Fear
Fear is a perfectly normal emotion that everyone can feel, young and old alike. We explain what it is.
How fear feels
Fear can cause all kinds of reactions. Some people shout, others feel “paralyzed,” others sweat 😰, shake, etc.
Since people don’t all have the same perception of danger, the same situation can trigger very different reactions in different people. For example, being on a diving board 5 metres above the pool can make a person afraid if they don’t know how to swim, whereas the same situation could be a stimulating challenge for a diver.
Why fear is useful
Fear is a normal emotion and it’s very valuable since it warns us of dangers ⚠️ encourages us to protect ourselves from them. So in a sense, fear protects us.
What to do when you feel afraid 😱
- Identify. Can you identify the situations that make you afraid? Exactly what are you afraid of?
- Assess. Do you think your fear is justified? If yes, that’s excellent, because it undoubtedly protected you from danger. If not, try to understand why you reacted that way.
- Calm down. Give yourself time to calm down again.
Talk about it. To help yourself, you can talk about the emotions you felt with a person you trust or contact Tel-jeunes. 📱☎️💬
