Keywords: How to deal with fear, dealing with fear.
Fear, in essence, is very close to excitement. Excitement is the sensation of the new with the expectation of something positive occurring.
Fear is complex. It can relate to unexpressed anger, a rupture of boundaries due to abuse, neglect or be related to any memory of a traumatic experience or period.
Fear also tends to become habitual without being able to consciously relate to its cause and this can be confusing, placing additional disorientation on one's sense of self.
Dealing with Fear and How to Go About
To deal with fear related to your trauma, it is essential to remove some of the load. A good therapist will help you to process and contextualize it, although there is a way to deal with the habitual fear-response if you have already worked through some of your Post-Traumatic Stress issues.
Fear, in essence, is very close to excitement. Excitement is the sensation of the new with the expectation of something positive occurring.
Whenever you have a quiet moment, or when you feel that you have been activated into a fear response; take a moment to notice that sensation in your body. We tend to keep fear more in our lower body, solar plexus and belly area. Now, just feel that without going too much into it or thought interfering.
What you may be forced to notice is that thought, your mind will react to it. It wants it to be different; solve it or go away. Now notice yourself reacting to it; become aware of it. It may be overt or more unconscious, but become more intimate with it. Track your mind's response; it's reaction, without going into thoughts of why, how or when, which will only confuse you - so stay out of that altogether, navigate away from it. You can do this.
Navigating Your Resistances in Dealing Fear
You will see, if you do this right, that your reaction to fear is the identification with it. The moment you say or have an intimation of 'I don't want this' you have become more identified with it.
When you start tracking your reactions, your resistances, you actively stop feeding into the fear.
When you actively stop feeding into the fear your boundaries start to widen and the sensation of fear may turn into heat rather than restriction or tightness. From there that heat might turn into excitement with more body-awareness and lightness.
Equally so, this can be done with other emotions. It is hard work and you will come up against barriers of thought being identified with mental-emotional states through blame, shame, self-reproach and embarrassment, but it certainly can be done.
How are you dealing with fear? Leave your comments below.
I have recently become aware of what you call “disorientation on one’s sense of physiological orientation.” Indeed to the point of spiralling into deep depression because I neither trust myself, my beliefs, opinions or know who I am (assuming I have understood you correctly – please correct me if I’m wrong). It made me angry which I think was good because I was able to see (at last) that this was not a failing of me but a consequence of what happened. Natural and not an inheritant sign of my weakness or badness. Blame where it should go which is not me. Now to put into practice what you are teaching. Ouch!
It dealing with my fear good my entire life .my body is always tight especially my stomach . I push my self through everyday but it’s tough and the older I get the harder it is . What steps should I take ?
One thing at a time, Keep listening to the meditations. Try creating a support network/structure of people and activities. Nature. Exercise. Find people you resonate with and are positive/constructive.