Fear+Theme+Exploration

“The oldest and strongest emotion of man kind is fear.” (H.P. Lovecraft) We all have some kind of fear that we fight through all of our lives. This is why we say yes and give in, or say no and walk away. Fear involves many things that make us cringe, but how do we emotionally and physically react to it, and is there a way to prevent it?

Fear is not just caused by one thing, but many different entities. Perhaps this is why it is the strongest emotion. Spiders, death, public speaking, the dark, and heights all cause fear. Fear can also come from things such as failure. Messing up on something or seeing someone else do better than you can create fear. By doing poorly, the thought of doing the same thing over and over gets into your head. Furthermore you end up becoming afraid to try because of that thought that gets in your head. It's the same concept when seeing others do better than you. You may not really fail but the same feeling is created when someone greatly outshines you. As pointed out at http://www.eruptingmind.com, constantly comparing yourself to another "... can lead to feelings of inadequacy and... de-motivation." Another large cause of fear is loneliness. If you have ever been really lonely you may remember for a long time and become afraid of being alone again. Consequently, it could be said that fear is caused my your memories.

Stevens, Tom G. __Beyond Fear of Rejection and Loneliness to Self-confidence.__ 25 Mar. 2005. 10 Apr. 2009 < __http://www.csulb.edu/~tstevens/c-rejct.htm__ >. 2 Know Myself. __Fear of Loneliness.__ 2006-2009. 9 Apr. 2009 < __http://www.2knowmyself.com/Loneliness/fear_of_loneliness_relationships__ >. Eruptingmind. __How to Start Living, and Not Let Fear Control Your Life.__ 2009. 9 Apr. 2009 < __http://www.eruptingmind.com/what-causes-fear-types-of-fear/__ >.

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Although we all are different, our minds all react similar to big traumatic events of fear. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a disorder where people relive their fear constantly. After experiencing an event that is either traumatic to you or to a friend, we might find ourselves with nightmares or have troubles sleeping (insomnia.) We could also have flash backs and be paranoid. It is normal for these things to happen to us after such a frightful occurrence, but these symptoms have to be reoccurring for at least a month in order to be diagnosed with PTSD. While “researchers are still trying to better understand what causes someone to get post-traumatic stress disorder,” (Mayo Clinic) we can help ourselves by: following the doctor’s orders, talking to someone, and considering a support group. We can also be supportive of friends and/or family members that have PTSD. There is not much that we can do to prevent this type of illness before a traumatic event comes our way. After words though, we can talk with a knowledgeable doctor to help lessen the effects. We all know what it is like to have a moment were we didn’t quite fit in, or that we were different from others. However, we are very similar in how we respond to things of excitement and of fear, especially when these emotions are heightened.

Gonzalez, Lissette. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ." Teen Health and Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers. 2009. Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. 7 Apr. 2009 . "Copmlications." //http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/DS00246/DSECTION=complications//. 2009. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 9 Apr 2009 Nadelson, Theodore. "Post-traumatic stress disorder." __World Book Student__. 2009. [Place of access.] 10 April 2009 [].

There are three ways to conquer your fears. The first way and probably the most important way is to stop thinking ahead. Someone who is afraid of something tend to obsess over what could happen. Such as if someone says they are afraid of heights, it is not that they are afraid of the actual height it is that they are afraid of falling from that height. So it is not that they are afraid of heights but falling and if you continue to over think the what ifs such as what if I fall, you will then cause your self to be more afraid then you initially were and just basically physic yourself out. You should just think only in the moment and think more positively. The second way to conquer your fears is to basically get to know your fear, or in other words try to take a more scientific approach. Such as if you were afraid of snakes you could research how many snakes are in your area, what to do if you get bitten, the odds of getting bitten, how many people have been bitten, etc. Being aware of how afraid you should really be could then cause you to be less afraid. And finally the third way to conquer your fears is to take small step. Nothing as big as conquering your fears happen over night nor should it. Fully conquering your fears should take time to do. If your are afraid of heights you should try visiting the empire state building or try rock climbing up shorter walls, not forcing yourself to jump out of a plain. Although there are probably many more steps you could try taking to conquer your fears, thinking in the moment, taking a scientific approach, and taking small steps should really help or at least getting you on your way to conquering all your fear.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2101324_over-fears-phobias.html

http://www.phobialist.com/fears.html

There are many different effects fear can have on the human body. Some people may just shake or get hot flashes; some people though are so afraid that they turn to self-mutilation. The fears that cause self-mutilation are most commonly, situations that cause frustrations and stress, the fear of not dressing right, fear of not using the right dialect, and the most common, the fear of your parents being disappointed. There are 3 different types of self-mutilation the first and most rare being major self-injury. People who use major self-injury are so afraid that they end up amputating or castrating a limb. That is the most extreme type of self mutilation, and is very rare; the most common of three is superficial self-injury. Superficial self –injury is categorized by cutting, burning, skin picking, and hair pulling. Although this is the most common and least frightening of the three it can worsen over time and accidental deaths have occurred. The not so frightening yet not so common type is stereotypic self-injury. This includes, banging of the head against a hard object, pressing of the finger into the eyeball, biting of the fingers or arm, suffering from Autism, Schizophrenia, and Tourette’s syndrome. People who begin doing self-mutilation start out using it as a way to deal with things, but it soon turns into a way to cope. Self- injurers use this as an emotional outlet and are not trying to commit suicide. They are very ashamed of what they do and most of the time fell out of control and panicked. Self-injurers have a hard time stopping on their own, because they are so afraid to face their emotions; they need help and support to stop. Some experiences that can trigger self-mutilation are neglect or abandonment of a parent, and pressure at school. As well as experiences that can trigger this, there are also some personality traits as well, such as, the aim for perfection, the dislike of ones body, the inability to cope with strong emotions, and major mood swings. Some feelings that self-injurers show could be, anger, the fear of rejection, the fear of failure, loss, abandonment, and helplessness. Fear can effect the body, and mind any many ways; sometimes we need help to overcome our fears, and become unafraid. Espejo, Roman. "Self-Mutilation(Cutting)." Teen Health and wellness: Rel Life, Real Answers. 2009. Rosen Publishing Group, INC. 10 Apr. 2009[].

Although “The oldest and strongest emotion of man kind is fear,” (H.P. Lovecraft) we can fight several fears with love and courage. Fear, stress, and certain actions will always be a part of who we are. This is how our mind and body explain to us that we need some intervention in order to keep us safe.