A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear
Using Psychology,
Christianity and Non-resistant Methods
Copyright 2003
Stanley Popovich
All rights reserved.
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Ebook ISBNs: 978-1-936127-95-5
1-936127-95-4
This book is dedicated to my family, friends and to God.
Fear is universal. It’s not restricted to any age, class or culture. Everyone deals with fear--in varying forms and intensity--at certain times. For some, it’s easily managed; for others, it’s terrifying and difficult to overcome, if not hopeless.
“Fear,” says Father Howard Campbell, “is a strong force in people’s lives. It’s an emotion based on experience. Certain events, people or encounters may activate fear, which, in turn, may lead to anxiety, worry, and panic.” A Catholic priest for more than fourteen years, Father Howard is currently a pastor in Pennsylvania. He has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in systematic theology and divinity.
Typically, fear creates a sense of personal danger. Elderly people may fear loneliness; young people, rejection; and professionals, failure. In many cases people are afraid of the future, change or difficult situations, such as a finding the right job or developing meaningful relationships.
Fear can be a good thing when it protects people from harm. Parents instill fear and define danger when they teach children not to touch fire, run into the street or play with dangerous animals. But fear can manifest as anxiety or a phobia, says Father Howard, who has considerable experience counseling people facing their fears.
A phobia is a chronic fear based on circumstances that may defy rational or logical thought. A person may be afraid of heights, even though there is no danger of falling. This work doesn’t address phobias or any precursors to mental illness; a person with a particular phobia should see a mental health professional. The author does not intend this work to substitute for using the guidance of a mental health professional.
Rather, this work deals with more generalized fears that are common in daily life and presents a general overview of effective methods to combat those fears. The author is not a professional in the psychology or religious fields; however, through his research, including discussions with professionals in those fields, he summarizes several techniques that are effective in managing persistent fear.
Fear appears in many different forms depending on the person and the situation. The following sections discuss three powerful but different approaches for managing fear:
o General Counseling Techniques
o Asking God’s Help
o Non-resistant Methods
General Counseling Techniques cover a broad range of methods to manage and/or overcome fear. Asking God’s Help encourages the individual to rely on the power of a personal, spiritual relationship with God. Non-resistant Methods are effective when a person’s fear is so strong that it’s extremely difficult to overcome. Instead of fighting it, the person learns to work with it. This work describes how to use the three methods together, followed by a sampling of professional resources and a few Biblical verses that offer particular messages of comfort and inspiration.
General Counseling Methods Of Dealing With Fear
Fighting fear is a complex process, the techniques are many and varied. What works for one person may not work for another. The problem? Determining which method will work in each situation, especially when an individual’s anxiety is so profound that it’s difficult to concentrate on anything but the fear-invoking situation. (Of course, it is always wise to consult a professional psychologist for advice.)
A collection of proactive steps to overcome a particular fear, the General Counseling Techniques include:
o Critical thinking and deductive reasoning
o Build up to the fear in small steps
o How bad do you want it?
o Positive self-talk
o Self imagery
o How to view a problem
o Exercise
Critical Thinking and Deductive Reasoning
For most people, imagination is a wonderful gift. For some, imagination has a dark side, generating terrifying thoughts and anxiety. It can distort thinking, feed fear, and cause worry by making it difficult to determine what is or isn’t real. In order to regain control of those feelings it’s important to focus on getting all of the facts, then use critical thinking and deductive reasoning to come up with ways to manage the fear.
First, find out the source of the fear, then determine the root cause. The reasoning that causes the fear doesn’t have to sound rational; in fact it may seem irrational to others while it’s very real to the affected individual.
Next, it’s important to get all of the facts of the particular situation. This doesn’t get rid of the worry, but can help the individual focus on reality instead of exaggerated assumptions that make no sense. Once the facts are discovered, the individual can focus on the fear that is being experienced and take it apart, piece by piece, using critical thinking and deductive reasoning.