How does fear help us survive

A threat stimulus, such as the sight of a predator, triggers a fear response in the amygdala, which activates areas involved in preparation for motor functions involved in fight or flight.

It also triggers release of stress hormones and sympathetic nervous system. This leads to bodily changes that prepare us to be more efficient in a danger: The brain becomes hyperalert, pupils dilate, the bronchi dilate and breathing accelerates.

Heart rate and blood pressure rise. Blood flow and stream of glucose to the skeletal muscles increase. Organs not vital in survival such as the gastrointestinal system slow down. A part of the brain called the hippocampus is closely connected with the amygdala.

The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex help the brain interpret the perceived threat. They are involved in a higher-level processing of context, which helps a person know whether a perceived threat is real. For instance, seeing a lion in the wild can trigger a strong fear reaction, but the response to a view of the same lion at a zoo is more of curiosity and thinking that the lion is cute.

So whether threats to our security are real or perceived, they impact our mental and physical wellbeing. The term Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD was coined in the s, in response to the high number of Vietnam veterans suffering from a collection of psychological symptoms after returning from war.

But accounts of PTSD have been noted in various forms throughout history, and the disorder is not limited to veterans of war. PTSD generally appears after an individual has suffered a traumatic or painful event, such as a car accident, kidnapping, natural disaster, abuse, seeing a friend or family member suffer a trauma, or death of a loved one. Symptoms include prolonged states of anxiety racing heart, sweating , flashbacks of the event, depression, avoidance of any activities that might trigger memories of the event, and difficulty sleeping.

Like most health conditions, PTSD is not a one-size-fits-all disorder. The severity of the symptoms, as well as how long they last, vary from person to person. The most important thing someone who may be suffering from PTSD can do is to get professional help. New research indicates that you may be able to bolster yourself against PTSD by practicing resilency-enhancing strategies. The National Institute of Mental Health recommends the following to reduce your risk of experiencing the disorder:.

In addition, spirituality can sometimes help you find meaning in difficult circumstances. Many researchers have observed post-traumatic growth, a period during which a person becomes stronger and more peaceful as a result of having survived a traumatic experience.

A Gallup poll of 31 countries found that less than half of adults surveyed reported feeling safe walking alone at night. There is serious global impact to this statistic—when people feel less comfortable venturing out in the evening to work or buy goods, the economy suffers. When groups of people in our communities fear for their safety on a daily basis because of the color of their skin or their gender expression or other perceived identity, this injustice and resulting trauma impacts us all.

We cannot have a safe community until all members of the community are safe. Is it possible to experience fear and anxiety because of trauma that didn't even happen to you?

Some researchers say yes. The research in this area is still evolving, but there is some evidence that it is possible to inherit the impact of trauma from our ancestors. The reality is that no one is totally in control of life and circumstances. There comes a point when the best course of action is to let go and allow things to happen on their own.

When you have done your very best, even if you fail, recognize that failure is part of the journey to success. There is a sense of strength that comes with letting go after you have done your very best and believing for the best. It reduces anxiety, panic, distress, impatience and negative thinking.

Allow yourself to focus on the excitement, drive, progress, momentum and success that come with overcoming fear and letting go. When you face fear but are excited and anticipating the rewards that you will get when you emerge victorious, this provides the boost to motivate oneself to push on. You weigh the pros and cons of the cost of being held back from taking action versus the cost of moving forward despite fear.

When the anticipated rewards are greater than losses you muster your courage, draw on your reserves and take the plunge and overcome fear with the knowledge that although success is not guaranteed, you at least gave it your best effort. The first time when someone prevails over fear is usually the hardest. The second, third or fourth time of facing the same fear becomes easier and easier. When you have faced fear and taken steps to overcome that fear, the next time you face similar fears you can overcome them by repeating the steps that worked for you in the past.

It is beneficial to also keep making small improvements in your process of mastering fear to make it better and better. Over time the steps for conquering fear can be ingrained on your mind to the point where you can face fear without it holding you back. To avoid mastering fear by trial and error, you can save time by talking to, reading and learning about how others have succeeded in dealing with the fear that you are facing and then replicate their breakthroughs.

When we have successfully learned how to deal with and overcome our fear, we can take an extra step to help others who are facing fear. We can share our stories of how we overcame fear and share the strategies that we used to endure through our fear. Most of all, by sharing how we felt after we accomplished what we set out to do despite fear, we can encourage and inspire other people to take action.

Your life will become better by making other lives better. We would like to hear from you. Reviews take just a couple of minutes to complete. Purchase your EBook that has all of our best career success articles in one volume. No email sign-up required. The Positive Side of Fear — 15 Benefits of Fear by Duncan Muguku This article discusses how to accomplish your goals despite having fear or facing doubts or uncertainty about how to proceed i.

Fear is not necessarily a bad thing; it is one of the inbuilt human survival instincts. Heightened Awareness At the basic level fear guides our fight or flight responses and helps to keep us safe and alive. The negative side of fear is when it holds you back from doing something positive. To achieve great potential or greater heights — have fear and still push through it. Overcoming fear is done through action. Lovecraft 2. Acknowledgement and Enlightenment What is the driving force behind your fear?

Focus and Concentration What do you want to achieve in life? Have the will to breakout, transcend and rise above fear. When at the end of the rope and have to make do or die decisions, fear inspires intense focus.

Preparation and Planning Fear highlights the distance between where you are now and the goal to be achieved. See beyond your current circumstances, envision where you want to be. Choices, Analysis and Evaluation Fear prompts one to identify choices and options, analyze them and evaluate your best course of action. Most of us are no longer fighting or running for our lives in the wild, but fear is far from an outdated instinct.

It serves the same purpose today as it did when we might run into a lion while carrying water back from the river. Only now, we're carrying a wallet and walking down city streets.

The decision not to take that shortcut through the deserted alley at midnight is based on a rational fear that promotes survival. Only the stimuli have changed -- we're in as much danger today as we were hundreds of years ago, and our fear serves to protect us now as it did then.

Darwin had never experienced the bite of a poisonous snake, and yet he reacted to it as if his life were in danger. Most of us have never been anywhere near The Plague, but our heart will skip a beat at the sight of a rat. For humans, there are other factors involved in fear beyond instinct. Human beings have the sometimes unfortunate gift of anticipation , and we anticipate terrible things that might happen -- things we have heard about, read about or seen on TV.

Most of us have never experienced a plane crash, but that doesn't stop us from sitting on a plane with white-knuckle grips on the armrests. Anticipating a fearful stimulus can provoke the same response as actually experiencing it. This also is an evolutionary benefit: Those humans who felt rain, anticipated lightning and remained in the cave until the storm passed had a better chance of not getting struck with thousands of volts of electricity.

We'll look at ways in which we are conditioned to fear in the next section.