Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Managing Fear
Managing Fear
Personally, I feel that in every human being there should be a balance in negative emotions and positive emotions just like how the yin and the yang works. I do admit that majority of the population in the world do have negative thoughts about themselves. I personally feel that doing this topic I have benefited, learn and understand how a human actually behaves or react when they are too deeply engaged with their negative emotions. At some point of life, I fear that I have let my parents down. I feel that after doing so much for us, we children should also do equally as much for them by being successful in life. I fear the disappointment I will cause to my parents. The thought of their disappointment makes my hair stand. My friends has been telling me that I tend to be paranoid. I will cause fear within myself and stat to think of all the possible outcomes for a particular situation. However, in LMS, I have learnt how to apply managing fear skills to overcome my paranoid personality. At the same time, I learn of ways to help them so that they will not hurt themselves or others. Fear is an emotional response to threats and danger. Fear should be distinguished from anxiety, which typically occurs without any external threat. Additionally, fear is related to the specific behaviors of escape and avoidance, whereas anxiety is the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable. For the eight points stated below, I agree that they are true.
1. Fear is part of growing up.
2. Fear is accompanied by physical symptoms.
3. Freedom from fear is possible.
4. Courage is the absence of fear.
5. Fear is bad for you.
6. Fear consumes your energy.
7. Overcoming fear boosts self confidence.
8. Fear can be exaggerated.
How to manage fear.
Step 1 Know Your Fear
1. Work out what it is you fear
Is there something you would very much like to do but too afraid to do so? Think about what you are most afraid of. Is it a fear of an emotion, person, situation, or future?
I want to do public speaking. Firstly it is to build my self-confidence and secondly it is for my future presentations. I am also afraid of my love ones crossing over. I know that it is part and parcel of life but I just cannot help it. I wish time can just stop and remain there but I know that it is utterly impossible.
2. Identify the triggers of your fear
Think about the triggers of your fear. It could be a situation, a feeling, or a person, who sets off the fear.
My fears for public speaking trigger happens which I start to see people laughing. I would tend to think that it is directed at me which causes me to panic and forget what I am suppose to say.
When I see other laughing (trigger), I am afraid of my speech being too boring or pointless(fear).
3. Be aware of your fear-driven responses
i. Physical Signs of Fear
Write down the physical signs of your fear. You may use the list below to help you.
Firstly, I will have a blank mind and I start to stammer non-stop. My hands start to shiver and my mind starts to think of negative outcomes. My heart pounds rapidly. I could not breathe properly. My head feels like it is going to explode. I feel dizzy or nauseous. My stomach feels like it’s churning. I have no appetite. I stutter, stammer, or my voice shakes. I feel cold. My body does not respond – freezes.
Step 2 Commit to Mastering Your Fear
1. State your goal(s) for mastering your fear
Say morning, noon and night, “I will not be motivated or dominated by fear or anxiety any more. I remove fear and anxiety from my mind. I now decide my fear and anxiety will be brought under control and eliminated. I am a person of persistence and faith.”
In addition to this statement, I will need to choose matching thoughts and actions. This statement will program your mind to remove and reject fear-based thoughts.
Work on fears one at a time. With a pen and piece of paper, write out all the fears I have. Make as complete and honest a list as possible. Look over my list and determine the fear that disturbs you the most. Decide to resolve that fear alone, first.
Most people’s strength, energy and persistence are powerful
could energetically handle.
When I overcome one fear and then the next, I will experience an increased sense of accomplishment, confidence and personal power you can use to defeat all the fears on your list.
Increase your faith and persistence power. Faith and persistence can be the result of a long-practiced mental and spiritual process.
Step 3 Reduce Physical Signs of Fear (behaviour modification)
1. Deep Breathing Exercises
STEP 1: Your hand on your abdomen. Tighten your abdominal muscles so that they feel tense. Hold the tension for a few seconds.
STEP 2: Relax your abdominal muscles. Feel the difference between the tension and the relaxation.
STEP 3: With you hand still on your abdomen. Now breathe in through the nose in such a way that your hand is pushed up by the inflated abdomen. Hold your breath for a moment.
STEP 4: Breathe out through the mouth and notice how your abdomen contracts and your hand goes down.
STEP 5: Repeat Steps 3 and 4 about ten times and notice how you become calmer as you are doing this exercise.
2. Counting Breaths
STEP 1: Close your eyes, breathe in so your abdominal area rises. Then breathe out.
STEP 2: In your mind, count “1”. Keep your thoughts focused on breathing only.
STEP 3: Continue breathing in and out; each time you breathe out, count the next number in your mind.
3. Visualisation
Create a mental imagery of a relaxing place, e.g. a beach, a romantic garden, or by the river. Explore, using your imagination, the visual sights of the place. Imagine the tactile sensations that you can feel and the sounds you can hear.
Feares are divided in the midst.
Author: George Herbert
