Whatever it is that scares you, there are ways to fight your fears. Knowledge is key in a fear situation. There are tips for people who are coping with everyday fears.
Tip 1. Stop. Take a time out. It’s impossible to think clearly when you’re flooded with fear and anxiety. Take a time out so you can physically calm down.
Distract yourself from the fear and worry for 15 minutes by taking a walk, making a cup of tea, and having a bath or shower. This will help you be able to think clearly about the fear.
During covid people flooded to the store and bought a huge amount of toilet paper. So much so that there was a shortage. Why? Because they were afraid they would run out. But who needs 1000 rolls of toilet paper, especially when covid was a respiratory virus. Obviously their fear took over and they weren’t thinking clearly.
Tip 2. Breathing through the panic. When fear overtakes us, we begin to get a faster heartbeat or sweaty palms, the best thing is to not fight it. When we are in fear, it’s pretty normal to have a panic attack. The best advice I’ve ever received was to stay where you are, and take some slow deep breaths.
The goal is to help your mind get used to coping with panic, which takes the fear or fear away,
I used to have horrible panic attacks, when something triggered my fears, such as smelling my mother’s perfume on someone else. Basically anything that triggered an emotional response from my childhood. This breathing through the panic technique helped me overcome my fears.
Tip 3. Face your fears. Avoiding fears only makes them scarier. Whatever your fear, if you face it, it starts to fade. If you panic when you have to do something you’re afraid of. It’s best to do it again until you’re comfortable with doing it.
Tip 4. Imagine the worst. Try imagining the worst thing that can happen. Maybe that going some place and having a panic attack and having a heart attack. Try to think yourself in to having a heart attack. It’s just not possible. The fear will run away the more you chase it.
Tip 5.Look at the evidence. It sometimes helps to challenge the fearful thoughts. For example if you’re scared of running out of toilet paper, ask yourself if you’ve ever heard of someone running out of toilet paper. Probably not because you would go to the store and buy more if you were running out, more maybe you have a roll or two stashed in your vehicle for emergencies.
Tip 6. Don’t try and be perfect. Life is full of stresses, yet many of us feel that our lives must be perfect. Bad days and set backs will always happen, and it’s important to remember that sometimes life is messy.
Tip 7. Visualize a happy place. Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine a place of safety and calm. It could be a picture of you walking on the beach or snuggled up with your pet on the couch. Let the positive feelings soothe you until you feel more relaxed.
Tip 8. Talk about it. Sharing fears takes away a lot of their sharpness. Talk to a friend or trusted family member.
Tip 9, Get back to basics. A lot of people turn to alcohol or drugs to self-treat anxieties and fears, this only makes things worse. Things like a good night’s sleep, or a healthy meal, or walking are the best cures for anxiety that is caused by fear.
Tip 10. Reward yourself. Give yourself a treat. When you’ve faced a fear you’ve been dreading, reward yourself go get come ice cream, getting a massage, go out to dinner, buy the book or DVD you’ve been wanting, or whatever little gift that makes you happy.
Don’t be hard on yourself, if you are not able to face a fear, keep working at it, you’ll get there. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies.
From Pity to Praise 