Facets of Fear
Many anxieties are inherited when we are children, either from our parents or other close contacts. A mother’s fear of bridges might translate into a similar fear in her children. If we were never taught to swim, we might feel apprehensive toward water. Even prejudice, which qualifies as a fear of the unknown, can be passed from parents to children.
Other fears are learned through experience. A traumatic ordeal in front of a crowd of people can develop into a fear of public speaking. If a large dog knocks us down when we are very young, we might grow up to fear dogs in general. Negative experiences such as these contribute to the development of many fears. Often the original episode was not as traumatic as we recall, but the moment sticks in our minds. Over time, our brain exaggerates the experience, further fueling our fear.
Failure resides at the core of almost all fears. We are terrified of failing on every level: emotionally, intellectually, and physically. Failure questions our worth and value as a human being. Since we crave acceptance and approval, unsuccessful attempts to acquire these things devastates our self-image.
No comments:
Post a Comment