When you’re afraid of something you can’t easily avoid (like an elevator), or if avoiding the thing you fear puts you at risk (like getting a shot at the doctor), there are clear benefits of facing that fear. The question is how much is this phobia interfering with your life? “It’s always a cost-benefit analysis,” he says. If you happen to fear something you can generally avoid like a giant tarantula, you may not feel a strong urge to face your fear, and that’s okay too. You need to feel ready to make that decision, says Gillihan. What’s important to know is if and when you want to face your fears, there are steps you can take to do so. Phobias can often be traced to a specific incident, too - a dog bite leading to fear of dogs for example, says Gillihan. But the relationship between genes and environment is complicated. One meta-analysis assessed 10 studies on phobias and found evidence of “moderate heritability,” meaning there was some degree of genetic similarities between relatives who share a phobia. Scientists agree that both genetics and environmental factors like learned habits and experiences have a role in why we develop specific fears and phobias, according to the APA. The APA defines phobias as persistent and irrational fears of a specific situation, object, or activity, like heights or blood. Gillihan, as they generally aren’t based on a present danger. With anxiety, it’s the not knowing what’s going to happen that triggers the emotional response, she says. “Fear signals that there is danger and is a universal emotion experienced all over the world,” says Robin Stern, PhD, the senior advisor of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, Connecticut, and a codeveloper of an approach to emotional learning program called RULER (recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, regulating).įear is related but not synonymous with phobia or anxiety, Dr. Physiological changes triggered by fear include rapid heartbeat, redirection of blood flow away from the periphery toward the gut, and tensing of the muscles, according to the definition of fear from the American Psychological Association (APA). But you don’t always have to overcome your fears - we obviously wouldn’t want to lose our fear of a speeding car or other real dangers.įear is a basic human emotion designed to motivate us to avoid danger, explains Seth Gillihan, PhD, a clinical psychologist and the author of The CBT Deck for Anxiety, Rumination, and Worry.Ī physiological arousal happens - what’s called the fight-or-flight response - that energizes you to move away from the threat. We learned there were no monsters under the bed or danger in the basement.Īs we get older, facing our fears can become more complicated.
As kids, facing our fears is often a rite of passage.
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