If you’ve ever been in a traumatic situation that caused familiar feelings of fear, it might comfort you to know that this is completely normal.
A traumatic or stressful event such as a relative being seriously ill in hospital, or receiving a phone call telling you that a loved one has been in an accident will usually kickstart the adrenaline putting the body into fight or flight mode.
But while experiencing fear in these circumstances is normal, if you notice you feel nervous, have a pounding heart or experience nausea or sweaty palms long after the event has passed and with no real trigger, it’s time to go deep and get to the bottom of your fear.
It’s important to note that we’re not talking about phobias today. Phobias are part of broader anxiety. While it’s important to do the work around phobias too, for today, we’re responding to the many questions we get about dealing with recurring, untriggered fear daily.
Identify what you’re so afraid of
While the emergency call might have been the trigger, the ongoing fear that stems from this could actually be a re-traumatisation from a past fear.
It’s important to identify whether the fear is in response to the outcome of the event, or whether the event has triggered a past fear that might be completely unrelated.
It can be challenging to experience re-traumatisation because you think the experience is done and then from nowhere, you’re experiencing the fear on a new level.
But this is an important part of the healing experience so we challenge you to be grateful for the opportunity of what the fear is trying to tell you and trust that you’re now growing through this life as you were meant to.
Remember that it’s likely that what’s scaring you has nothing to do with the direct situation so identifying the cause of the fear is an important part of the process.
Be patient
It might take days or even weeks to work through the fear once it reveals itself to you so be patient and thankful for the growing experience with a safe heart knowing you’ll come out the other side a better person because of it.
Trust the process
Identifying the cause of fear and moving through it is a process and it’s important to keep peeling back the layers until you don’t feel the fear anymore. While frightening and overwhelming, fears can be a huge gift in helping you move forward in freedom
Take time out
When you’re in a moment of panic and anxiety, it’s impossible to think straight. Get some air and help regulate the nervous system with deep breathing before trying to do anything. Taking the time will help make decisions with clarity.
Talk about it
Fears are a huge messenger, and you might be too attached to understand the root cause. If the irrational fears persist, speak to a mentor or coach who can help you uncover the root cause of the fear.
While your daily feelings of fear might appear irrational on the surface, no emotions are ever wasted or for no reason. Your fear is a messenger and when you work with it, will help you live the life you were destined to live.
