When Fear Becomes a Factor
Angela MacPhee, M.Sc.
Registered Psychologist
Fear is defined as a feeling that a specific object or activity
threatens our wellbeing; anxiety is an ominous feeling that
danger is imminent. Fear and anxiety are normal, helpful,
and adaptive emotions that mobilize us in the face of
actual and potential threat. A moderate amount of anxiety
about something new or important, such as a presentation
at work or joining a new group, causes a state of alertness
in our minds and bodies that motivates us to perform at
our best.
Fear or anxiety can become
a problem when it is out
of proportion to the actual
threat posed, such as when
a complete panic reaction
is triggered by the sight
of a garter snake, or the
prospect of speaking at
a committee meeting. A
problem can also arise
when fear or anxiety is
associated with something
not normally seen as
threatening, such as feeling
terror at the sound of water
running, or a touch on the
shoulder (or other sensory
experiences).
However, we can all think
of objects or activities
to which we respond in
irrational ways. A great
many of us would become
highly agitated if someone
said, “There’s a mouse
right behind you”, or “Don’t move, you have a spider on
your neck”. So how do we know when fears and anxieties
are truly cause for concern? A good indication that fear or
anxiety has become a “factor” in a person’s life is when that person has both an irrational reaction in the presence
of an object, activity, or sensory experience AND that
reaction causes that person’s quality of life to be impaired
in one or more important ways.
Imagine for a moment you are afraid of flying. The
thought of sitting on a plane causes your heart rate to
increase, your palms to sweat, and your throat to become
tight. In fact, the thought
makes you want to run
as far as possible from a
plane. This fear may never
create a problem for you;
you simply don’t take trips
that require flying. But
imagine that you suddenly
are required to travel for
job-related training, your
child’s wedding, or to care
for a sick loved one – and
you can’t practically get
there traveling on the
ground. Fear has suddenly
become a factor for you.
Likewise, imagine you are
anxious about speaking in
public, going to parties, or
sleeping in the dark. But
the anxiety goes beyond
discomfort when placed
in these situations. The
anxiety is intense and
unbearable. It keeps you
awake at night, changes
your eating patterns, makes
you irritable and unable to function and cope effectively.
It causes you to miss out on important, enriching, and
positive experiences. Anxiety has become a factor for you.
The good news is that fears and anxieties are highly
treatable. People do not have to go through their lives
experiencing the physical, psychological, and lifestyle
consequences that go along with the presence of
anxiety concerns. We have a strong body of research
demonstrating the effectiveness of the techniques that are
used to address these difficulties. Furthermore, there are
a number of options for treatment that can be tailored to
each specific type of fear/anxiety, situation, personality,
and level of readiness. The pace of treatment is set between
the client and the clinician, ensuring that the client does
not move so quickly that the anxiety becomes too hard to cope with (e.g. does not go from being unable to speak in
public to attempting to speak in front of 100 people), while
also ensuring that progress is being made toward the end
goal.
Facing and conquering fears and anxieties takes incredible
courage, but is also incredibly gratifying. Often, as the
consequences of holding onto the fear or anxiety become
increasingly difficult to live with, people begin to feel
ready to do the work required to free themselves from the
hold that fear has on them. If you know an adult, child, or
youth struggling with fears and anxieties, help is available,
and there is good reason to believe change is possible.
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