Fear is a feeling of distress caused by impending danger. It is first and foremost a key part of human nature and is an evolutionarily adaptive mechanism. Fear primes both the body and mind to deal with perceived threats. We are prepared to do one of two things: fight-or-flight. With proper judgment on the threat, we can live to see another day. As fears are studied, it becomes apparent that survival-based fears like a fear of dangerous animals or a fear of heights are more common. These fears helped people to recognize dangers and stay alive.
Nobody of sane mind wants to die. It is this feeling of life vs. death that traces all fear back to the fear of death. Those who fear snakes believe that snakes will kill them. Those who fear heights believe that they will eventually fall off and die. Those who fear public speaking believe that they will die of embarrassment. Death is the root of all fear.
However, there are many fears that will not kill us, so is there any evolutionary significance of having them? Not really. This is where the term ‘phobia’ comes in. Phobias are irrational fears that generate excessive amounts of distress. As with all adaptive traits, extreme versions turn into disorders. For example, being cautious is good for watching your back, but too much can lead to paranoia and possibly something like schizophrenia. Anxiety acts as a coping mechanism, but too much can lead to panic attacks and anxiety disorders.
Here is where we take a look at some terms related to fear. Of particular importance is the difference between fear and anxiety. Fears can be linked to something specific, while anxiety does not, especially at more extreme versions. Although they are not the same, they can occur together. Terror is an extreme level of fear that focuses the senses and cognition onto the fear and shuts out all external stimuli. This is quite common with phobias, especially with increasing proximity to the feared stimulus. Panic is an extreme state of anxiety that replaces fear that prevents logical thought and impairs judgment on fight-or-flight. Paranoia is an irrational fear of persecution, and is likely to be accompanied by other psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.
There are two main ways a fear can appear. First is instinct. Instinctual fears are not necessarily shared by everyone, but are present from birth. Examples include fear of the dark and fear of falling. Second is by learning. Through bad experiences with some stimulus, people can become conditioned to fear it. This is easier to reverse than instinctual fears as understanding how the fear came about goes a long way in treating it.
The main biological structure involved in fear is the amygdala, located bilaterally within the medial temporal lobes of the brain and are a part of the limbic system. Increasing activation of the amygdala is consistent with increasing levels of fear. Not only is the amygdala important in the production of fear, it is also important for learning fear. Those with amygdala damage have trouble associating something as predicting a danger.
Toxoplasma gondii is an interesting protozoan that infects many mammals but can only reproduce in cats. These parasites can enter a rat, and damage its amygdala. This causes the rat to fearlessly approach a cat, which inevitably causes the cat to eat the rat, allowing the parasite to reproduce.
The amygdala also plays a role in recognizing the expression of fear. People with amygdala damage who can more or less recognize other emotions like happiness, sadness, and disgust, have some trouble recognizing anger and surprise, and a lot of trouble recognizing fear. It is entirely possible that the cognitive aspect of recognizing fear has been impaired, but there is another explanation. Those with damage focus on the nose and mouths of faces, but fear is expressed mostly from the eyes. Perhaps fear is based not just on our own thinking, but on how we perceive our world as well.
Fear: we don’t want to have it, but we can’t live without it. It is a part of human nature, and it helps to keep you and me alive. Don’t fear fear itself; embrace it.
