Being a social creature, a person can still have ambivalent attitudes towards other people. Fear of people - as a type of social fear - is increasingly found in society and has an impact on people's mental health.
The specifics of anthropophobia become clearer if we monitor the behavior of a person with fear of people:
- awkwardness (stiffness) of movements and behavioral reactions in public places (“in public”) - anthropophobes always think that they will be ridiculed, that there is something wrong with their clothes, appearance, actions;
- excessive anxiety during or before communication (even ordinary), avoidance of “meeting gazes” - people with fear of others always experience discomfort when talking with someone (palms sweat, heart beats intensely, breathing becomes erratic), they try to end the interaction as quickly as possible;
- confusion of speech and manner of expressing judgments - such people confuse themselves, jump from thought to thought, drop something or bump into something, this makes them even more worried, stammering and confused;
- panic stupor may occur - a feeling of panic is experienced simply from the thought of possible participation in a public event, about communicating with many people, or about a future performance;
- drawing up “scenarios” to avoid even the very hint of a situation of interaction with others.
Fear of people differs from social phobia in the following ways:
- fear of all people without exception;
- closed lifestyle, voluntary seclusion;
- excessive control and sensitivity when personal space is violated.
With anthropophobia, another interesting detail of fear may arise - selective fear. It manifests itself in fear of certain specific individuals: obese women, foreigners, noisy children, loud men, old women, gypsies, homeless people, etc.
Definition of disorder
A person who constantly lives with a phobia becomes insecure: he is afraid of any emergencies, changes in life, sudden developments of good or bad events. Constant fears prevent him from living and developing fully. Often people with bouts of fear become failures in life - they begin to fear everything that happens around them.
Two types of phobias are characteristic of childhood:
- fear of falling from a height;
- fear of loud sounds.
In adults, this reaction of the body can be varied. To overcome fear, a person first needs to determine the cause of its occurrence.
In itself, such a reaction to danger is adequate. This is a kind of protective barrier that helps a person protect himself and others from the negative impact of external factors. There is no need to fight him. Fear, which prevents a person from living and working normally and contributes to serious mental disorders, must be eradicated.
Types of fears
Let us consider below what types of fears are most widespread in medical practice.
Existential
This group includes fear of death, the inevitability of time and other similar phobias. Their development is based on a person’s internal experiences, his peculiarities of perception of the world.
Social
Such phobias develop against the backdrop of society’s reactions to a person: fear of being unpleasant in society and spoiling one’s reputation. If a person has these signs, then this indicates that he is inclined to form social fears. The most common fears of this group:
- stage fright;
- fear of speaking in public;
- ereitophobia;
- scoptophobia.
A psychologist helps combat fears of this type.
Biological
This group includes all fears that provoke in a person the fear of developing diseases, contracting viruses, infections, fear of feeling pain, suffering and strong experiences. Vivid examples of such fears are cancerophobia and cardiophobia.
Most often, people exhibit the following types of fears:
- lose someone close to you;
- diffidence;
- change;
- loneliness;
- illness;
- failures;
- To lose a job.
All of the above fears are curable. It is very important to act correctly in their treatment and follow all doctor’s recommendations.
Relaxation techniques and challenging yourself
There are special exercises to overcome fears. A person must learn to accept negative emotions. She needs to face it. If a person is afraid to even think about his fear, he makes the situation worse. You can't run from him. You have to accept that there are certain situations that are scary. For example, this could be flying on an airplane. This will not allow you to travel to other countries. A person loses certain opportunities. You need to come to terms with the idea that sooner or later you will have to fly on an airplane.
A good exercise in this case is the relaxation technique. If a wave of anxiety or panic comes over you, you need to calm down by focusing on your breathing. It should be measured and even. A few minutes after breathing exercises, mental balance is restored. A person will be able to think soberly, taking control of the situation. You can also count in your head. The numbers are spoken slowly. Simple exercises can help you get rid of fear.
Another technique that allows you to overcome fears is challenging yourself. A person must understand what he is afraid of. By visualizing your fear, you can challenge it, start fighting it as if it were your worst enemy. If you are afraid of some action, you need to perform it. It will be quite difficult. However, over time, a person will be able to completely overcome the unpleasant feeling. For example, if you have a fear of spiders, you need to start small. First you just need to go into the room in which this insect is. When a person is able to enter the room, he has already partially overcome his fear.
Then, after a while, you need to pull yourself together and approach the spider. You can consider it. This procedure is carried out until the fear goes away completely. After this comes the most difficult thing - you need to take the spider in your hand. To do this, you can ask your loved ones to help in such a matter. The person is blindfolded, and someone close to him holds a model of a spider in his hand. At the same time, a person should imagine how he approaches the spider and then takes it in his hand. After such training, you can approach a real spider. After this, you will be able to cope with fear.
Symptoms
A pathological reaction of the body worsens a person’s quality of life and negatively affects relationships in the family and at work. The life of a person living in a world of constant experiences becomes limited, constrained and meager.
At an advanced stage, fear completely covers a person’s consciousness and drives him into a stupor. As a result of such a reaction, a person develops serious disorders not only in the psyche, but also in physiology. The main symptoms of phobias:
- blood pressure destabilization;
- deep depression;
- adrenaline rush;
- in women - premature onset of menstruation;
- stomach upset;
- dryness and lump in the mouth;
- constant panic attacks;
- cardiopalmus;
- trembling of limbs;
- paleness of the skin;
- deterioration of general condition;
- increased sweating.
These signs appear in almost all types of fear. Having discovered them in yourself, you need to take action to eradicate the problem. Whether these symptoms appear partially or completely depends on the person’s physiology, as well as his or her characteristics of responding to stressful situations.
What is it: fears and anxieties
If a person were fearless, then he would become like a robot, without feelings and an emotional component. Of course, this option automatically removes many difficulties, but at the same time it provokes a lack of sincerity. But what you really need to understand is how to stop being afraid of the worries themselves. To do this, it is worth delving into the concept and from it identifying a method of struggle. The sensation appears as a normal reaction in the presence of real danger to a person. But if it exists on a subconscious level, then the help of a psychologist will be needed.
Fear brought to an advanced state manifests itself not only in the form of internal tension or anxiety. It often provokes panic attacks. All this makes the individual feel terrible discomfort in stressful situations. If we talk about physiology, then the heart rate increases, increased sweating, and migraines appear. You may feel almost faint. But the natural purpose of fear is to protect against rash actions that pose a real threat to life. But when emotions get out of control, it’s worth thinking about what to do so as not to be afraid.
Causes
The deterioration of a person’s general condition against the background of various fears is caused by several factors. Only sometimes can the development of phobias be caused by one of the above factors.
Let us consider in detail what makes a person experience anxiety and fear, think about bad and scary things.
Organic pathology
In this case, the cause of acquiring fears or phobias may be unpleasant events and sensations in the past. Trauma, infection of the brain and changes in its structure, which can be seen in the image, provoke the development of pathological fear in a person.
Genetics
This is the case when all fears are inherited. Research has proven that the development of genetic fear is possible. Any fear that was observed in the family will manifest itself in the younger generation. Experts say that such a reaction of the body can manifest itself both in childhood and in adulthood.
Stressful situations
The feeling of fear can also develop at the subconscious level. A person who once experienced severe stress due to an unpleasant situation begins to experience a fear of its reoccurrence. Prolonged anxiety can cause the development of a persistent psychological disorder.
Let's consider several effective ways and techniques to eliminate this problem in children and adults.
Introspection
The first step is to figure out what exactly you are ashamed of about yourself. On a blank sheet of paper you need to write down all the factors that cause you embarrassment. It is very important to remember that the reason for the development of such fear is you yourself, and not the world around you. Having identified the weaknesses through psychoanalysis, you can move on to the next stage.
Opinions of others
If you think that the people around you think about your every action and deed, then you are deeply mistaken. The thought of what others will think of you should be eradicated.
Communication
If you don’t know how to overcome embarrassment, you should definitely do the following - start communicating not with bad people, but with good people. Learn to listen to them and become a good conversationalist. In this way you can get rid of shyness, self-doubt and feel comfortable in society.
Self-development
To learn to overcome fear and phobias, you need to work on yourself. Everything that you are not happy with about yourself can be corrected (appearance, voice, gait, figure, clothes, etc.). This fight against fear helps to dull suspiciousness, timidity and self-doubt. A person who is positive and works on himself has increased self-esteem.
Structuring personality
Take a blank sheet of paper and a pen. Write on it all the qualities that you would like to develop in yourself. Place the information sheet in a visible place and read it to yourself three times every morning and very loudly. Self-hypnosis psychotherapy begins to work quickly, and you will feel yourself becoming a liberated and self-confident person: things will improve at work and in communicating with people, you will be able to live differently.
Durability
How you are perceived well in society largely depends on your behavior. When you get into a company of people, try to do everything right: speak with confidence, maintain your posture, look people in the eyes when talking, speak clearly.
Success
Don't forget about all the victories you achieved along the way to fixing the problem. You can do this in the following way: write down in your diary all the complexes that you have overcome. This will give you even more confidence and will be a great incentive to move on.
Appearance and style
In our society, it is customary to meet a person by his appearance, so give this point its due. Find someone who knows fashion and beauty. If you look beautiful and tasteful, it will significantly increase your self-esteem and eliminate your inferiority complex.
Anyone who follows these rules will never have the idea of how to overcome their own fear.
What's bad?
Usually fears are both imaginary and real. Real fears are those when a person is really threatened by something: people, disasters, a pack of dogs and other phenomena. But most often we are attacked by far-fetched fears. And they are very nasty, growing like weeds in our minds. They need to be identified and pulled out at the initial stage.
It is recommended to ask yourself one simple question: “What is the worst thing that will happen if this happens to me?”
You can write down the answers to this question on a piece of paper. In the end, it turns out that this is not such a terrible thing. Because fear is always the unknown, but here you outline it, give it shape. And he becomes not so sinister. In any case, all this can be survived, you just need a little time and effort.
Typically, when you break it down, most fears come down to fear of death or fear of loss. Not always, but in most cases. Everyone is individual. So this is exactly what you need to work with.
This technique is not recommended for emotional people with good visualization and panic attacks. They are the ones who are able to spin the situation in a completely different direction and attract this event to themselves.
Neurolinguistic programming
This system, developed by scientist Richard Bandler, helps relieve a person of fear when other methods and methods are powerless. Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) is one of the areas of psychology that studies people’s life experiences, their skills, and beliefs. The task of an NLP specialist is to put a ready-made and effective model of behavior into a person’s consciousness.
Perfect qualities replace bad habits, actions, complexes and fears. As a result of this, a person becomes successful, relaxed and experiences the whole taste of life in a new way, forgetting about his fears and phobias.
Operating principle
Only masters of their craft undertake such a fight against internal fears, since this is delicate work with the patient’s psyche. A specialist is able to determine where this or that fear comes from and do everything competently to make it disappear.
NLP uses two effective ways to kill your fear along with attacks and stop experiencing it again:
- pattern break;
- anchor installation.
The essence of the first method is to break all generally accepted patterns that facilitate the work of our consciousness. If these patterns are broken, consciousness loses control for some time, confusion and stupor begin. In such a situation, new thoughts, emotions, actions, and the ability to solve non-standard problems are generated.
The second option on how to overcome fear is to set an anchor. It is associated with something good and positive. It is often associated with pleasant sensations - stroking, hugging.
This effective method is designed to control a person and direct them to where they feel comfortable. The disadvantage of this method is that it quickly becomes addictive. Having overcome fear with the help of an anchor once, a person must repeat its setting several more times. Only in this way will he be able to overcome his cowardice and cope with phobias forever.
Treatment from professionals
What other methods of managing fear are there? First, treatment of phobias with hypnosis. Please note that a hypnotic session must be carried out by a highly qualified specialist, otherwise you will not only not get rid of fear, but will also worsen your condition. Hypnosis treatment is quite effective, but many people who suffer from various phobias do not trust this method, considering it too radical.
Secondly, secret techniques that advise how to get rid of bad thoughts. They include neuro-linguistic programming. This method was invented in the late 60-70s of the twentieth century by R. Bandler. It involves copying the behavior of famous people who have achieved significant success in life, and helps to get rid of strong worries, sudden fear and phobias. NLP is often used by large companies that organize mass trainings for their teams.
You can also calm yourself down with the help of sedatives that act from the inside. They will help improve your psycho-emotional state. Medicines cope especially well with the nervousness that appears in women during menstruation. However, they should be taken with caution, after consulting with your doctor. In addition, drugs remove the external manifestation of fear without eliminating the cause that underlies the phobia.
Many believers advise turning to St. in prayer. Matrona.
Use these methods, and they will definitely help you get rid of fear and make your life happy and joyful! Clearly understand what fear is and how to deal with it, and you will not have problems in the future.
Acupuncture
One of the oldest branches of oriental medicine is acupuncture. Acupuncture will help you overcome fear and stop experiencing it again.
The principle of this technique is to act on all the secret points of the body to restore homeostasis.
Fears with constant attacks, anxiety and fear are the most serious and common mental disorders of modern society. Acupuncture is one of the most effective methods for eliminating phobias and anxiety.
This manipulation relieves stress and normalizes the functioning of internal systems that are upset due to constant psychological disruptions. Acupuncture helps a person cope with inner anxiety and return to a fulfilling lifestyle.
Help from a psychologist in dealing with fears
If you've tried all of the above methods for dealing with anxiety but haven't gotten anywhere, don't worry. It is better to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist.
Often the roots of increased anxiety lie so deep in the subconscious that a person cannot find them on his own. The task of a psychologist is to help a person understand the causes of fear, remove them from the subconscious and teach him to overcome anxiety.
Some people are embarrassed to seek help from a psychologist. Do not do this. You are not embarrassed by a therapist or a dentist, but a psychologist is the same specialist, only in the field of mental, rather than physical, problems. He will help you deal with your fears and give useful recommendations.
If you can't cope with your anxiety, ask a therapist to prescribe anti-anxiety medications. You can also use folk remedies. Drink decoctions of medicinal herbs that have a sedative effect. These include mint, lemon balm, valerian root, motherwort, and chamomile.
Prayers
There are other ways to overcome fears within yourself and live calmly. Christian prayers that set a person up positively help overcome feelings of fear and anxiety. Compared to other non-productive methods, this treatment system is recognized as effective and fast-acting.
Holy Mother of God
These sacred words addressed to the Mother of God help a person overcome those fears that arose without reason . To relieve nervous tension, get rid of stress and anxiety, the prayer must be read three times.
“Blessed Virgin Mary, rejoice, God is with You. Pious are You and Your Son - Jesus. Help protect our souls from all anxiety, fear and misfortune. Let all fears, fright and the evil eye go away along with pain from our bodies. Amen".
After reading these words, a person needs to visit the church and light a candle at the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To the Honest Cross
This prayer helps to overcome fears associated with danger (disasters, wars, natural disasters). Turning to the honorable cross helps calm a person and return him to a normal lifestyle. To overcome fear with the help of this prayer, you need to light a church candle, place it on the table in front of you and read the following words:
“Protect, O Most High, with the power of Your Life-Giving Cross. Save my body and soul. Let no evil spirits lurk in your belly. I wish that my fear would disappear, that the demon and all the evil spirits that frighten me would not walk around me. Save me from all evil and fear."
In order for the victory over internal fear to be successful, it is necessary to read the prayer to the Honest Cross for three days in a row. Having overcome your fear, you should go to church and light candles to all the heavenly Saints.
Jesus Christ
To relieve any fear, anxiety and severe stress, you need to read a prayer addressed to Jesus Christ.
“Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Help me get rid of all anxiety, fear and fear. Amen".
For peace of mind, many people read the Lord’s Prayer every day. It also helps to overcome human fears and cope with anxiety.
Matrona of Moscow
This powerful prayer helps fight any phobias, fear and cowardice. You need to read the prayer in private and in front of the icon.
“Oh, blessed mother Matronushka, hear me, servant of God (name). Help me get rid of the fears that haunt me. Cleanse my heart, soul and body from evil and bad thoughts. May all evil spirits leave me forever and ever. Amen".
After reading the prayer, you need to place a candle near the image of Matrona for quick relief from fear to take effect.
Non-traditional practitioners (magicians, traditional healers) read this prayer to remove damage, the evil eye and witchcraft. Such a prayer begins to work within a few days after reading it. Having overcome fear in this way, a person stops experiencing it again. Prayer cleanses not only the body, soul, but also a person’s thoughts from all evil spirits and bad thoughts.
Some practicing psychologists use a special book by Vladimir Levi - “Taming Fear”. Anyone who wants to overcome fear or phobia can use this method of fearlessness and confidence on their own at home.
Alternative Methods
Psychology has developed other techniques to get rid of fear. Use these ways to get rid of fear.
- Method 1: How to get rid of fear - just do it. Try to move forward all the time, despite the fact that you are uncomfortable. If you want to succeed in life and realize your dreams, you need to overcome your fear. While you are inactive, negative emotions capture you, driving you into depression and destroying your life. Tell yourself: “I’m scared, but I can do anything!” I can do it! Live without fear! and move forward. This method is especially helpful if you need to get rid of the fear of losing your job.
- Method 2: how to deal with phobias - imagine a scenario. There are different ways to overcome fear. One of the most popular and simplest is to think of what could happen to you if you nevertheless implement your decision, despite the fear. The second way is to imagine the worst possible results. After a person goes through all the worst options, the feeling of fear goes away, because when our thoughts receive concrete embodiment, we cease to be afraid of the unknown, which frightens us in the first place.
- Method 3: how to lose the feeling of fear - make a decision. Doubt is the eternal companion of fear. Having thought through and planned our actions, we make a specific decision on what to do in a given situation. Having decided in which direction to act, we continue to worry, but we no longer experience such panic. It’s not for nothing that people say: “The eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing!”
- Method 4: You can also overcome fear by visualizing success. You need to imagine that all your plans are being successfully implemented and implemented.
- Method 5: cure fear - train courage. In order to get rid of the problem, you must literally cultivate a sense of courage.
You should start small. For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, start by testing your public speaking skills with family members.
Then you can perform in the company of friends and acquaintances, gradually expanding your audience. Once you get used to it, you can start practicing in front of a large audience. Taking slow, small steps will help effectively heal fear.
Treatment of chronic fears
Most fears can develop against the background of low self-esteem and many complexes. One simple technique developed by psychologists will help you overcome the fear of uselessness and loneliness.
This treatment method includes not only work on oneself, but also professional help from a consultant.
There is a certain program of self-improvement that helps cure the patient and help him stop being afraid once and for all:
- Find courage and learn to accept yourself and the current situation. Become yourself. If you receive a refusal to communicate, look at this situation more simply. This approach will help you get out of stress and increase your self-esteem.
- Take the positive aspects out of every situation. You are not always the reason why other people refuse to communicate with you.
- Throw away all the negativity. Stop thinking bad about yourself. A person tuned in to the bad will attract this bad to himself.
- To cure the fear of worthlessness, you must become calm towards people who reject you. Try to attract the attention of positive people and strive to communicate with them. This will give you self-confidence and help you shift negative thoughts.
- In such a situation, you need to put aside all the bad things and try not to think about rejection. Work, study or other activities will help you take your mind off it.
- It is very difficult to force people who have rejected you to communicate with you. Don't worry about it. You should concentrate your attention on those people who value you. This method of treatment will help you quickly remove the fear of uselessness and loneliness, and never face it again.
The role of cognitive distortions in the development of fear
Cognitive distortions (errors in thinking that are common to each of us) give rise to many groundless fears. For example, two people find themselves in the same life situation - they need to propose to their girls. Of course, there is a possibility of failure. But how such a scenario for the development of events is perceived differently depending on the type of person’s thinking.
An optimist will regard refusal as an invitation to work on himself. Find out the reasons why the girl said no. He will try to change in order to achieve a positive response, or decide that it is worth finding another person as a life partner. A pessimist perceives a possible refusal as a life catastrophe, confirmation of his unworthiness. If he is sure that he cannot love anyone else, pictures of forced loneliness will loom in his mind. If, in addition to the above, a person is convinced that “loneliness is terrible,” then imagine the level of panic that will seize him at a crucial moment. Will he even be able to decide to propose and, perhaps, find out the “terrible” truth?
Treatment of childhood phobias
Special techniques have been developed to correct children's fears.
Parents' participation in the developed games is a must as they will need to act properly and gently to quell all the fears that their children have.
The entire course consists of 30 exercises. The main objectives of such classes are:
- gain social trust from the child;
- overcome feelings of fear, doubt, shyness and other phobias;
- develop inner freedom;
- help get rid of negative experiences.
Children's fears are treated correctively and almost always for a long time, not only in specialized centers, but also at home. Having such a course with all the activities in your hands, you can independently help your child stop being afraid.
These simple methods are also used in the autonomous prevention of fears in children. It is important that the parents are sufficiently psychologically autonomous, then the child will copy their behavioral principles and strategies.
Modern technology
How else can you help yourself and remove fear? Take advantage of new technologies! Methods of dealing with fears, which have been developed by specialists, involve getting rid of negative emotions with the help of modern technologies. Today, many different virtual programs have been developed that in real time immerse a person in a scary situation for him, thereby giving him the opportunity to calmly, in a safe environment, analyze his emotions and feelings and learn to cope with a phobia.
By using one of these methods, you can help yourself, improve your life, get rid of cowardice, and also learn how to overcome depression and anxiety.
