preview

The Complexity Of Fear In Psychology Today By Mary C. Lamia

Decent Essays

The definition of fear is an unpleasant emotion resulting in being afraid of someone or something that is a dangerous threat. However, fear can come in many forms and affect people in several different ways. Fear is evident in all areas of life. Everyone experiences fear whether the outcome is positive or negative. Fear is no doubt inevitable. For example,whenever you have to present a speech, you may fear ridicule or judgement. Or when you are walking to your car late at night by yourself, you fear many dangerous situations that can happen. According to Mary C. Lamia in “The Complexity of Fear” in Psychology Today, fear in terms of psychology is described as the fear of the unknown, fear of death, and catastrophic fear. Mary C. Lamia has found …show more content…

There are three main ways fear can affect people. Fear can give someone the motivation to be heroic in certain situations. Going through positive experiences of fear can make people stronger. Although in other words fear can knock you off guard causing you to become very over emotional. Being over emotional can have serious negative health effects. Lastly, fear can send you into a flight or fight mode where you abandon your basic morals and ethics due to how catastrophic the fear is. Of course fear can have thousands of impacts, but these are the main effects that come with feeling the emotion of fear. In order to turn fear into a positive one must learn to recognize when it is appropriate to take a different approach to the fearful situation. When you start to fear something and it takes hold of you, that is when fear can be used to motivate people to do the right thing. Doing the right thing may result in someone making heroic choices in life threatening situations. During 9/11 on the plane United 53, Flight 93, which was a Boeing 757, hijackers took over the cockpit around nine in the morning. This is when fear began to set in. Passengers feared for their lives and loved ones' lives on the plane also.

Get Access