Why am i fearful

A cautious leader has value. This is especially true in times like these. If you have a natural tendency to be prevention-focused , channel it to be bold and visionary! If you struggle to believe this, identify leaders who have done just that by figuring out how to prevent disasters.

Fear of mistakes can paralyze people. Emotional agility skills are an antidote to this paralysis. Next comes accepting reality. Then comes acting your values. How might that value apply in this situation? For example, it might involve making sure your employees all have masks that fit them well or feel comfortable airing any grievances they have.

Identify your five most important values related to decision-making in a crisis. Then ask yourself how each of those is relevant to the important choices you face. Repeat this process for each of your fears. Worrying can help you make better decisions if you do it effectively. When you worry, it should be solutions-focused, not just perseverating on the presence of a threat. When you have anxiety, your body activates the fight-or-flight response, releasing adrenaline and causing a host of changes to your body that are all designed to keep you safe from harm.

This might be a simple stressor like a looming deadline or conflict with a friend, for example. This is why anxiety can be described as an overactive fear response. Interestingly, however, anxiety can cause fear in our minds and not just our bodies.

Since your body is nervous, your mind feels nervous. While this all represents a slight oversimplification of what actually happens in terms of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, above we have described the basics of how fearful thoughts and bodily sensations interact in the case of anxiety.

Chances are you're hoping to figure out how to get rid of that feeling of fear so that you can live with less anxiety. We spoke about exercise earlier: physical activity is step one in managing feelings of fear. There are countless scientific studies that link regular exercise to reductions in anxiety and research shows that this has a calming effect on the brain and body. It should also be noted that even though anxiety has a strong physical component, as mentioned above, there is considerable evidence suggesting that you can learn cognitive coping skills which are effective for reducing anxiety and fear.

The mind and body are closely connected; and by training your brain to respond in a particular way, you can get real relief from your anxiety.

These basic strategies, combined with a healthier and more relaxing lifestyle, can be used by anyone seeking to take control by reducing their fear and anxiety. Anxiety is a misfire of the system designed to save you when faced with danger.

That same misfire can cause you to feel fear, even though nothing scary is present. Distractions and exercise can reduce the fear, but you may need to integrate other anxiety reduction approaches to keep it away. You can ask your doctor for a referral to a psychologist or other mental health professional who uses relaxation techniques to help patients. For example, if you're scared of getting trapped in a lift and suffocating, ask yourself if you have ever heard of this happening to someone.

Ask yourself what you would say to a friend who had a similar fear. Life is full of stresses, yet many of us feel that our lives must be perfect. Bad days and setbacks will always happen, and it's important to remember that life is messy.

Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a place of safety and calm. It could be a picture of you walking on a beautiful beach, or snuggled up in bed with the cat next to you, or a happy memory from childhood. Let the positive feelings soothe you until you feel more relaxed. Sharing fears takes away a lot of their scariness. If you can't talk to a partner, friend or family member, call a helpline such as Breathing Space on 83 85 87 or Samaritans on If you would like to find out more about this appointment-based service, you can visit the Living Life website or phone Mon to Fri, 1pm to 9pm.

If your fears aren't going away, you can ask your GP for help. GPs can refer people for counselling, psychotherapy or help through an online mental health service, such as Living Life to the Full. Lots of people turn to alcohol or drugs to self-treat anxiety, but this will only make matters worse. Simple, everyday things like a good night's sleep, a wholesome meal and a walk are often the best cures for anxiety. Perhaps they remind us of someone from childhood who treated us poorly.

Or perhaps they really are someone to be scared of, and have antisocial personality disorder. But if your fear and suspicions are so big they haunt your every waking hour and keep you up at night, if others think you are being illogic, and if these fears come after a bout of anxiety, depression , drug use , or a highly stressful experience? Then you might be suffering paranoia. Do you have an intense feeling of fear if you think a partner is going to reject or leave you? To the point you are so terrified your body shakes, or you feel physically ill, or you have to self-harm to feel in control again?

Borderline personality disorder rotates around a fear of being abandoned. Does your constant feeling of fear come from the way you see other people and the world, and have you felt that way since you were a young adult? Personality disorders mean that we simply live life from an entirely different perspective than other people tend to.

The personality disorders that can have a feeling of fear as as symptom include:. In a new job , and feeling fearful all the time? You might be mistaking fear with excitement.

Instead of recognising that the rush of adrenaline before trying your first dance class, or date with someone you like , is just the excitement of pushing your boundaries and trying something new? You decide you are afraid and back out. Of course some things, like bungee jumping or driving fast, do have a very real danger attached!

So it becomes about asking good questions. Realise your fear is a symptom of something bigger? Ready to finally seek help and move forward? Harley Therapy connects you to t op London talk therapists in central London.