Your Darkest
Fears
… and
how to face them.
Imagine a world where all kinds of phobias doesn't exist.
Outrageously impossible, right?
Fear is a primordial instinct of any living thing. Each person in
this world has a thing or two to fear about. There are those who fear
of heights, strangers, or closed spaces. Some people even fears
normally harmless things like hair and light!
A lot of people avoid their fears because they're scared of them.
Claustrophobic people take the stairs to go fifteen floors up a
building instead of taking the elevator. Those with a “phobia of
germs” avoid physical contact because they fear that germs will get
to them. But evidently, this is not the best approach for facing your
fears.
People who have excessive fear of something should actually face it.
Do not run away from it! Be more exposed to that fear. Eventually,
you'll see that you were just afraid of nothing.
Here's a few tips on how to fight and manage your fears with flying
colors.
- Compose your own mantra.
Some
experts say that believing in your words or thoughts will make things
happen. This is the essence of a mantra. A mantra is like a motto.
Something you truly, strongly believe in. Try making one. Anything is
fine as long as you understand the thought that lies within. Some
people would go with the simplest ones; “Face
your fears!”,
“I can do
this!”,
or “I'm not
scared!”.
It's always best to make a mantra out of the goals you are trying to
achieve. If you've thought of one, try chanting it over and over
again. It will help you gain confidence and a firm state of mind
needed to overcome your deepest fears.
- Start from scratch.
It's common knowledge to start from scratch. Try making a plan. For
example, if you're a claustrophobic person, try riding the elevator
one floor up for one week. Make sure someone you trust is with you,
so that when something comes up you'll have someone to depend on.
Then, ride two floors the next week, and so on. The time span may
vary according to how great your fear is. You can even ride an
elevator without a companion. The bottom line is to make a plan of
when and how you will have your encounter with the said fear. Take
things slowly and do it gradually. You can't expect your fears to go
away overnight.
- Prepare a checklist.
A checklist is important. This might be a mental checklist or a
written one. This will show the progress you have made so far.
Formulate questions out of your state when your phobia attacks. Are
you still hyperventilating? Do your heart still beats faster? Do you
still have cold sweats? Are you still nauseated? Questions like that
which are answerable by yes or no are good. But, as I've said,
anything is fine too.
Be sure to check your list every encounter. Answer truthfully. This
is not an exam that you have to cheat on, after all.
- Shout and cry.
Shouting and crying out loud help you vent out that pent up emotions
in your chest. If you are too scared, it is always good to shout
before, during, or after having that fearful encounter. You can also
cry too, to release the stress of the experience. Do not be worried
about what other people may think. At some point of their lives, they
will go through or have gone through a similar experience anyway.
Face your fears. Remember, you cannot run away forever.
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