventing you from taking that next step at work, or from visiting friends and family.

Here are just a few practical pointers on how you might work to overcome fear.

1. Know your enemy.

The enemy is fear, and to fight it, you must understand it. Pinpoint the source of your fear, and ask yourself about its origins. Fears that at first glance seem completely illogical may actually have their own strange logic, since they can be traced back to frightening incidents from childhood. A single incident, which you may hardly remember in your conscious thought, may have simmered in your subconscious for all these years, producing fears and phobias. If the problem is serious, hypnosis may aid you in discovering the origins of your phobias.

2. Enjoy a change of perspective.

The way we see things can radically change our impressions, and that goes for the objects of our fear as well. Shifting our viewpoint may eradicate our fear completely. Often, we fear things that are far away from us, imagining them to be much more horrible or difficult than they really are, whether they are things or events. If we force ourselves to approach them just once, we’ll realize how overactive our imagination had been. Fear of flying is a great example. Even a single flight can convince you that flying really isn’t that bad. You may even find it exhilarating. In any case, it won’t be mysterious anymore—and remember, we rarely fear that which is familiar. Make your fear familiar.

3. Give yourself a pep talk.

Don’t be a defeatist, or beat yourself up. You’re not too weak to overcome your fear; you simply need to take action. Fear despises action; it prefers to see us tied up and powerless. When we take the initiative, and being doing, we tend to stop fearing—because the ball is in our court. Be positive, and encourage yourself as you confront your fear.

4. Learn acceptance for the way things are.

Some things we cannot change, such as the fact of death, so we must simply make peace with the fact of mortality; there is, obviously, little we can do about it! Most of our everyday fears, however, are quite different. These are the things we can change, and can take practical steps to overcome.

To conquer fears and overcome phobias, remember that the fear is inside you. We often imagine it as some monstrous thing looming on the horizon, when in fact, it’s lurking in our mind, in the way we see the world. Refocus your vision, confront your fears, and watch as they disappear.