Why We Feel Fear

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Fear as a Lifesaver

Fear is one of the basic emotions, along with anger, sadness, joy, disgust and surprise. Fear is described as the emotional expression of an "uncanniness" or isolated "exposure" and, like every emotion, consists of a physical component (trembling, racing heart), a cognitive component (thoughts of danger or physical vulnerability) and situational behavior (freezing, fleeing). In its origin, however, feeling fear is quite useful. Early humans could not have survived without fear. Fear is a strong emotional response that warns of risks and can sharpen attention in critical situations. It can be life-saving as a biological warning signal in the face of danger.

Real Fear

Humans, unlike most animals, are born relatively unprotected and unfinished. An innate instinctive protection is only weakly developed, which leads to a long period of vulnerability. If this protection is not adequately provided, fear can develop. Fear can also be learned through upbringing and experience. The dangers of road traffic or a hot stovetop come from learning processes and are useful for averting danger. This is referred to as real fear -- a fear that is ignited by a known or identifiable danger. Real fear is a psycho-socio-biological reaction that is universal across all cultures.

From Real Fear to Fear That Requires Treatment

That we feel fear also has to do with the fact that we, unlike almost all other species on the planet, are aware of our mortality and transience. This awareness gives rise to the most diverse fears, as almost all of them are rooted in the fact that existence or survival is in danger: fear of flying, exam anxiety, presentation anxiety, fear of illness, fear of impoverishment, driving anxiety, fear of loss, and so on.

Redundancy, job loss or a medical diagnosis can lead to real fears in the form of existential anxiety. When the boss announces layoffs, when orders dry up for the self-employed, or when one's own business is doing poorly, realities change and real risks can give rise to fears. This always happens when creative solution-finding processes no longer function.

The loss of economic security, worry about professional advancement or the fear of failure can lead to overwhelming thought constructs or major emotional outbursts such as anxiety states or panic. When you can barely find your way out of these and they increase in intensity or frequency, you should seek help to cope with them.

Related Topics

• Understanding Panic Attacks – Building deeper understanding
• Facing Fear of Death – Background on fear of death
• Anxiety and Panic – Topic page on anxiety and panic
• Fears at Work – What blocks us at work