All living things, be they animals or humans, are inherent to experience fear in certain situations. The first thing we want to do when we are afraid is to scream, run away, etc. What is the nature of fear, and what types can be distinguished? You will learn about all this by reading this material.
What is fear?
It is an emotion that arises in situations where there is a threat to the social or biological existence of an individual, and is aimed at the source of both real and imaginary danger.
Functionally, fear is a warning of a dangerous situation. This feeling allows a person to focus on its source, the epicenter, and encourages the search for ways to avoid it. In the event that fear reaches the stage of affect (horror, panic), it imposes on us behavioral stereotypes such as numbness or, conversely, flight, cry, defensive aggression.
Causes of fear
When we are afraid, a special neurosecretion begins to be secreted by our hypothalamus, stimulating the pituitary gland to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone - this is what causes the fear syndrome.
What is fear: symptoms of fear
This feeling affects both our psyche and the physical body, which can manifest itself in the form of lack of air, increased heart rate, trembling of the extremities, a sharp increase in blood sugar, dry mouth, etc. This emotion has a strong effect on all organs of our organism and can lead to hypertensive crisis, ulcer, heart attack, stroke. In some individuals, the consequences of fear are the following: rapid urination, urinary incontinence, diarrhea, or, conversely, constipation.
What is fear: main types
It is customary to distinguish such types as real and neurotic (phobias and complexes). At the same time, the first is something understandable and rational for individuals - this is a standard reaction to external danger. Real fear is an expression of the instinct of self-preservation inherent in us by nature itself. We are afraid of a man with a weapon in his hand, we are afraid during a fire, etc. Fear gives us a signal - danger is near, get ready for flight or defense.
Neurotic fears can be both pointless, and, conversely, associated with specific objects, situations. It is customary to say that people who are afraid of something or someone specific (heights, dogs, rats, enclosed spaces, flying on an airplane, swimming) suffer from certain phobias, of which there are many today. This kind of fear differs from the real one not so much in manifestation as in intensity.
Non-objective (free) fears are our complexes with you, which can accompany us from childhood or appear due to certain life circumstances. Below we consider in more detail what modern individuals are most often afraid of.
What is fear: the most common examples
1. Fear of self-giving manifests itself when a person opens up to someone and is very afraid of being misunderstood. For example, some people who already had some experience of unhappy love behind them may be closed for a long time to new relationships, fearing that they will be betrayed, deceived, rejected.
2. The fear of death is more or less inherent in each of us. True, for some, this feeling sometimes develops into a real phobia.
3. The fear of loneliness stems from the social needs of the individual to be respected, loved, appreciated. A person just needs communication in order to feel like a full-fledged personality. Of course, sometimes we want to be alone with ourselves, and loneliness comes in handy here. But when it begins to be protracted and turns into isolation, it can lead to sociopathy and other mental problems.
4. Fear of change. Everything in our life flows, everything changes. And we are afraid of this uncertainty that the future implies. Very often, the danger of the future is interpreted by man as a danger, since it entails, albeit temporary, but a loss of stability.
5. Fear of commitment. We are afraid of losing our freedom, independence and often perceive with hostility that it is necessary to depend on some people around us, things, conditions.
Only a few fears that are more or less inherent in people have been listed above. It should be understood that the negative value of this feeling is much wider than the positive. Remember that many fears force us to remain in constant tension, creating uncertainty in our abilities and not allowing us to realize ourselves.