An effective method to overcome your fears and phobias. How to overcome fear and self-doubt

In life, a person is surrounded by various fears, experiences and anxieties. This is normal, because the instinct of self-preservation is basic for all living beings and determines the survival of entire species. But not everyone knows how to overcome fear and self-doubt.

Fear and uncertainty worsen a person's quality of life

Living with constant fear means dooming yourself to stress, emotional exhaustion and depression. It is for this reason that it must be fought. The sooner this is done, the more likely that a person can cope with fear without the help of professionals.

Finding the causes of fear and self-doubt

Depending on what a person is afraid of and how he copes with it, not only his emotional state changes, but his whole life. To overcome this in yourself, you first need to find the reason. Often it lies in childhood trauma or bad experiences. For each, the reason is purely individual. Most psychotherapists practice finding the source of uncertainty and fear through psychoanalysis. The specialist moves step by step, session by session, into the depths of the phobia. Sometimes this can take months or even years.

Psychology recommends analyzing situations during which fear and self-doubt arise. They may be the key to solving this mystery.

Especially deep in our subconscious lie childhood experiences and grievances, which do not disappear over the years, but only take root. If a child was very frightened by a dog in childhood, then this phobia can remain with him for life. Errors in parenting have a particular impact:

  • overprotection leads to uncertainty and helplessness of a person in front of the outside world;
  • constant criticism can make you afraid of mistakes and avoid making any decisions;
  • manifestation negative reaction on some subject or living creature may cause fear of this.

Fears ingrained in childhood can be disguised as other phobias over time, and can also intensify or weaken. It is quite difficult to get rid of them, because the reaction is subconscious.

Childhood fears can cause phobias in adulthood

Bad experience

Even in mature age, when the psyche is more stable than that of a child, people are exposed to external factors. Negative experience It can not only unsettle you, but make you fear it for the rest of your life. Often this fear appears due to the loss of a loved one, problems at work or in the family, as well as due to illness or strangers. Return the person to normal life from such a state is a difficult task, but feasible.

External influence

In the era information technology a person is surrounded by an excess of information that can negatively affect his psychological state. In addition to the media, a loved one can also be the source of the phobia.

Not all subjects are susceptible to this category of fears. Suspicious and very impressionable individuals take everything too “close to their hearts.”

In addition to existing phobias, others may appear due to stress, which greatly complicates the patient’s condition.

Excess information can negatively affect a person’s psyche

Signs of fear and self-doubt

When a person is afraid of something, his body puts all its energy into preventing danger or escaping from it. Despite this, the somatic system sends external signs fears that are difficult not to recognize. Under the influence of the subject's experience:

  • pupils dilate;
  • heart rate and blood pressure increase;
  • hands and legs tremble;
  • a blush appears on the ears and cheeks;
  • the stomach may become upset.

In addition to this list, there is rapid breathing, headaches or dizziness. Special attention should be paid to self-doubt. It does not arise out of nowhere; it is necessarily preceded by some negative consequences. An insecure person looks like this from the outside:

  • shoulders drooped or hunched;
  • gaze turned to the floor;
  • the subject avoids communication with peers and knowledge of the world around him.

Fear and uncertainty constantly follow each other. In order to determine this in time, you need to know the techniques of influencing the psyche.

A blush may appear on the cheeks due to uncertainty and fear.

How to overcome fear and uncertainty in yourself

A person can overcome fear and uncertainty either independently or with the help of a psychotherapist. In both cases, a lot of work remains, but a specialist will be able to do it not only faster, but also with better quality. If fear does not interfere with normal life, work and leisure, then there is no point in trying to fight it. A person who is afraid of dogs can easily avoid them and, if desired, not have contact with them at all.

The same cannot be said about more serious irrational phobias. Fear of heights, closed spaces or fear of defeat, death, people - all this exposes a person to constant stress due to confrontation with the causes of his fear.

Independent struggle is about overcoming fears cognitive method. This means acting in the opposite direction. If a person is afraid of heights or falling, then he jumps with a parachute, and when he is afraid of getting lost in the forest, he goes on a hike with an experienced guide.

Overcoming the situation makes it clear that all these phobias have no basis and are just a figment of our imagination.

Hypnosis

You can overcome fear and embarrassment caused by lack of confidence in yourself and your abilities with the help of hypnosis. Not all people are subject to it, sometimes it may not work due to individual characteristics body and psyche.

Only a specialist can carry out this procedure. At a subconscious level, a person knows all the answers to his questions, but it is so inherent in nature that he does not use this information.

Letting go of the victim role

Finding yourself in a critical situation or in an unfamiliar place for the first time, most people experience, if not fear, then its semblance in the form of a strong surge of emotions. This is a normal reaction. But some people at this time may go into a victim position.

Lack of confidence in strength makes a person weak, and he considers himself useless to society and himself. You can't stay in this role for too long. A person, losing the need to decide something, simply hides from the outside world behind his fears.

In order to throw off the shackles you put on yourself, you need to understand a few points:

  • the reason for any irrational fear lies only in the head;
  • your fear always seems terrible, although those around you may not understand this;
  • how deeper man goes into his world of illusions, the more difficult it will be for him to overcome himself.

Psychotherapists offer a fairly effective technique for getting out of the image of a victim. You need to imagine in detail what will happen when you manage to get rid of fear. The brighter this picture is, the easier it will be to reach your goal.

Increased self-esteem

The best way to get rid of uncertainty and the fear associated with it is to increase your self-esteem. There are many trainings and seminars for this, but in addition to this, the support of people close to him is extremely important for a person. If he feels that he means something to other people, then he himself will be able to believe in it.

Regardless of which technique is chosen, the result will not be noticeable after a couple of sessions. This is long and painstaking work on a person’s mental and emotional state.

Correct prioritization

Many themselves provoke the development of fears due to the fact that they do not see the difference between accepting responsibility and self-accusation. Attempts to avoid responsibility lead to loss of control over the situation and blaming yourself for it. A person finds himself in a vicious circle from which it is difficult to get out. Very often people themselves do not notice that they are avoiding responsibility. It shows up like this:

  1. Uncertainty is hidden behind emotions. You may experience hysterics, outbursts of anger or self-pity. In reality, it is simply a shield that a person creates in hopes of hiding his true motives.
  2. Fatigue and apathy, if there is no real reasons, are recreated for camouflage. Elementary laziness may also be hiding.
  3. Control over others. Attempts to establish one's superiority over other people in most cases are nothing more than attempts to hide one's insecurities.

The main thing is to understand that fear is not a shortcoming or a sign of weakness. This natural state individual in a potentially dangerous situation.

Fatigue and apathy may be elements of disguise

Positive thinking

Although the theory of positive thinking causes a whole storm of criticism and mistrust, it nevertheless works quite effectively and helps to cope with worries and fears. Psychologists recommend not just using it as a temporary measure, but making it a lifestyle.

The theory is that negative thoughts are nipped in the bud and replaced with positive ones. You can find something good in any given situation.

Phytotherapy

If the case is severe and self-hypnosis alone is not enough, then the specialist can prescribe to the patient sedatives. Preference is given to medications with natural ingredients, but tranquilizers, nootropics and hypnotics are used only in extreme situations. Both tablets and tinctures are suitable for treatment. The latter begin to act much faster. Herbal decoctions are also effective. Herbal medicine is based on the following soothing herbs:

  • chamomile – relieves emotional stress;
  • mint – improves heart function and tones muscles;
  • motherwort is a good sedative;
  • St. John's wort - treats neuroses and restores the body's immune strength;
  • valerian – relieves headaches and muscle tension;
  • hawthorn – normalizes sleep, saves from insomnia;
  • lily of the valley - stabilizes the emotional state well;
  • lemon balm - tones and restores lost strength.

This method of treatment is suitable for women during pregnancy and lactation. Herbal medicine is also prescribed for children.

Lily of the valley will help stabilize emotions

Conclusion

Overcoming uncertainty and fears is a huge step towards full life. Self-confidence and self-confidence opens up unlimited possibilities for people.

If you can’t cope with fear on your own, then the best solution There will be an appeal to a psychotherapist or psychologist. A specialist will be able not only to find the cause, but also to select the optimal method for solving it.

Fear is one of the innate emotions that appears in every person from time to time. Performs a positive function, serving as an alarm signal and helping to survive in the event of a threat. Fear mobilizes our body, preparing it to escape. But in some cases, fear manifests itself in an unhealthy, neurotic form (phobias, panic, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder) and significantly ruins a person’s life.

Destructive methods of overcoming fear

Fear is classified as a negatively colored emotion. Experiencing states of severe anxiety is very painful, so people, as a rule, look for any ways to quickly.

Chemical addictions

As a result, they make many erroneous actions that, instead of easing the problem, on the contrary, aggravate it. Such actions include alcohol consumption, uncontrolled intake sedatives, eating emotions with sweets, smoking.

Of course, all these options for getting rid of fear are a road to nowhere. They allow you to disconnect emotionally only for a short time. Therefore, a person regularly returns to the tried and tested method to feel relief. As a result, increasingly larger doses of “anesthetic” are required. This is how they are formed bad habits and addictions.

Non-chemical addictions

More sophisticated and hidden ways to escape from negative experiences include immersion in some kind of activity that fills everything free time person. A person strives to constantly be in the company of other people, immerses himself in work, computer games. As soon as he is left alone for a while and cut off from his usual activities, an inexplicable feeling of anxiety arises. A neurotic person, without understanding why, turns on the phone, starts scrolling through the news feed or calling friends - just to get distracted and not have to deal with the contents of the subconscious, ready to emerge in forced silence.

Another way to cope with psychological stress is compulsions. This is a thoughtless, obsessive repetition of the same actions, often of a ritual nature and supposedly preventing frightening events. For example, counting, knocking on wood, snapping fingers. Compulsive behavior helps to partially turn off consciousness and, in turn, phobias force you to change your entire lifestyle so as not to encounter frightening objects and circumstances. But such tactics result in the price of a significant reduction in the quality of life and personality degradation.

How to get rid of fear in a healthy way

Don't blame yourself for bad habits that you developed as a result of trying to get rid of attacks of fear. At a certain stage of development, this was the only way known and available to you to overcome fear. But if you want to grow as a person and be truly happy man, you need to look for other methods of how to get rid of fear.

People often wonder how to kill fear in themselves, not realizing that any, even the strongest negative emotion- this is their friend and assistant, signaling some kind of problem. It’s just that in the case of so-called irrational fears, the danger does not come from external environment, but from the inner world of man.

The source of fear in this situation is an erroneous perception of reality, obsessive negative thoughts and beliefs that interfere with normal life activities. Sometimes a person is his own worst enemy. By internalizing and maintaining negative mental attitudes in his mind, he inevitably drives himself into the net of stress. The problem is that destructive thoughts that create anxiety are perceived by a person as objective reality, not errors of perception.

Paradoxically, human thinking is largely an unconscious and mindless process. develops when a person ceases to control his imagination and the course of his thoughts. If you want to get rid of fears and phobias, you need to learn to think differently than you do now. When dysfunctional and repetitive patterns of fear responses can be changed to healthier ones, anxiety disorders disappear.

The role of cognitive distortions in the development of fear

Cognitive distortions (errors in thinking that are common to each of us) give rise to many groundless fears. For example, two people find themselves in the same life situation - they need to propose to their girls. Of course, there is a possibility of failure. But how such a scenario for the development of events is perceived differently depending on the type of person’s thinking.

An optimist will regard refusal as an invitation to work on himself. Find out the reasons why the girl said no. He will try to change in order to achieve a positive response, or decide that it is worth finding another person as a life partner. A pessimist perceives a possible refusal as a life catastrophe, confirmation of his unworthiness. If he is sure that he cannot love anyone else, pictures of forced loneliness will loom in his mind. If, in addition to the above, a person is convinced that “loneliness is terrible,” then imagine the level of panic that will grip him at a crucial moment. Will he even be able to decide to propose and, perhaps, find out the “terrible” truth?

How to get rid of anxiety and fear through thought control

Such absurd and bad thoughts about various things occur to any person from time to time. Any thought, in turn, causes an emotion. It is important to understand that those thoughts that cause strong fear, are based on deep and unconscious erroneous attitudes. They cannot be taken into account when assessing the situation.

For example, a fear thought: my partner will definitely leave me. Variants of erroneous beliefs that resulted in fear:

  • people cannot be trusted;
  • being abandoned is humiliating;
  • I'm not worthy of love.

Fear thought: if I go to work, my husband will be angry with me. Variants of erroneous beliefs that resulted in fear:

  • I must devote all my time to my husband;
  • if someone is angry with me, then it is my fault.

Remember that you yourself give power to certain thoughts that end up frightening you. There is a huge gap between the accidentally flashing unpleasant thought “I will be left alone” and a firm, but nevertheless unfounded conviction in this. You yourself take a step towards fear by giving your attention negative thoughts. The mind is designed to seek confirmation of any thought you focus on. That's why it's so important to look at things from a positive perspective. After all, by cultivating confidence in future success in any situation in the present, you inevitably rise on the emotional scale - to hope, enthusiasm and anticipation.

How to overcome your fear with positive thinking

Positive thinking is not about burying your head in the sand, but about organizing your thoughts. Most people are very scrupulous about the quantity and quality of food consumed, understanding the importance healthy diet for your body. But with regard to thoughts, the same selectivity is absent.

Be careful with funds mass media. Stop Mindlessly Browsing social media and news. Most messages are structured in such a way as to grab people's attention. And the easiest way to do this is by broadcasting frightening information and relishing the details of various disasters and natural disasters.

Many wonderful events happen in the world every minute - healthy children are born, people find new friends, fall in love, get well, drive safely to work in their car without any incidents. But you can't do this good news. And as a result, the world is presented through the media as threatening and dangerous.

Stop watching news that does not lead to joy, but only, on the contrary, increases the level of anxiety. Fill your brain with only pleasant food for thought. Switch your attention to watching comedies and entertainment programs, reading life-affirming novels and communicating with optimistic people.

Only you can determine whether a certain thought is positive or limiting for you personally. If a thought brings you pleasant emotions, then it suits you and should be included in your belief system.

For example, you want to change your profession, but you are afraid of the inevitable changes. Possible thoughts that may come to your mind:

  • doing what you love (negative thought);
  • but there are people who somehow succeed (positive thought);
  • the chances of succeeding are too small - I will waste my time and energy (negative thought);
  • It is better to fail than not to try at all (positive thought).
  • All lucky people- egoists (negative thought);
  • people will envy me (negative thought);
  • my friend will definitely support me (positive thought);
  • if I succeed, I can help others (positive thought);
  • people don’t have money to pay for my services (negative thought);
  • I want too much from life (negative thought);
  • no one will be better off if I give up on my dreams (positive thought).

How to remove fear through meditation

Meditation is a useful skill that allows you to disconnect from negative influence environment, cope with an anxiety attack or obsessive thoughts. Just 15 minutes of practice a day can provide mental rest and significantly reduce stress levels.

There is nothing difficult about meditation. You just need to retire, sit comfortably, close your eyes and begin to concentrate on inhaling and exhaling. At first, you will notice how your mind is bombarded with various thoughts. You can't allow yourself to be carried away. But at the same time, there is no need to try to suppress thoughts. Treat the thoughts that arise like passing clouds. Notice impartially the appearance of another thought and return to breathing.

When you learn to separate yourself from thoughts and the emotions that give rise to them, becoming an outside observer, you will gain control over your emotional state. Being an impartial observer helps you rise above your emotions and choose more uplifting thoughts to think about. Even when you get into stressful situations (dismissal, divorce, death loved one), a 15-minute program helps you find positive thoughts and develop a healthy reaction to an event.

How to remove fear using visualization

There is another effective way to overcome fear. Try to work with your imagination. Every day before you go to bed, draw pictures in your mind of how you successfully cope with a situation that frightens you.

Let's say you have, and the thought of leaving the house, even to the nearest store, frightens you to the point of horror. Your task is to go to shopping mall only in your imagination. Imagine how one fine day, when the weather is good outside, you get dressed and leave the entrance. The sun is shining, there are friendly people around, and you yourself are in a great mood. Enjoying your walk, you reach the end of the block and enter the store. Shopping slowly and with pleasure, and then successfully returning home. Gradually, a positive image will be fixed in the subconscious, and the fear of going out will pass.

How to overcome your fear in an extreme situation

In a state of panic, a person is extremely nervous emotional state and has difficulty understanding what is happening around him. If you have an idea about how to overcome fear and stop hysteria, then you are able to take control of your condition. Try the following:

  1. Inhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold your breath for 1–2 seconds, exhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold your breath for 1–2 seconds, and so on.
  2. Calming movements: Lean forward, completely relaxing your head, neck, shoulders and arms, hanging freely downwards. Breathe slowly and deeply, and then slowly rise up. If you feel that you cannot calm down the fear and still feel trembling in your body, try to move: walk, swing your arms. This will help neutralize the release of the stress hormone adrenaline into the blood.
  3. Washing with cold water will help you come to your senses and put your disturbing thoughts in order.
  4. Take action. Focus on other people's needs, not on your own experiences and anxious thoughts. Nothing mobilizes internal resources more than love and a sense of responsibility for your neighbor.

Preparing for the worst-case scenario

Another way to overcome fear is to get used to worst case scenario development of the event. Sometimes it seems to us that some things are simply unbearable. But when tested, our psyche turns out to be much stronger. For example, you have a fear that you will be fired from your job.

Cross the line in your thoughts that you are afraid to cross. Let's assume this scenario. What will you do after the event occurs? Have to look for a new place, and there is no guarantee that you will find it quickly? Will you have to save hard? Will you become financially dependent on your spouse and get into debt? Imagine all the possible options that frighten you, and think about what actions you will take if you fail. Having done this exercise in your thoughts, you will find that instead of fear, you feel an energy boost and a desire to act.

How to overcome fear by transferring experiences to the future:

How to remove fear from the subconscious

To overcome fear, you need to work with its root cause. Many of our fears seem groundless and irrational. This happens when the psyche defends itself in order to minimize the power of negative experiences. Often, in order to justify the emotion, the unconscious comes up with a false explanation for the existing fear.

For example, a man is afraid of dogs. At a meeting with a hypnologist, it turns out that a deeply suppressed feeling of one’s own inferiority became the reason for the development of the phobia. The feeling of being a victim, the lack of healthy aggression and the inability to defend one’s interests in relationships transformed into a fear of animals. The logic of the unconscious is as follows: it is better to be afraid of dogs than to admit your inadequacy.

Identify the subject of fear and try to understand what it may be symbolically associated with. It is important not to deny emotions, not to push them far into a corner, but simply to deal with the source of their occurrence. For example, acrophobes are afraid not so much of heights as of uncertainty, claustrophobes are afraid not so much of closed spaces as of restrictions in actions. Of course, such introspection is quite challenging task. If none of the above methods of how to get rid of phobias and fears on your own has helped you, it is better to contact

How to overcome fear and self-doubt if the daily routine and problems suppress all aspirations, and even minor failures destroy any signs of courage and determination in the individual? Most people face these problems modern people, and this happens due to high workload, increased requirements and competition.

Shyness and indecisiveness often plague early childhood Therefore, it is important that the child learns to overcome his complexes while still young. Otherwise, such a child grows into an adult who has to experience a feeling of uncertainty at every stage of life. But this is not a reason to despair, since struggle is possible at any age, and with the right approach it brings good results.

Sources of uncertainty and fears

Causes of self-doubt help you choose the right way combat this condition. The following sources of internal fears and indecision are identified:

  • Unjustified hopes of people around you, inflated demands on their part.
  • Dependence on the opinions of other people.
  • In childhood, parents' confidence in their child's lack of talent.
  • Difficult perception of loss, dissatisfaction with oneself in the event of even small failures.

The psychology of people suffering from self-doubt is different in that every trouble or failure to achieve goals is regarded as a problem on a universal scale.

Signs of self-doubt

Often people find it difficult to get rid of uncertainty due to the fact that they simply are not aware of their problem. Hidden Fears do not bother them too much, so they look for the reasons for their failures in the people around them. Of course, in this case there is no hope for success. To understand yourself and understand whether you suffer from self-doubt, answer yes or no to the following questions:

  • You are afraid of offending someone with your opinion, actions or decision.
  • There is always a person next to you whose opinion you listen to and sometimes agree with.
  • You don't know how to say no.
  • You feel constrained and embarrassed when communicating with people, especially those you don’t know well.
  • You are unable to make an important decision on your own.
  • You are very suspicious.

Do you recognize yourself in these lines? This means that we urgently need to overcome the fear of communication and self-doubt!

Methods for dealing with fears and indecisiveness

How to get rid of fear and start new life with comfortable communication and confidence in own strength? The fight should begin gradually, not abruptly, with the least personal losses.

Gradual planning

Any task will seem less scary if you plan it step by step. The same goes for goals and plans - they must be within your power. If you have doubts, take your time, think through every step and plan your actions. Remember the children's proverb - if you drive more quietly, you will go further! Spontaneity leads to high results only sometimes, although sometimes harsh statements become the way out of the situation.

Don't attach any importance!

A person feels insecure, feels fear and constraint only at the moment when he attaches great importance to the issue, business, dream being solved. There is a saying: “let go of the problem, and it will solve itself.” As soon as we relax and reduce the importance of the upcoming task, the tightness, fear and shyness go away, our speech becomes more confident, and all because the excess anxiety goes away.

Learn to relax

When nervous system person is overloaded, it is difficult for him to accept adequate and right decisions. As a result, fear and self-doubt are formed, which prevent you from moving forward in life. If you learn to relax and leave work problems at work, you will be able to more adequately perceive and respond to current events.

Awareness of the case

Most often, both men and women develop a fear of communicating with persons of higher status and position. A conversation with a boss, a director, or a far-fetched ideal takes place in an exciting atmosphere. Basic awareness will help you overcome isolation and self-doubt. Go through an interview - study as much as possible the field of your chosen activity, are invited to an open public event - study the topic to which it is dedicated.

Autotraining

Most Popular psychological technique Getting rid of shyness and self-doubt is auto-training. Focus as much as possible on what fears you want to overcome and what goals you want to achieve. Constantly pronounce your desires and associations associated with them in an affirmative form in the present or future tense. Over time, you will no longer be afraid of your decisions, and you will be able to make confident step forward.

Repetition is the mother of learning!

A simple method of doing the things you do best will help you overcome fear and get rid of uncertainty. Give your loved ones gifts made with your own hands, remember what exactly you did well in lately, and repeat this action again. This method significantly increases self-esteem.

If you don’t know how to get rid of uncertainty, if you want to overcome isolation, start seeing everything positive points. Even if things don't go your way, treat it kindly and with laughter. A constant attitude of negativity attracts him.

If it’s an opinion, then only yours!

The problem of self-doubt is often based on the opinions of others - a person is afraid of not living up to the expectations of management, friends, parents, and relatives. Of course, you need to listen to the opinions of others, but your opinion should remain a priority.

If you want to know how to overcome fear and self-doubt, start respecting yourself. Only in this case will you learn to love and appreciate yourself, as a result of which all fears will leave a self-sufficient and self-confident person. Learn something new all the time, master something you were not previously interested in. The first successes in new endeavors will give you courage and determination.

Childhood indecisiveness

If you notice that your child is shy, he is timid in front of a new group, performances, and is generally indecisive, which means he needs help. IN in this case Self-doubt is most often formed due to the behavior of parents, and therefore it is they who should fight their habits.

How to help your child overcome self-doubt:

  • Parents need to stop demanding from their child what they cannot do. Often adults try to realize their unrealistic dreams in children, but they are not happy with the result.
  • Parents often depend on the opinions of others, or on their position, and demand the same from their children. If a child said an unnecessary phrase at the wrong time, or wiped his mouth with his sleeve rather than a napkin, this is not a reason to convince him of the shame of the whole family.
  • In an attempt to prevent the child from possible problems and dangerous life situations Parents often intimidate their children without realizing it. As a result, in the future the child is afraid to take an extra step so as not to stumble. Try to explain situations in such a way that the baby remembers how to act correctly, and is not afraid of these situations in the future.
  • Sometimes parents do not see talent in their children, or they require them to have good knowledge, perseverance, and patience. At the same time, they do not take into account the child’s temperament, do not think about the fact that he may be overly busy, or have minor functional deviations in psycho-emotional state. Sometimes a child really needs medical care, but instead he hears reproaches about the lack of any abilities.
  • If some parents consider their child not too talented, others at the same time overestimate the child’s abilities. For them, he is the best, handsome and talented, but in reality they are not as capable as they are led to believe. In adult life such children will suffer from excessive self-confidence.

The psychology of children is different from adults, therefore the approach to them should be more subtle and patient. You should not rush things, considering your child already an adult and capable of taking responsibility for his words. Excessive demands in the future will make children insecure people, but you don’t want your child to experience the pangs of fear and constraint? Try to maintain a balance in your communication with your baby, and don’t try to intimidate and protect him too much, because you still won’t be able to insure him and protect him from all mistakes.

Having gotten rid of fears and uncertainty at any age, it is necessary to draw the right conclusions so that the situation does not repeat itself in the future. Don't look back and don't live with the fears of the past, because they are already behind you. Look forward and be confident in your endeavors!

How to overcome fear of any strength? This question is quite sensitive. It is advisable to dig much deeper than what is on the surface. Because initially there is root cause, which provokes the brain to generate frightening images. But there are several methods that help remove superficial fear in any situation.

Acceptance and initiation

The most important thing that helps you work with yourself is accepting fear. We are all not very perfect. Accept your fear. Agree that you are afraid of something. But you recognize your problem and are already on the path to cleansing. You are already beautiful in this moment. And then there's little left to do.

Look fear in the eye. Sit him next to you and acknowledge him. Don't let him flex his muscles under the sofa.

Imagine him sitting in the room with you. Well yeah, you have it. He's sitting next to him. You can imagine that what you are afraid of has already happened to you. Agree with this. But right after that think: “Despite this situation, how can I continue to be happy? Well, this all happened. What should I do next to live happily?”

Reducing fear

If you don’t know how to overcome the fear of driving a car for a beginner: a woman or a man, the fear of speaking in front of an audience, the fear of flying on an airplane, the fear of childbirth or death, new job or heights, then this is the most simple technique:

First you need to identify your fear. This could be something specific or general. And then you need to pronounce the word loudly, gradually reducing the number of letters in the word:

S T R A X

T R A H

R A X

Repeat this technique as many times as needed until you feel better.

If you are afraid of something specific: an airplane or a dog, then reduce the significance of your word:

DOG

ABOUT B A K A

B A K A

A K A

Within a few minutes, the tension inside should dissipate. But remember that this is just putting a band-aid on open wound. This quick way remove fear, and you need to look for the cause-and-effect relationship deep inside yourself and work through it.

Counting table

Do you know what helps a person overcome fear quickly? A simple counting rhyme that brings the entire body back to normal in a matter of minutes. You need to repeat it until you feel inner comfort. And it sounds like this:

“Out of nine eight, out of eight seven, out of seven six, out of six five, out of five four, out of four three, out of three two, out of two one, out of one none.”

Stray dog

How to overcome fear on your own? The coolest method and adored by many. Even if you are afraid of dogs, do it. Imagine your fear is a stray dog. When she approaches you on the street, what do you do? Someone feeds her, someone strokes her, someone doesn’t pay attention to her and passes by.

Do this with your fear. Well this fear came in the form stray dog. Something is barking, “tap-tap.” What's next? What does he want to say other than “woof-woof”? Well, let him bark to himself. Brush it off and move forward.

No, you can, of course, listen to him what he will say there. But this wastes your energy. You support your fear with your own strength. Do you really need it?

Vein pulsation

Is it possible to overcome the feeling of fear in a few minutes and help yourself, relatives, friends and even a child? Yes, you can. Take a closer look at this very simple technique.

How to overcome fear:

  1. Place your palm around either thumb.
  2. Close your eyes and try to calm your breathing.
  3. Feel the pulsation in your thumb.
  4. Slowly count from 10 to 1.
  5. If you need to repeat, then repeat the count.
  6. Within a few minutes the fear will disappear.

Courage

Courage is the ability to overcome any fear. Everything is simple here: you need to go where you are afraid to go and do what you are afraid of. That's the only way.

Just think, 5 minutes of shame, and then everything will fall into place. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What's bad?

Usually fears are both imaginary and real. Real fears are those when a person is really threatened by something: people, disasters, a pack of dogs and other phenomena. But most often we are attacked by far-fetched fears. And they are very nasty, growing like weeds in our minds. They need to be identified and pulled out at the initial stage.

You can write down the answers to this question on a piece of paper. In the end, it turns out that this is not such a terrible thing. Because fear is always the unknown, but here you outline it, give it shape. And he becomes not so sinister. In any case, all this can be survived, you just need a little time and effort.

Typically, when you break it down, most fears come down to fear of death or fear of loss. Not always, but in most cases. Everyone is individual. So this is exactly what you need to work with.

Dust

Another simple technique that helps overcome fear:

  1. Find a comfortable position and close your eyes.
  2. Ask your body: where is the fear?
  3. If the body answered you, then try to imagine what shape, color, and smell the fear has.
  4. You can talk to him, ask where he came from, how old he is.
  5. After you examine it in detail, come up with a way to destroy it.
  6. You can throw it into a magic bin that will recycle everything unnecessary. Cut, chop, shred, burn with any magical tools. There should be nothing left of fear.

Get your adrenaline pumping

Run, dance, jump, walk, hit a punching bag, jump rope - do whatever will get your adrenaline pumping to the maximum. Simple physical exercise help reduce fear by 50-70%.

I'm taller

How to quickly overcome fear? Here's another simple technique:

  1. Imagine the fear opposite you. Find out what its shape, color, smell, how old it is.
  2. Now imagine that you are gradually becoming bigger and bigger.
  3. Now you have already become twice the size of yourself, and then you have reached the size of your room, your house and your city.
  4. Expand until you realize that your fear is just a small grain of sand. And you are more. Above you.

Fears and phobias greatly complicate existence, making it difficult to adequately perceive reality and enjoy life. There are several ways to overcome phobias, but in order to know exactly how to overcome fear, it is important to understand the reasons for its occurrence.

What is fear?

This is one of the strongest human emotions. Fear creates a psychological barrier that is difficult, but quite possible, to overcome on your own.

There are several types of fears:

  1. Congenital;
  2. Acquired in the process of upbringing through the fault of the immediate environment;
  3. Acquired as a result of bad experience;
  4. Irrational fears.

Innate fears– these are practically self-preservation instincts: fear of falling or loud noises. There is no need to overcome them, just control them is enough - after all, absolute fearlessness is also destructive. For example, cremophobia (fear of an abyss, an abyss) is quite understandable and even justified.

Acquired in childhood due to the fault of the surrounding society:

  • Atychiphobia (fear of mistakes, failure);
  • dysmorphophobia (dissatisfaction with one's own appearance);
  • gelotophobia (fear of becoming an object of ridicule or jokes);
  • hipengiophobia;
  • decidophobia (fear of responsibility and decision-making, respectively);

Fear of repeating a bad experience:

  • Dentophobia (internal fear of dentists);
  • nosophobia and nosocomephobia (fear of illness and hospitals, respectively);
  • Gamophobia (fear of marriage);
  • agraphobia (fear of rape, sex, harassment).

These phobias arise as a result of previous unpleasant experiences.

Irrational phobias:

  • Iophobia (fear of poisoning);
  • psychrophobia (fear of cold);
  • megalophobia (fear of large, large-scale objects or objects);
  • gravidophobia (fear of pregnant women);
  • verminophobia (fear of becoming infected with something through bacteria, worms and microbes);
  • crystallophobia or hyalophobia (fear of touching glass products).

These fears are logically inexplicable, it is difficult to understand where they came from, although they can also be overcome, like other phobias.

This is just a short list of phobias inherent in people and recognized International Association Psychiatrists. In fact, the list is much longer, but the reasons for their occurrence (and therefore the methods of getting rid of them) are for the most part similar. Having figured out common system, you can completely overcome any fear on your own.

How to understand the cause of a phobia and overcome it?


First step- this is to try to understand yourself and classify your fear. If you decide to deal with the problem yourself, read the materials on this topic, read articles and publications of psychologists. Although, it is not always possible to understand the information received the first time or it gives a complete picture. For example, you suffer from atychiphobia, have read a couple of articles and already know that its roots go back to childhood, but you cannot understand how exactly it arose.

Psychologists explain– atychophobia, hipengiophobia or decidophobia, as a rule, affects children of overly demanding, authoritarian parents who demand constant success from their child, prevent the manifestation of initiatives, suppress attempts to express desires or claims, solving all life issues for them. All this becomes stronger in the child’s psyche and turns into a fear of acceptance. independent decisions which can lead to failure. Overcoming such fear is more difficult.

Important! In order to overcome this fear, think about your present, list all your achievements that you have the right to be proud of (it’s better to write it down on paper), remember all the situations when you had to make any decisions. After reviewing all this, you will understand that you have long been an adult and independent person responsible for your life.


It would not be amiss to remember that in real life successes always alternate with failures, ups and downs. This will help you overcome self-doubt and overcome phobia.

The same applies to gelotophobia. It is clear that it arises against the background of self-doubt, when in childhood there was already experience of ridicule from classmates. Children are sometimes cruel to each other, and ridicule from adults indicates that they are complex. Gelotophobia needs to be suppressed and simply outgrown. Think about it, you are no longer a frightened child, you are an adult, successful person. By working to improve your self-esteem, you can also overcome your fear of being ridiculed.

It’s a little more difficult to overcome acquired phobias; it’s not just a matter of the subconscious. You have already experienced this situation and are fully aware of the specific emotions. In this case, imagining and replaying the scene on your own will not work to overcome fear. You need to bring logic into play and, based on facts (for example, the percentage probability of the disease returning, in the case of nosophobia), convince yourself that the past should be left behind. Then you will be able to overcome fear.

Causes of irrational fear: how to overcome?

If other types of fears are usually tied to certain objects or cases where various strange, irrational phobias arise - no specialist can say with certainty. This is very individual and depends on many other factors. The vast majority of people themselves do not understand the reason for their fear. What could be dangerous, for example, in a crystal (crystalphobia) vase or in a cheerful yellow color(xanthophobia). There is also globophobia - the fear of balloons. One should not think that a person suffering from globophobia is afraid of the loud sound of a popping balloon. He is afraid of the balls themselves and, seeing them, tries to go around a kilometer away. In these cases, you most likely will not be able to overcome fear on your own. It is better to contact a psychologist who will help overcome it.

Video

Children's fears: treatment

Children also often experience various kinds of fears - fear of the dark or loud noises. But basically, children's fears are of natural origin and do not develop into phobias.

Psychologists have determined what fears are normal for children by age:

  • babies under 2 years old are afraid of loud sounds, strangers, large objects;
  • It is normal for children from 3 to 6 years old to be afraid of imaginary monsters in the closet, ghosts, the dark, and strange sounds. They also do not like to fall asleep alone;
  • at the age of 7-16 years such fears as fear of public speaking, natural disasters, death, illness, loss of loved ones.

Important! All these fears are completely normal and do not indicate any mental disorders child, you don’t even have to try to overcome them.

Ways to overcome fear

First of all, you need to remember that not all fears should be fought - some of them are internal defensive reaction to danger and are important for self-preservation. You just need to learn to control this emotion so that it does not develop into a phobia that complicates your life.


Advice from psychologists will help you overcome the feeling that prevents you from living a full life:

  • How to overcome fear using a gradual method. Suppressing fear gradually leads to great results and does not make you feel stressful situation. For example, when aerophobia(fear of flying, most often manifests itself against the background of a fear of heights) you need to gradually get used to the heights. Try to get as close to the window as possible and look down at the street to overcome fear. When you get used to the sensations, open the window, gradually reach the point of leaning on the windowsill open window(start from the 4th floor and gradually move to higher floors). Don't expect that fear can be completely overcome. Your goal is to make him controllable. At the same time, start looking for information about airplanes and aircraft manufacturing. Facts will help you ensure the safety of the mechanism of this vehicle, overcome fear. By the way, according to statistics, the number of casualties in plane crashes is much less than in car accidents or train crashes. That is, air transport can be called the most safe means movement: the chances of dying during a flight are 1:10,000,000.
  • How to overcome fear with a sharp method. This method advises you to simply make up your mind and do what you are afraid of. Many people say: “I can’t, I don’t want to.” We need to act decisively. The method works when dentophobia. If you are afraid of going to the dentist because of what he has done to you in the past severe pain, choose another dentist and, when you meet, warn him about your concerns. To combat heliophobia (fear of the sun and tanning), read the safety information about being underwater. sun rays and take a step towards the warmth and light of the sun. There is no need to blindly believe information about the harmfulness of UV radiation - sunlight necessary for the life of all living organisms, you just need to follow the rules for staying in the sun and use protective creams.
  • How to overcome fear using a logical method. This method advises discussing your fear with loved ones. For example, with herpetophobia (fear of snakes, reptiles), you can talk about them, study the facts - which types of reptiles are really dangerous to humans, study their color. The next step in overcoming fear will be looking at pictures of snakes and visiting the serpentarium. There you will be completely safe and will be able to overcome your fear. You already understand the types of snakes, and “forewarned is forearmed.” Knowing which reptile poses a threat will help you feel much calmer. This way you can eliminate and overcome your fear.
  • How to overcome fear using self-hypnosis. Is one of the most effective ways conquer your fear. If you suffer from doxophobia (fear of expressing your opinion), remember where it came from. Maybe you were ridiculed for speaking your mind as a child, or even as an adult. Replay that situation in your own way to overcome fear. Imagine that your opinion was heard with respect, or (if you think your previous statement was incorrect) replay your answer in a new way. Write down all your achievements and successes on paper. Think about how many times you have been asked about something, at least in the professional sphere. Every time you need to speak out, think that if you were asked, it means that your opinion is important and necessary for someone. That's all you need to do to overcome your fear of speaking your mind.

When should you see a psychologist?


It's best to try to overcome your fears on your own first. This will significantly increase your self-confidence. But if you feel that your fear is getting out of control and developing into panic attacks, you should contact a specialist.

Symptoms of panic attacks that you need to know to overcome fear:

  • Dizziness;
  • Weakness in the knees;
  • Increased sweating;
  • Trembling in the limbs;
  • Nausea;
  • Difficulty breathing.

Important! In especially severe cases, vomiting and fainting are added. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should not delay visiting a psychologist to overcome your fear.


People who have overcome their fears advise not to give up and overcome them in every possible way.

They shared their experience of overcoming phobias and made a list practical advice how to overcome fear:

  1. Most effective remedy to overcome phobias, gradually and repeatedly expose yourself to the thing you fear in a safe and controlled manner;
  2. Take some time to figure out (identify) your fears and ask yourself why you have them. If you prefer, write down what you come up with and analyze each thought so that you can better understand the cause of your fears and overcome them. This will help reduce their importance and significance, and perhaps completely get rid of them.
  3. Feel free to talk to a family member or friend about the concerns you are experiencing to help overcome your fear. Your loved ones may experience similar fears, or they can help you overcome them. Talking to loved ones may not overcome your fear, but it will certainly ease your anxiety.
  4. If you are afraid of planes, book a short trip to overcome your fear. If you are afraid of dogs or cats, visit an animal shelter. If you are afraid of speaking in front of a large crowd, take part in an event that requires public speaking to overcome your fear. Whatever your fear, face it head on. You need to prove that you are stronger than your fears. This is the only way you can make sure that all the fears in your head are unrealistic and can be overcome;
  5. Be optimistic, try to think only about the good and never predict negative events. You can't control the future, but everyone knows that thoughts have the ability to materialize, especially negative ones. Therefore, enjoy life to quickly overcome fear.

Some useful tips from psychotherapists on how to overcome fear:

  • Never try to overcome your fears with alcohol. It changes mental sensitivity, distorts reality and can push one to commit rash and life-threatening actions;
  • Avoid coffee and caffeinated drinks. It has the ability to excite, increase anxiety, increase heart rate and can cause tremors of the limbs;
  • During panic attack do deep breaths and slow exhalations. Deep breathing has been proven to calm the nerves and help overcome fear;
  • Give yourself sleep and rest sufficient quantity hours;
  • Find an interesting hobby. It will fill your thoughts with enthusiasm and positivity and help you overcome fear.

Conclusion

How to make fear disappear? Try to overcome it as quickly as possible. Even children understand that fears poison life. At the presentation of a social studies lesson in 6th grade, schoolchildren made several wise sayings:

  • “Fear is the weakness and enemy of man”;
  • “Fear prevents you from achieving your desired goals and fulfilling your dreams”;
  • “Fear leads to failure.”

Remember this! A person who has been able to overcome his phobia feels relief and pride. This significantly increases interest in life and chances of success in all areas.