Fear

CHAPTER ONE

WHAT IS FEAR?

The coward and the hero both feel the same feelings, (of fear) the only difference between the two is that the hero handles the feelings and the coward does not. Cus Damatio (trainer to Mike Tyson)

What is it? What is fear? How can one define it? The English dictionary informs us that fear is:
An unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.

In layman's terms when the brain senses danger it triggers adrenalin, this being a human turbo charge, brought on by awareness/anticipation to aid fight or flight. This unpleasant, strong emotion often causes terror immobilisation, or the freeze syndrome in the recipient.

Adrenalin is a little like fuel injection or turbo drive in a sports car, action, the metaphoric accelerator.

The car: by engaging the clutch, and pressing the accelerator you will utilise the turbo, and the car will move at speed. However, if you sit at the traffic lights pressing your foot on the accelerator without engaging the clutch, there will be no movement and fuel will be wasted.

The human: by engaging action (fight/flight) you will utilise the turbo drive of adrenalin, and trigger spontaneous response.

However, if action is not engaged and panic sets in, energy will be utilised negatively.

Body accelerators

Positive body accelerator
Your positive body accelerator is action. When you act (engage the clutch), ie. confront your fear, adrenalin is utilised positively, adding vigour to your response.

Negative body accelerator
Your negative body accelerator is panic, caused when the reasoning process mistakes adrenalin for fear. Adrenalin is utilised negatively, leaving the recipient drained of energy and often frozen in the face of ensuing danger.

If you find yourself in a confrontational situation and do not or cannot act, the adrenalin will be gobbled up by increasing panic, this dissipating your turbo blast needlessly and fruitlessly. Like the car, you will be pressing the accelerator without engaging the clutch. Nothing is gained and all is lost.

In the gap between confrontation and action adrenalin can be controlled with deep breathing and knowledge, and the look of fear hidden with the duck syndrome (detailed later).

Through my own search and experimentation I have learned that the explosion inside the stomach that so many people struggle with and that causes the infamous freeze syndrome which begets defeat is adrenalin.

In primeval days when mankind had to fight to live and eat, the feeling of fear was an every day occurrence that would have felt as natural and as common as eating or drinking. In today's society, where confrontation is less tangible, the act of fighting or running for our lives is no longer a part of every day living, so when a situation arises that causes the adrenalin to flow, and because we are so unfamiliar with it (unlike our pre-historic ancestors) we, naturally, neither welcome, use or like it (we panic). Psychologists call it the fight or flight syndrome. In moments of danger/confrontation the body releases chemicals from the adrenal gland that hits and goes through the blood-stream like a speeding train, preparing the body for fight or flight, deeming it stronger, faster and partially, sometimes completely, anaesthetised to pain. The more demanding the situation the bigger the build-up and adrenalin release, the bigger the release the better the performance (run, fight), but by the same count, the bigger the build-up and release, the harder it is to control.

Subsequently, because the adrenalin often lies un-utilised in the body it builds up, like a pressure cooker, and explodes in other aspects of our lives, ie. in the car, road-rage, or in the home, shouting at the wife/husband/children etc.

Adrenalin is released into the body in several ways. I will take them in turn.

Think-confrontation fear
When you anticipate confrontation the body releases adrenalin slowly and often over a long period. The slow release is not so intense as the fast release but, due to its longevity, it can wear and corrode the recipient. Things like anticipation of having to talk in public, an exam, a big sales meeting, a forthcoming karate competition, a planned confrontation with the husband/wife/neighbour/boss etc. will cause slow release often up to months before the expected confrontation.

Pre/post-confrontation fear
When one anticipates the consequence of confrontation, negative or positive, before it even happens, the fear of that consequence, failure, success, humiliation etc. often forces the recipient to abort.

Pre-confrontation fear
Psychologists like to call this adrenal dump, the body guards list it as the WOW factor. The fast release occurs when anticipation is not present, or a situation escalates unexpectedly fast, causing adrenal dump, this feeling is often so intense that the recipient freezes in the face of confrontation, the reasoning process mistaking it for sheer terror. This the most devastating of the three.

Adrenal dump often occurs when a confrontation arises that one was not ready or prepared for, usually the same scenarios as those that cause slow release but with no anticipation. Perhaps you are in a meeting at work and are unexpectedly asked to address those present without any preparation or you are confronted, again without warning, by your boss/neighbour/partner or an attacker etc.

Secondary adrenalin
Before, during or after a confrontation something may happen that you hadn't counted on, the brain sensing this unpreparedness gives the body a second kick of adrenalin that is nearly always misread for fear.

In-confrontation fear
During confrontation you stumble and things are not going to plan, the brain again sensing a danger offers a second kick of a adrenalin to help you out. This offering is misread for fear and panic ensues.

Post-confrontation fear - Aftermath.
After confrontation, whether successful or not, the body often secretes slow releases of adrenalin in anticipation of consequence. In attack situations consequence may be police involvement, revenge attacks etc. In business, the consequence may be the result of a decision that could bankrupt your company.

Adrenal Combo
Those working/living in a stress related environment, the stock exchange, business, security etc. may experience a combination (combo) of the latter. There is slow release because they anticipate confrontation, adrenal dump when situations unexpectedly occur in their environment and aftermath, in relation to situations that have already happened.

The duck syndrome
In many aspects of confrontation, certainly business and combat, it can be to the recipient's detriment to show that he is suffering the ills of fear, this often being construed as a weak link. In such circumstances it would be wise to hide the effects of adrenalin. Even in nature a dog will attack when he senses fear, the same can be said in all walks of life from selling to combat.

A duck will appear to glide through the water with grace and elegance. Under the water his little webbed feet will be going like the clappers. When you understand and can control the adrenal flow it is possible to hide adrenal reaction ('going like the clappers') by appearing unmoved and calm. This deceives those around you into believing that you are not scared. As an old sage once said, 'When ignorance is mutual, confidence is king.'

As I mentioned before, recognising the feeling of fear and understanding its mechanics will help to minimise its shock impetus.
These are the possible, natural bodily reactions to adrenalin:

Pre fight shakes
Your legs, and possibly other limbs, may shake uncontrollably.

Dry mouth
Your mouth may become dry and pasty.

Voice quiver
Your voice may acquire a nervous and audible tremor.

Tunnel vision
On the positive side tunnel vision enhances visual concentration. Its negative by-product is blinkering of peripheral vision.

Sweaty palms and forehead
The palms of the hands and forehead often sweat profusely.

Nausea
Adrenalin may cause vomiting, or the feeling of vomiting.

Bowel loosening
The recipient may experience constant urges to use the toilet.

'Yellow' fever
Adrenalin, certainly adrenal dump, evokes feelings of helplessness and abject terror. Fear of confrontation may bring on an extreme feeling of depression and foreboding. Tears may also occur.

Time distortion
Many reported that confrontation seemed to last an eternity, when in reality it may have only lasted a few minutes. During confrontation time can appear to stand still, one minute often feeling like one hour. Paradoxically, in retrospect, many have said, 'It all happened so fast'. When interviewing James, the victim of an unsolicited assault, he initially told me that he was attacked without warning. After talking to him at some length it turned out that, between first seeing his attackers and the attack itself, there was a time lapse of 11 seconds, this being lost to time distortion.

Restless nights
Many suffer from restless nights when experiencing slow release and aftermath.

No appetite
Appetite tends to lessen, often resulting in weight loss, especially with slow release and aftermath.

Increased heart rate
Due to the turbo drive of adrenalin the heart rate often increases to what the recipient may feel is an abnormal level, some may even experience chest pains as a result of tenseness in the pectoral region.

Depression
As a result of all the inner turmoil brought on by anticipation depression often occurs.

These are not the only bodily reactions to adrenalin, though they are certainly the main ones. Other reactions may occur as a direct result of confrontation.

All of the forgoing feelings are usual. Accept and ignore them whenever possible, they are all part and parcel of adrenal reaction and, though unpleasant, quite natural. The feelings cannot hurt or harm you and they do lessen in intensity as you become more exposed to them.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.
Franklin D Roosevelt.