FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN

***Fear of the Unknown*** 

What is FEAR? 

An unpleasant feeling triggered by the perception of danger, real or imagined. 

Fear is the most general term and implies anxiety and usually a loss of courage. 

What is UNKNOWN? 

unknown; unidentified; little known 

In algebra, A variable (usually x, y, or z) whose value is to be found. Anything, place, or situation about which nothing is known; an unknown fact or piece of information. 

A nonentity is a person who has no identity.

The psychological term for fear of the unknown is "xenophobia." 

Now according to WIKIPEDIA;

Xenophobia (from Ancient Greek (xénos) "strange, foreign, alien", and (phóbos) "fear")) is the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange. It is an expression of perceived conflict between an ingroup and an outgroup and may manifest as suspicion of one of the other's activities, a desire to eliminate their presence, and a fear of losing national, ethnic, or racial identity. 

Fear is an alien to us humans because if a new born can actually speak, he or she will define what fear is. From the moment a child is born, fear creeps in, and just because of that, the baby cries out, for he or she is in an unknown environment and doesn't know what will become of them right here in this world. 

 

Come to think of it, it sounds funny now that I view it this way. Fear is what welcomes every child into the world because no child comes out smiling, and I am sure if any does, it will look strange, and I am sure the nurse will definitely do something to make such a child cry. 

Being rich doesn't make you fearless. Even the best of us fear one thing or the other, and it's been that way for generations till now. I want to believe that one fear everyone in life has is failing. For example, 

1. If you have a promotional exam 

2. If you meet a girl you genuinely like and care about but have yet to officially ask her out and transition from being a friend to a lover, 

3. If you lose your love to someone else in a crowd of many beautiful and handsome people, etc., What Does Fear Do to Us?

 

WHAT DOES FEAR DO TO US? 

1. Fear can make you foggy because some parts of your brain are firing on all cylinders while others are shutting down.When the area of the brain that harnesses reasoning and judgment becomes impaired, it’s difficult to make good decisions or think clearly. As a result, you might start finding yourself doing the wrong thing that you normally wouldn't have done if you weren't afraid. 

For example, a swimmer who once had an accident with water and now suddenly finds himself learning again... 

2. It can make us lose confidence in ourselves and believe we can't do what we have practiced a hundred and ninety-nine times and got it 100%.

3. It can cause heartbeats to go 10 times their normal time and cause heart-attacks.

4. Fear can kill if it is not controlled. 

5. Fear can also cause depression when you don't talk it out with professionals or other people, or better yet, pray to God to help out. Why do we fear so much

 

IS FEAR NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE? 

This is a tricky question to ask, but for example, 

I am never afraid to talk to a lady, but am very much afraid to talk to or ask out a lady I care about. Why is that...? My response is that I can handle rejection from any lady except her.

I don't know how many people have watched this dreadful movie, Final Destination 1-5. 

I am a movie freak and I have seen lots of dreadful movies also, but this movie got me so fearful that I was vigilant and very careful about my surroundings because you don't know what can lead to one's death at anytime, just like in the movie "FINAL DESTINATION." It took me a week to be able to continue watching parts 2–5 and I loved and have watched it again and again. 

I have heard a lot of people talk about how scary the plane is. When the plane is to fly and when it's in the air and when it's coming down, lots of people urinate on themselves and others will be afraid of their lives etc., but for me, it was like it should never end because I have feared and conquered the fear of heights or planes in my mind, so I, for one person, enjoy flying but can never travel by road because I have yet to conquer that part of my life. Is fear negative or positive?

 

Fear is neither of these things; it is what it is in people; fear can be inappropriate (negative).

For example, we might experience a rush of terror while watching a slasher movie, even though we know that the monster is an actor in makeup and that the blood is not real. 

For instance, road travel for me is a no-go area because of the many insecurity issues in this country, while some other people, even if you offer to pay for their flight ticket, love travelling by road because it's electrifying and a good experience for them. 

For instance, hearing footsteps inside your house when you know that you are the only one home is a valid reason to be terrified. 

Many individuals are just afraid of everything, e.g. spiders, clowns, paper, or carpets, and this significantly impacts people’s lives. 

My sister's baby growing up was always afraid of entering a car, but now he loves it. How do we overcome fear

 

HOW DO WE OVERCOME FEAR?

2 Timothy 1:17- For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

I want to translate this to human general knowledge.

MIND OVER MATTERS 

Used to describe a situation in which someone is able to control a physical condition (FEAR), problem, etc., by using their mind. Their ability to keep going even when they are tired or afraid is a simple question of mind over matter. 

Some individuals use fear as a weapon to achieve their goals (MIND OVER MATTER). 

1. Someone who is afraid of heights but went skydiving or jumping out of a plane despite their fear. 

2. Someone who used to despise water but now swims and earns a living from it, and so on.

N.B. 

We all have to face that which we fear, and yes, even if you get a NO or fail, you try again because if you quit, then you are a failure. Set your mind to it and pray to God for the courage to channel your fear to making a better result.

Author: Damsky Bola

Email: damskybola10@gmail.com 

Instagram/Twitter: Damskybola10 

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