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Psychologists say that fear is
a kind of internal “medicine” developed by our body in the process of evolution to protect against all kinds of problems. But, like any other drug, fear must be used correctly for its benefit.
So, let’s figure out where fear lives, what it is, where it comes from, what it is like, and how you can get the maximum benefit out of it.
Where fear lives
From a physiological point of view, fear lives in a very specific area of the brain - the amygdala, also known as the amygdala. It is believed that this part of the gray matter in the temporal lobe is one of the most ancient: situations that caused panic in many generations of our ancestors are “recorded” there. As soon as the brain receives information that the situations that worried our ancestors are being repeated, the amygdala kindly warns: “Wow, this is it. A-a-a-a!” - and we shy away from large spiders (they may be poisonous) or unconsciously speed up when we hear steps from behind (this may be a predator or an enemy).In principle, it is not difficult to get rid of physiological fear. It is enough to destroy or simply block nerve impulses from the amygdala - and meet: before you is a fearless hero! True, absolutely stony and indifferent: together with the destroyed amygdala, we lose joy, a state of pleasure, and almost all emotions. The point is that fear and other sensations are intertwined in the amygdala into such a tight ball that it is almost impossible to separate one from the other.
By the way, there is an interesting point in this: while being frightened, we can simultaneously experience the emotions of “neighbors” - delight, joy, a different kind of revival. This is why many people love extreme sports so much - it’s that delicious cocktail of fear and joy that the amygdala feeds us.
Not only some people, but all primates are physiologically programmed from birth to fear spiders and snakes. This fear is an evolutionarily established mechanism that allows us to live longer than we otherwise could.
The main types of fear, or why you should be scared and scared
Another interesting question is what specific situations become the trigger for the activation of fear, panic, and why does a picture that can drive one person into wild horror often seem completely neutral to another? Looking for an answer physiologists have found that all fears are divided into two types:- innate fears are a “legacy” hardwired deep into the brain, into instincts, from our even more ancient ancestors who existed before humans. They tend to signal universal dangers. So, from birth, any person is afraid of a sharp loud sound, a sudden change in the location of the body in space, the soil disappearing from under the feet, an looming shadow. This same basic type of fear about mortal danger also includes the shudder mixed with disgust that insects, spiders, snakes, and reptiles cause in us. Getting rid of the innate type of fear is extremely difficult, even almost impossible;
- acquired fears are those fears that we acquired in the process of personal encounter with life. Have you been riding a bike and fell too hard? You will have to fight hard to overcome the resulting phobia in order to get back on a two-wheeler. Has another person broken your heart or raised their hand to you more than once? To get rid of the fear of new relationships, you will most likely need a psychotherapist, self-knowledge and working with your prejudices, meditation or other practices. However, it is not at all necessary that a specific event will cause a phobia.
A huge plus of acquired fears is that, unlike congenital ones, they can be quite successfully corrected by psychotherapy; you just need to contact a professional psychologist: . In addition, the brain has come up with its own defense against uncontrollable panic - training. All living creatures with a sufficiently developed psyche at an early age love to scare and be frightened: teenage baboons tease seasoned males, kittens rush around the corner at their master's feet, crows grab foxes by the tail, and human cubs tell each other terrifying stories in blood-chilling voices. fire.
In this way, the endurance threshold for fear is trained - the higher it is, the longer the mind remains in the “on” position in the event of real danger.
The benefits of fear; examples
However, psychologists still do not recommend increasing resistance to fear to stratospheric heights. Panic is a vital element for us, performing several functions at once. Let's look at situations where fear is useful, or rather even vital.UNIFYING FUNCTION. We humans are an extremely social species; the opinions and attitudes of others are extremely important to us. If others are afraid of something, then we need it too! Experiencing fear together is generally a very exciting activity that can bring together and unite even people with completely different personalities. It’s not for nothing that psychologists recommend: if you want someone to fall in love with you, go through some frightening procedure with the object of your passion. For example, ride a roller coaster together, go to a horror movie, or conquer some mountain peak together - you will be guaranteed kinship of souls for a while!
True, this human “trick” is often used not entirely for good purposes. For example, it is known that instilling fear of something is an excellent way to manipulate the masses. But that's a completely different story.
PLEASURE FUNCTION. Happily surviving a situation in which goosebumps ran down your spine is worth a lot. This is one of the most powerful “drugs” available to everyone. And it’s all about the hormonal cocktail released into the blood when frightened: this is norepinephrine (it is needed for strength and endurance, so that you can either destroy the threat or run away), and endorphins (for pain relief in case of possible injuries), and dopamine (for courage ). The memory of this invigorating mixture makes millions of people go to the "panic room", roller coasters, horror films or other entertainment. The show industry has long been making billions from this human desire to tickle the nerves. So, it turns out that the importance of physiological fear is significant not only personally for a certain individual, but also for the world's financial systems, which use this tool both for their development and enrichment, and for the manipulation of the masses.
Many people strive to get rid of fears, which occurs due to discomfort, shame, possible development. But in fact, nothing is created in nature without a reason, and if something exists, it matters for the life of each of us. The article provides various examples of the manifestation of fear. The benefits of fear and the harm of fear are integral companions of this feeling, so whether it is worth getting rid of it depends only on the individual perception of events.
Fear in evolution
Fear is actually not as bad as it might seem at first glance. It arose in the process of evolution to protect people from environmental danger. But gradually man managed to protect himself from possible natural troubles that threatened him during the primitive system. These could be threats from predators, wind, rain, snowfall, poisonous plants, and other examples of fear.
The benefits of fear and the harm of fear are seemingly opposite phenomena, but in fact they protect the body from possible negative external factors. Now the dangers of the primitive world do not threaten people, but the “watchdog” often helps to maintain health and even material well-being. For example, someone who is afraid to leave the house and leave the iron on will check several times whether the cord is unplugged from the socket. As a result, this person will protect himself from material damage that may occur due to forgetfulness.
Fear is salvation from danger
Most people avoid walking along dimly lit alleys and parks at night for fear of being attacked. Many people are not tempted to swim during a storm or swim behind buoys. Also, the benefit of fear is to not just turn the handle of the gas stove without lighting the burners. Not everyone can walk on high roofs, especially near the edge.
In addition, if a person was frightened by some event, he remembers it well and is guided by this information from negative experience in the future. How does fear benefit? Examples are that we are afraid of losing our apartment keys, our new expensive phone, or not removing a hot pan from the heat without protecting our hands. Or perhaps a child was once chased by a dog. Now this man has grown up and always bypasses owners walking their rather large pets without muzzles.
Mobilization of forces and internal experience
If a person finds himself in a critical situation, his body releases adrenaline into the blood. As a result, the muscles receive more oxygen and nutrients, developing significant power. Strength increases, and thoughts become brighter and lighter. Without fear it would not be possible to enter such a state. To increase adrenaline in the blood, many people have found extreme sports. They like to completely merge with nature, feel only themselves and obey their instincts, experiencing strength in their muscles and sobriety of mind.
When there is not enough information in any critical situation, it is impossible to use logic to resolve it. In cases where the mind is faced with the unknown, fear takes over and the body submits to instinctive behavior. Often the benefits of fear manifest themselves simply in flight, for example, from intruders.
Intuitive perception of the situation, fear of punishment
In a state of fear, all sensations become aggravated: an intuitive animal premonition of the slightest hint of a threat from something arises. It also happens that a person becomes restless in the absence of obvious danger. This indicates signals coming from subthreshold stimuli. Thus, the benefits of fear are manifested, but here it is important not to overdo it with overthinking yourself.
Too many people hold back inexplicable attacks of biological aggression because of the possible punishment. In the modern world, it is not at all difficult to steal an item from a supermarket or a small piece item from a counter at a market. But the desire to preserve one’s good name greatly inhibits such impulses. Crimes, even small ones, are deterred not by a high level of awareness, but by fear of responsibility.
Personal Development
And the most important meaning of fear is the possibility of personal improvement. Some skydivers noted that they might have been afraid of heights before, but they overcame themselves after making their first jump. In this case, the benefit of fear is to increase the self-esteem of the daredevil, as well as to open new horizons for him.
But a person must be ready for a parachute jump. You can’t force a friend to do this, whose soul sinks into his heels from climbing to the 5th floor of a building. In this case, the person, once in the air, will be very tight and make a mistake. But those people who are seriously involved in extreme sports are more self-confident. The endorphins produced during exercise help them stay in a good mood, cope with stress and keep their body in excellent physical shape.
The Harm of Fear
The negative side of fear consists of overthinking what might happen. A person may, for no apparent reason, begin to fear some kind of disease, animal, or microorganism. These are all examples of the manifestation of fear, the benefit of which is absent in principle, because if there is a fear of absolutely everything, then this indicates the possibility of a mental disorder. But it’s even sad when an acquaintance does not buy a new and beautiful car, which he has always dreamed of, only because of thoughts about the possibility of an accident. If an adult is afraid to get up at night to go to the kitchen and drink water, then this is also not normal.
The problem is that people are afraid of some diseases or disasters, but they may never happen. And carriers of such fear can expect reduced immunity and even nervous diseases. In addition, such people are capable of rash actions that can cause harm to themselves or loved ones.
The benefits and harms of fear are obvious: one must experience fear to some extent, and when the sensations of fear become too strong, some discomfort arises. But is it really worth getting rid of the "watchdog" that's doing its job completely?
To the question, why is fear useful? Think of three situations when fear is useful given by the author Kristina Maryanyan the best answer is: From a psychological point of view, fear is an emotional process. Fear is caused by real or imagined danger. Fear mobilizes the body to implement avoidant behavior, running away.
Reply from Yoasha Gogolev[newbie]
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building. 1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building.
Reply from Question[newbie]
so helpful
Reply from chevron[active]
It is not useful, but does not bypass the body’s production of adrenaline and so on.
To quickly react, run to protect yourself or faint)
Reply from Marriage[guru]
You stand on the edge of a ravine, you can step forward and fall down, but it’s scary. Self-preservation.
You don’t dive headfirst into a muddy river. Not dangerous, but scary. What if there is a snag there? . Self-preservation
You and the angry dog. Fear paralyzes you. You stand rooted to the spot. The dog does not touch, because it is a hunter, and the prey does not run. There is no excitement to catch up and bite.
Reply from Makros -----[guru]
Fear is the body's natural defensive reaction to an external threat.
The fear of dying allows you to find the strength to fight for life in extreme situations
University, the fear of expulsion from the university forces you to increase your debts.
Fear as a way to have fun. When we are bored we go to the cinema to watch horror films.
Reply from Daria Korchikova[active]
you get stuck in some bad story, there will be consequences, it will be scary, next time you will think about what and how to do, and why
Reply from Alexander Ershov[guru]
Stupid question. Fear is a natural reaction of the body. Attempts to control natural reactions most often end in a bed in a psychiatric hospital
Reply from CommanderMippit[newbie]
fear is useful because it portends danger
Reply from Irina Kameneva[active]
1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building.
Reply from Alina Ulanova[newbie]
1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building.
Reply from Lyudmila Polyakova[active]
yyyyyyyyy
Reply from Ilya Bogdanov[newbie]
cheeserrrrrrrrrrrr
Reply from Nikolay Kartaev[newbie]
With the help of fear, a person becomes aware of potential danger. Fear warns a person of an impending threat.
1) A person who cannot swim is afraid to go to great depths and perhaps fear can save his life.
2) Fear of animals can scare a person away from a dangerous or aggressive animal.
3) Fear of heights reduces the likelihood of a person falling to his death, because a person will not walk towards a cliff or walk on the edge of a tall building.
Reply from Olga Permyakova[newbie]
How is fear useful?
Fear is a self-defense instinct that exists in both humans and animals. Most often, fear manifests itself in the event of a threat to life. When a person begins to be very afraid, his body releases adrenaline in the blood, thanks to which it is possible to perform any actions (which in a normal state cannot be performed),
For example: jump from the third floor and escape from danger without breaking anything.
This state is called AFFECT.
We all, one way or another, encounter unexpected and frightening situations throughout our lives. However, few people take the time to understand the benefits and harms of fear. Nevertheless, experiences associated with fright, fear, horror have a certain positive and negative impact on the human psyche.
Fear is a basic emotion, inherent to every person from birth, which has specific manifestations at the physiological and psychological levels. It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of what benefits a person more, fear or the absence of it.
Behavioral reactions
From a physiological point of view, the effect of fear on the body is manifested in the release of adrenaline into the blood, which increases blood pressure, increased breathing and heart rate. At the same time, blood flows to those muscles that control the movement of the body and can provide its protection. In general, the body is brought into a state of readiness for immediate action.
There are three main types of human behavior in response to fear:
a) escape;
The desire to hide, to avoid meeting the source of fear arises most often. A frightened person instinctively presses his head into his shoulders, tries to shield himself, to hide. Often he does not know where to run, since the cerebral cortex, deprived of the usual level of blood supply, does not have time to process information.
Stupor is the result of muscle paralysis. It is expressed in a slowdown of all reactions and actions, problems with coordination. May cause fainting.
Aggression, as a response to a frightening situation, manifests itself in increased emotional arousal and illogicality of the actions taken. Sometimes accompanied by memory lapses.
The benefits and harms of fear
The negative impact of fear on a person as a whole is obvious - general activity decreases, a stupor of thoughts and actions sets in. A frightened person is unable to think about anything other than the cause of fear. Perception narrows, breadth of horizons decreases.
With prolonged exposure to the body, fear provokes a general depletion of its resources, since it is impossible to constantly be on combat readiness. To save energy, a person can minimize his activities. The result is a continuous series of gray everyday life.
On the other hand, mobilization of the body under the influence of fear provides the basis for active action and stimulates the desire to transform the surrounding space and conditions. Fear of certain actions or situations becomes a kind of marker of the boundary of the comfort zone, going beyond which contributes to personal development.
Fear also plays a major role in maintaining social order. The rules of the law threaten violators with punishment, which keeps the social system from going into a state of chaos.
Any fear helps to remember the conditions under which it arose. This property can relate to the benefits and harms of fear at the same time. A person begins to avoid repeating a similar situation, which often allows him to maintain health and even life.
But in some cases, fear leads to unproductive and objectively incomprehensible behavior. For example, a sharp car horn that frightens a child can cause a shudder, a feeling of anxiety, a desire to run away and hide when any loud sound occurs.
Fear in one form or another is an integral part of our lives. The nature of its impact on a person is different in each case. It is important to remember that the modern level of psychological knowledge allows us to overcome the negative impact of fear on life and make full use of the positive one.
Fear is a feeling that is aimed at preserving life. But at the same time, it can become a motivation to gain knowledge and develop a new quality. And these properties often turn out to be useful for humans.
Why fear is useful - motivation for personal development
Of course, it is not always possible to talk about positive results from such an emotional state. The harm and benefits of fear are assessed by the body's reaction. For example, a phobia is an irrational manifestation of a given feeling that brings undoubted harm. If a person is terrified of heights and becomes terrified, even looking out of the window of a multi-story building, this condition must be treated.
However, recovery can take a very long period of time.
On the other hand, fear of heights is useful, since a person experiencing it will never risk bungee jumping or expose his life to other risks. The same thing happens with a fear of the dark, since it is unlikely that anyone with such a phobia will walk around the city at night. True, it is difficult to talk about the benefits of fear of the dark if this feeling forces a person to turn on the lamps throughout the apartment at night.
Often the benefit of fear manifests itself in an instinctive sense of danger.
This is not a fear of the dark, but a belief that certain actions will cause harm. For example, a person in his right mind would never put his finger in a meat grinder or sit in a fire.
So what qualities of fear are actually useful? This is a feeling that does not instill panic and does not force you to run as fast as you can, hiding from an unknown danger. Such sensations include fear that appears during the choice, the need to take just one step in order to achieve personal growth.
In addition, it is known that strong emotional fright sometimes leads to unexpected effects. At such moments, a person notices a slowdown in time, thanks to which he has time to make the right decision and save his own life.
How does fear arise?
When experiencing fear, the body turns on a peculiar mechanism that causes the heart muscle to beat faster, breathing to increase, and causes tension in muscle tissue.
At the same time, concentration occurs.
If such sensations arise in the absence of real danger, for example, when watching another thriller, these emotions can even become pleasant, since at this moment a significant release of adrenaline occurs. And this substance can provoke a feeling of pleasure.
It has been noticed that fear allows you to get rid of such negative qualities as irritability and, often, becomes a kind of medicine against a depressive state.
And many scientists are sure that adrenaline is a necessary component for the development of scientific progress.
The benefits of fear - real life examples
A constant feeling of fear can protect life from danger, and also helps a person maintain his status or acquire new knowledge.
Similar examples in real life are found at every step:
- a student, experiencing anxious feelings during the session, is forced to spend a lot of time studying the material so as not to fail the exam;
- a woman, fearing to disgrace herself or reveal her true age, carefully takes care of her appearance;
- the fear of germs, characteristic of many people with medical education, forces them to constantly maintain cleanliness;
- fear for the child’s health is undoubtedly a useful fear if it does not interfere with the development of the independence of the little person;
- the fear of public speaking forces you to carefully prepare your speech and think it through down to the smallest detail.
If you carefully consider situations when a person experiences fear, you can admit to yourself that this feeling, which does not reach the level of phobia, can actually teach something new and increase the instinct of self-preservation.
