The dictionary says Fear is a “feeling of danger or that evil is near, an uneasiness, having anxious thoughts.”
FEAR can cripple emotionally and immobilize physically and mentally and cause a sense of “high alert” (the high alert of fear is part of our make up from our beginning, knowing a sense of danger, an out of the normal feeling, which causes a flight or fight response).
FEAR affects our physical, mental, and emotional state and influences our spiritual life. An increase or decrease in faith, doubts, and questions, confusion and a loss of trust in God or (higher power).
FEARS
· of a trigger response from past experiences of loss and trauma (a loss of innocence and World Assumption.)
· can cause anxiety or panic.
· of danger and a person will seek protection.
· that causes adrenalin increase often cause an anger response, like the fuel of a volcano.
· of the unknown.
RESULTS OF FEAR AND ANXIETY FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
PHYSICALLY: Weakens the immune system, can cause cardiovascular damage, gastrointestinal problems, ulcers, irritable bowl syndrome, accelerated aging or premature death
MEMORY: Fear affects the hippocampus and can cause long term memory loss. The brain is also affected in ability to regulate emotions and impacts thinking and decision making.
When death has taken a loved one from us, when life losses have taken from us, we feel a multitude of fears. After a loss we feel helpless, our lives changed forever, how will we survive. We fear the future, we remember the trauma and fear our emotions. We have experienced the Pandemic for a long period of time and again we are filled with fears of death loss, job loss, relationship loss, travel restrictions that do not allow being with dying loved ones. The media’s continual coverage of the trauma causes brains to be on high alert and affects our lives as mentioned previously.
What can we do with fear? Control fear rather than fear controlling us. Recognize where feeling the emotion is in the body and how the emotion is expressed. The cues that our body gives tells us what we are feeling, even though we might not be able to identify it. Now we can work toward “taming” that emotion.
List your fears, specifically, on paper; Your most painful fear, fears that you can do something about, fears that are overwhelming you. Find and share these fears with someone you trust. What may seem silly to others is real to you and you should not feel embarrassed. There is a freedom in being able to share your feelings.
List small steps you can take to conquer your fears. Counsellor or friend may have some suggestions too.
May you seek and find a peaceful place on your grief journey, a place, and a time where you will find someone to companion with you on your journey and find freedom from your fears.
Submitted by : Walking Through Grief Society , Shirley Scott 780-846-2576
Supported by : FCSS City of Lloydminster, Towns of Vermilion and Wainwright, Villages of Kitscoty and Marwayne, County of Vermilion River and donations
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