The Causes of Being Afraid

People are afraid of all kinds of things from heights to walking into a crowded room of people. An irrational fear is the fear of something that really can't harm you -- but you are afraid of it anyway. A rational fear is based in reality, such as feeling fear when you are walking in a dangerous neighborhood alone at night. This is not a wise idea and if you listen to your fear, it is telling you just that.

External Fears

• Often called "phobias," external fears are caused by a situation from your past. A specific incident or incidents left you with a deeply ingrained fear of a specific object or situation. Consider for example a teenager who recently got her license and is experiencing her first winter. She feels in control of the situation, drives slowly and keeps a safe distance from the car in front of her. In the next second, she hits a patch of black ice and her car does a complete 360 degree spin-out. She is shaken up and refuses to drive for the rest of the winter. Fear has taken its hold on her. It would be best to wait a short time and then attempt to drive again so she can overcome this fear and prove to herself that she can drive safely in the winter weather conditions.

Internal Fears

• Young children who are overly criticized and punished -- meaning the destructive criticism out weighs the praise -- often grow into adults with fears of rejection and failure, self doubt and lack of self esteem. The more you doubt yourself, feel worthless or rejected, the more your self esteem suffers. Being afraid of making mistakes can cloud your ability to make decisions or to know what you want out of life. Fear limits your ability to take risks and encourages you to give up before you achieve your goals.

Subconscious Fears

• Generally formed in the early childhood and teen years, subconscious fears can cause people to self-sabotage. This often happens when you are close to achieving success and often translates into an ongoing fear of success. The subconscious mind prevents you from achieving what it is you set out to do because deep down you believe you are achieving more than you should or more than you think you deserve.

Leaving Fear Behind

• The basis to overcoming fear is to develop courage. You learn to control your reaction to what you are afraid of and in turn the self-control you have gained helps you to overcome your fears. This process enables you to move forward with your life, experiencing a wide range of activities and emotions. Your self esteem will increase and you will no longer be held back by old fears.