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Is Fear a Necessary Component of the Human Experience
Introduction
Fear is a vital human emotion that helps keeps individuals from danger and prepares them to take action but at the same time leads to permanent feelings of anxiety. Fear refers to a condition of being worried or afraid about the outcome of something. As human beings, we all face different types of fears through the various stages of our lives. This begs the question as to whether fear is a necessary component of the human experience. Fear has both negative and positive impacts. Fear is not particularly a bad thing; sometimes having fear can also be a good thing. Fear is an emotion triggered by a threat that has been perceived. Fear is a survival mechanism which signals our bodies to react to danger with a flight or fight response, making it essential in keeping people safe. Without a doubt, although fear has its fair share of negative impact on a person’s wellbeing, it is a necessary component of the human experience. This essay explores both the positive and negative impacts of fear on an individual.
Background Information
Fear is a human emotion that is powerful, primitive, and natural. The emotion is a combination of individual emotional response as well as a universal biochemical response. Fear points to the presence of a threat or danger whether psychological or physical. Although at times fear stems from real threats, it can also emanate from dangers that are imagined. Fear can be a symptom of mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, phobia, and social anxiety disorder. Fear has two reactions towards a perceived threat; emotional and biochemical reaction. Furthermore, fear has both emotional and physical symptoms. Each person encounters fear differently. Some of the common symptoms of fear include chills, chest pains, nausea, dry mouth, rapid heartbeat, sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, and an upset stomach. Additionally, fear is also characterized by psychological symptoms of fear such as feeling upset, out of control, overwhelmed, and a feeling of impending death (Dillard, 1011). The diagnosis of fear has to be done by a doctor. They often carry out a physical exam and laboratory tests to ensure the anxiety and fear are not linked to any underlying medical condition. Because fear is largely a complex issue, its causes vary. Some of the common triggers of fear include future events, imagined events, real environmental dangers, the unknown and specific objects or situations including insects, height, and flying.
Supporting Arguments
Fear Helps Keeps Individuals Safe
One of the main reasons why fear is a necessary component of the human experience is that it helps in keeping people safe. Emotions of fear often act as an alarm for any internal danger. Fear compels a person to take action by making prudent and wise decisions. If fear did not exist, it would be impossible for people to live long as they would not be aware of the threats around them. For instance, because of fear, a person darting across a road which is busy is able to react in a split second if they see a speeding car racing towards them. Fear is in this case has a positive outcome. Whenever a person is scared, their body reacts physically to enable them to handle the impending danger in what is called the flight or fight response (Pittig, 120). If fear did not exist, people’s response would be in jeopardy. They would not have the strength, speed, focus, and energy to flee or fight. It is for this reason that fear proves to be a necessary component of the human experience.
In the Right Dose Experiencing Fear is Fun and Exiting
Another reason why emotions of fear are necessary components of the human experience is that in the right dose, fear can be fun and exciting. Notably, many people tend to scare themselves deliberately particularly in horror movies and Halloween. Here you see movie characters riding roller coasters, shooting notorious water rapids, and going sky diving. Whenever people step outside their comfort zone, fear makes them feel alive. For them, it is fun and exciting. They generate excitement which helps them eliminate depression through increasing adrenaline which increases excitement, arousal, and glucose that is converted into energy. The way caffeine puts a person in an optimal state of performance but in high levels is detrimental and can make a person crash, so does fear boost adrenaline. In essence, a dose of fear erases the mind. Thinking of everyday worries and pressures is nearly impossible when a person is feeling scared or experiencing fear.
Fear Enables People to Live Life to the Fullest.
Living life without limitations is another reason why fear is a necessary component of the human experience. Whenever a person is afraid of something, they have a choice; to let the fear stop them or to face the issue head-on and build on the opportunities and possibilities that present themselves in life. When one is afraid, it is a pointer that a section of your life is holding you back. For instance, if a person has a phobia of flying, and they gather the courage to face their fears and step into an airplane, they will get to travel and see the world. Travelling adds to your experiences by creating a varied life which is rather rewarding. It also means living life with fewer regrets.
Fear leads to Empowerment and gives off a Natural High
Another reason why fear is necessary is that it yields empowerment. This is because when a person conquers their fear and they accomplish their goals, it makes them feel empowered. Fear is energy. When a person experiences fear, chemicals such as adrenaline, dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin, and, serotonin are released (Johansson, 265). Serotonin in particular helps the brain to function more efficiently. For instance, a runner that tackles three miles every day is much less likely to perform well if they find an unfamiliar place with precarious footing as it is bound to make them a little scared where they need to focus more. The brain is always seeking new challenges as its key to neuroplasticity. It is natural that every time a person completes a challenge or completes a goal, they feel empowered. The biological high lasts longer than the time one spends feeling scared. Ralph Emerson notes that by the time a person decides to do something that scares them, they have already produced the energy they need to achieve it.
Counterarguments
Chronic Fear has Serious Health Implications
Although fear has the advantage of keeping people safe, empowering people, and enabling them to live life to the fullest, it also bears an equal share of downsides. When people live in constant fear, both their physical and mental well-being is at risk. Fear makes the immune system weak which is likely to cause cardiovascular damage, fertility problems, and gastrointestinal problems including irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers. These problems have been linked with premature death and accelerated aging. Fear also has direct implications on the memory. It impairs the development of long-term memories and causes damage to various parts of the brain including the hippocampus. This makes the process of regulating fear difficult and makes the person anxious the majority of the time. For someone who is living in constant fear, the world is a scary place for and memories they have can confirm it. Additionally, fear interrupts the processes occurring in the brain of an individual which allow them to act ethically, control emotions, reflect before acting, and make sense of non-verbal cues and other information relayed to them. Fear impacts the thinking and decision-making process negatively, leaving a person highly susceptible to impulsive reactions and intense emotions. These impacts can paralyze a person’s ability to react appropriately to a situation. Worth noting, fear has been linked with long-term consequences on mental health such as clinical depression, fatigue, and post-stress traumatic disorder (PTSD). Without a doubt, the above-mentioned health implications can be dire for individuals that are struggling to manage fear. Although chronic fear has serious health implications, the positive implications of fear cannot be ignored. The advantages of fear outweigh the disadvantages making fear a necessary component of the human experience.
Conclusion
Fear is a natural, primitive, and powerful human emotion. Fear refers to a condition of being worried or afraid about the outcome of something. As human beings, we all face different types of fears through the various stages of our lives which begs the question as to whether fear is a necessary component of the human experience. Without a doubt, although fear has its fair share of negative impact on a person’s wellbeing, it is a necessary component of the human experience. Fear is necessary because it helps in keeping people safe and enables people to live life to the fullest. Further, in the right dose, experiencing fear can be fun and exciting. Fear also yields empowerment and gives off a natural high. On the other hand, fear has the disadvantage of causing serious health implications including cardiovascular damage, fertility problems, and gastrointestinal problems. When people live in constant fear, both their physical and mental well-being is at risk.
Works Cited
Dillard, James Price, et al. “Fear responses to threat appeals: Functional form, methodological considerations, and correspondence between static and dynamic data.” Communication Research 44.7 (2017): 997-1018.
Johansson, Maria, et al. “Targeting human fear of large carnivores—Many ideas but few known effects.” Biological Conservation 201 (2016): 261-269.
Pittig, Andre, et al. “The role of associative fear and avoidance learning in anxiety disorders: Gaps and directions for future research.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 88 (2018): 117-140.
