Five Tips For Helping Overcome A Fear In Adulthood

Fear is something that many people have and it’s not something to feel shame over. This fear can be something that’s physical or non-physical and many of us will have a number of fears. Some of those are manageable to get rid of without much help and others may need more assistance.

There are some that can just live with the fear but if it’s something that needs to be tackled for peace of mind and control, then there are a few tips worth knowing. Here’s how to help overcome fear in adulthood.

Understand where the fear comes from

Where does the fear come from? For some, it’s a fear that’s been deeply rooted in a childhood event. This might have been so traumatic that it has since developed into a fear that has become worse over time. From being afraid of spiders whether it’s a house spider to the goliath bird eater, to a fear of rejection.

All these fears aren’t something that a person is born with, they come from life experience. It is possible that fears can also be passed on by others who whom there’s been direct contact. Some witness another person’s reaction to fear and therefore become fearful themselves. 

Identifying the fear can help tackle it when trying to overcome it as an adult.

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Breathe through the panic

Try not to panic. Yes, that’s easier said than done but a lot of fears can cause panic, which can make the body react as a result.

A good way to help with panic is to breathe. Breathing, although a very obvious thing to do, is a good way of calming the body and mind so that the fear can be approached with more stability.

Try exposure therapy

Exposure therapy is often helpful for phobias, rather than fears. With fear, it can often be better to have a sit down with a therapist to talk it through instead.

With exposure therapy, it sounds exactly like what a person would expect. The person is exposed to fear, whether it is a physical one or a mental one. For example, if someone has a fear of planes, exposure therapy would consist of flying on planes and having guided therapy to help overcome the emotional aspect of it all.

Consider what it is that’s making you panic

What is it that’s making you panic? There may be reasons why something is causing the panic and if that can be identified, then there may be ways of managing it better. For example, if there’s a fear of tight spaces, then it may be that the person makes steps to combat the triggers that cause the panic to set in.

Don’t be upset with setbacks

Everyone has setbacks when it comes to a fear. It’s likely to happen, otherwise, it wouldn’t be a fear in the first place. Understand that it’s a process and for some fears, it can take more time than others.

These tips will certainly help with fear that has emerged from childhood trauma or through adulthood experiences.