How Fear Can Be Helpful to Your Health

Buddhists say that the 2 roadblocks to happiness are FEAR and ADDICTIONS.

A few days ago, I had an experience which created more fear than I’ve felt in years.  Through a misinterpretation of available information, my husband and I mistakenly believed that our boys had been carried out to sea and drowned.  The ordeal lasted approximately 45 minutes where a phone call to the coast guard was made as sheer panic ensued.  Thankfully, they were safe and sound and this morning we find ourselves grateful for the house-wide clutter created by 2 teenage boys on summer break.

We’ve all had experiences like this. Situations arise that sometimes cause gut-wrenching, teeth clenching, hyperventilating fear on steroids.

Fear has a purpose though.  It causes us to engage, it heightens our senses and it sometimes serves to save our lives.

When we’re in fear, our bodies go through automatic physical changes.  Our adrenal glands produce cortisol, a hormone necessary to engage the fight or flight response.  Our pupils dilate so we can better be in tune with our senses.  Our heart rate and blood pressure increase so that we can divert the blood that’s in our digestive system, to our extremities in order to be faster and stronger.

The physical changes connected to fear are necessary for life-saving purposes.  BUT there’s a time and a place and it’s meant to be temporary.

True fight or flight responses should theoretically occur how often in a lifetime?  Being afraid for our kids, almost being in an accident, feeling threatened…etc…Some might say 5 times, some will say 50 and some will say 500 times in a lifetime.

There are scientists who study the environment’s impact on our genetic expression and health outcomes.  They say that over 50% of us are in a constant state of fear, that our bodies are “stuck” in fight or flight all the time.  This occurs as a result of our environment or because of the way we think or because our bodies can’t bounce back from having been in a state of fear.

If this applies to over 50% of us, no wonder we’re surrounded by digestive issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes (cortisol production increases cholesterol and blood sugar).  These common chronic diseases and conditions are reportedly killing 80% of us.  It’s because of these conditions that for the first time in the history of humankind, children born today aren’t expected to outlive their parents.

Knowing that more than half of us are living in a state of fear and that this stress is killing us, I believe that it’s worth considering whether or not we have fear-based premises and whether or not they’re accurate.   

Fear of illness, fear of failure, fear of others, fear of the ocean, fear of travel, fear of the unknown, fear of losing our loved ones and fear of fear.

What if fear is culturally so prevalent that it’s contagious?  Just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s normaI.  I believe that making a conscious effort to live life to the fullest despite fear can completely change our health outcomes.   

I prefer to trust my body’s innate ability to heal and thrive, to have the courage to try new things, to surf more than ever, to know that the ones I love are meant to shine, to believe that people are inherently good, that the system is set up for us to succeed and that the world is a safe place.

I want my kids to take risks and to make mistakes.  I want them to treat fear as an alarm system rather than a compass.  I make this a priority because I know that their health outcomes depend on it.