The purpose of FEAR

Nature is said to develop everything for a purpose... So what the purpose of fear? Why has the mind-brain-body developed fear through evolution... and why is it that its not disappearing with the evolving human brain.

Fear is one of the most primitive of emotions that we have. Its mediated by the limbic system part of the nervous system.
Its purpose or use is PROTECTION... so how does "fear" protect us...
Fear is the integral part of the ‘fight, fright and flight’ response.

Hence nature created Fear to protect us from adversities...
So it can rationalized that it initially helped the earlier humans to hunt and find safe places to live...
With the evolution of human society, food, shelter and clothes shifted from priority to basic necessity. The human needs increased.
As the social living improved, the need for control over ones "life" increased...
As the control over ones own life increased.. the need for control over others life increased...
Hence fear started manifesting itself as a way to "achieve" control.

Since the mind no longer used "fear" to escape or protect from a situation.. it started using "fear" to protect from "future possible situations".
Over a time, many developed the pattern of over-thinking with fear as their central emotion...
This can been seen in todays society in those people who develop suspiciousness and restlessness when they cannot "completely control a situation".
Today fear is related to the future...

This fear always keeps one on the edge. Despite the knowledge of one’s helplessness in shaping the turn of future events, fear stems from the imaginary “What if?”.
Anxiety about an unpleasant event is worse than actually dealing with the event itself. This is because the imagination mixes all sorts of potential ‘worse than’ scenarios.

This is how the mind is always full of stories relating to a future of persecution, conspiracy, and a sense of impending doom related to activities of life.

This psychological anxiety, sooner than later, manifests as somatic ailments.

Its because of this "holistic" effect of fear, that its considered to play an integral role in determining the happiness quotient of life.
Hence the lesser the fear, the happier one is emotionally, physically, spiritually and sexually.. and same is true, vice-versa.

FEAR in many cases is a clinical symptom that requires cure...


by -

Dr.Hemant Mittal
(Psychiatrist and Counselor)
email – eksoch@gmail.com
website – www.mindmantra.in
address- 15, shreeji plaza, next to ice n spice restaurant, opposite seawoods station, seawoods (east)
Navi Mumbai

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