A recent trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, found us in the fabulous Wizarding World of Harry Potter, amongst the Minions and face-to-face with superheroes. One surprise was a live show of “Fear Factor.” The television show came to life with volunteers as well as actors who faced their fears including high-flying stunts, bug “milkshakes” and scorpions in a box.
It was a surprise to see the Fear Factor attraction because we assumed it was no longer on television. The show aired on NBC in 2001 and ran through 2006. It reappeared from 2011 until 2012 but then aired again in May of this year on MTV. Surprise!
Admittedly, I was never a “Fear Factor” fan, as the name alone was a strong enough deterrent. I didn’t need to visualize my fears and see others face theirs. I always seemed to face my fears in uncontrolled, unexpected environments and seeing staged “interventions” just didn’t appeal.
And that’s the thing with fear. Fear is one emotion we’d usually not like to have, but it is a required emotion. Psychology Today’s article, “7 Things You Need to Know About Fear,” by Theo Tsaousides Ph.D. says while fear can be difficult to face and manage, “eliminating it would be the equivalent of taking down your home alarm system because it sometimes makes loud and irritating sounds.” The state of fear is a must in the correct doses at the correct times. The phrase “Everything in moderation” applies even to fear.
Fear comes from a variety of sources and at a variety of times. Tsaousides says fear is part instinct, part learned, part taught and part imagined (anticipating that something else scary can happen.) When looking at all these possible avenues to fuel fear, it is easy to see why fear is such a complex and difficult-to-manage emotion.
Relationships can be widely affected by, and even cause fear. An obvious scenario of fear is seen in an abusive relationship. Fear stemming from relationship-based events can be a mix of instinctual, learned and imagined. This cocktail of fear factors can cause anxiety, worry, stress…all can be debilitating.
How can you recognize if fear is the main catalyst in your decision-making? I have found myself avoiding situations just because I was afraid of what might happen. Even if I did not know something bad would happen, I would not take the risk. Tsaousides goes on to say that behaviors motivated by fear fall into four types—freeze, fight, flight, or fright. While all types are difficult, fright is the one that, if left in a perpetual state, causes depression, hopelessness and other extreme emotions.
Evaluating your responses to situations is helpful to avoid behaving certain ways because of fear. It helps to think about how much of your life is run by fear. Sometimes speaking with a therapist or counselor helps discover the source of fear and pathways to handling it in a positive and consistent way. Freeing yourself of excessive “fear factors” can make your life more balanced and fulfilling.