Tips to Overcome Fear

Even the mightiest human being becomes fearful at times--it is a natural emotion. For instance, you may fear driving when the road is icy or traveling on a lonely road at nights. This type of fear is normal. However, normal fear can easily transform into irrational fear, which breeds anxiety and excessive worry. Fearing something often stems from not knowing the outcome of a situation, and overcoming this fear is often an uphill battle.

Identification

• Identify the source. If you know why you are afraid, it is easier to tackle it. For example, a dependent individual may have a fear of abandonment. If she is in denial that her fear of abandonment is the cause of her fear, she will continue to fear it. Accepting that she is a flawed individual can lead to this denial. She may feel that admitting her fear will make her seem "weak", hence unconsciously blocking this imperfection. Once you locate the culprit responsible for your fear, it will not suddenly disappear. Make fighting your fear a top priority and do not become discouraged when it haunts you repeatedly, because the process of overcoming fear takes time.

Analyzation/Persistence

• Try to adapt a realistic view of the situation. Ask yourself, "Am I over-reacting?" This is often the case with many people battling fear. Though it is difficult to maintain a rational mind while undergoing fear, try to clear your mind so you can see the reality of the situation. Is the extent of your fear really warranted? Ask yourself this a number of times, then examine what is truly going on. Analysis helps to breed a rational mind.

  Fear is a stubborn emotion. It aims to grasp with no intention of letting go. Therefore, you are your only savior. Ask yourself--do you want to spend your life worrying about issues that you often cannot change? Do you want to develop the health risks (high blood pressure) that is associated with such behavior? Answering these questions honestly can help you to develop the persistence needed to rid yourself of your fear.

Therapy

• Systematic desensitization is a behavioral technique many psychologists use in treating patients who experience phobias and fears. By tightening and relaxing your muscles, you learn how to relax when faced with fear. Therapists also sometimes use the "anxiety hierarchy" method, which places the patient in situations that induce his natural reaction to what he fears. With this technique, you are presented with images that represent the source of your fear--for example, spiders--then by employing the relaxation techniques of systematic desensitization, you gradually learn how to reduce your fear and ultimately eliminate it.

  To help you combat your fears, try to remember that millions of others feel this emotion as well. Make positive changes in your lifestyle--such as exercising, to lower the amount of time and energy you spend in fear. Enroll in a support group where you can share your feelings and experiences with others similar to you and work on letting go of the things you cannot control.