Facing Fears and Finding Freedom

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