Face the new year FEAR FREE!
Cliclinicalil psychologisthl it JUDY CHAN shares how w to tackle your worries WEEK 1
Whether it’s heights, public speaking, creepy-crawlies or flying, we all have a fear of something!
And while it’s totally normal to be scared of certain objects or situations, it is possible to overcome some of the crippling fears that could be hindering you from living your best life.
Clinical psychologist Judy Chan, from Sydney’s Wesley Hospital, offers some advice to help you embrace what you’re afraid of.
HOW FEAR WORKS
Of course we’re all different, so the way we perceive fear and what threatens us will vary between each person.
“Fear arises from how we perceive threat and/or danger,” says Judy. “The word ‘perceive’ is very important because the threat or danger a person experiences may not be real or actually present, or the threat is present but the likelihood of it happening may be exaggerated in the person’s mind.”
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
“When a person perceives fear, the brain will trigger a ‘fight or flight’ response to protect them from harm.”
For example, Judy explains a person might perceive small spaces as threatening, because they think the room is claustrophobic, and it will lead them to have difficulty breathing. This then heightens their sensation of fear, due to feelings of discomfort.
Another example is a person perceiving going into an elevator as a threat, because they worries the lift might malfunction and they won’t be able to get out.
“The perception of threat or danger is not necessarily a danger to one’s life, but it can be a threat to one’s self-worth or self-esteem,” says Judy.
FACE IT
Judy explains that to overcome an irrational fear, you need to face what you fear in a graded and systematic way.
“This involves breaking down the situation you are presented with in a step-by-step manner, starting by addressing your leastfeared step,” she says. “Once you do this, you’ll gradually build your confidence to face and overcome the next step.”
SPEECH FREEZE
Let’s use the fear of public speaking as an example.
“For an individual to face this fear in a hierarchical manner, it could involve having a prepared speech that they can practise in front of a mirror, then using this same speech to practise in front of one person,” says Judy.
“Once they’ve addressed their speech to one person, they can practise delivering it to more people, and continue to focus on building their audience.
“While this hierarchical approach may seem relatively straightforward, the processes will differ from person to person. However, in every case, each step must be repeated and mastered before the next step is attempted.”
WHAT NOT TO DO
First things first, don’t tackle your biggest and most complex fear too soon! “The one thing people should try to avoid when facing their fears is ‘flooding’ – a process where we face our