How can I overcome my fears?

Dear worrywart,  

It's normal to experience fear and mild anxiety from time to time. But when thoughts and fears spiral out of control, it may get in the way of daily life and impact your well-being.  

Some people have stronger brain responses to fear in general, but fearful thoughts can also be caused by high stress, lack of sleep, or previous experiences with trauma. You might find that strategies to divert harmful thoughts and relaxation techniques provide some relief. However, if you can’t control your worries, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. Together, you can come up with strategies to stay focused on the present moment and learn to manage your upsetting thoughts. 

Why am I so worried all the time? 

There are many causes of fearful thoughts and certain triggers can make them more intense. Here are some common reasons why you may be experiencing fearful thoughts:  

• Experiencing or witnessing trauma (such as a scary event at home or in your community) 
• Being taught to be afraid of certain things 
• Repeatedly hearing or seeing upsetting information 
• Inheriting genetics from a relative with the same phobia 

List adapted from Cleveland Clinic 

How might your fears show up?  

There are many different patterns that contribute to a feeling of fear and anxiety, and they often overlap. Some of them include: 

• Intrusive thoughts. These are anxiety-inducing or fear-related thoughts that suddenly pop into your mind, even when you’re doing something completely unrelated to the topic. 
• Rumination. This happens when you’re unable to stop thinking about something. The more you think about it, the worse your anxiety gets.  
• Phobias. These are specific severe anxieties or fears related to certain objects or situations. For example, thanatophobia is the fear of death. If someone has this phobia, they might think about death daily, excessively seek confirmation that their loved ones are healthy and safe, search for more information about death, or avoid any situation that reminds them of death.  
• Health anxiety. This anxiety refers to intense fear around developing a disease or health problem. Health anxiety can persist even if someone doesn’t have any symptoms or if they’re cleared by a health care professional.  

Although these are all separate concepts, they can also be related. You might even be feeling a mix of these. Even if you haven’t had negative experiences, you may still experience having fearful thoughts. Scientists have studied the brains of people with severe phobias and health anxiety and have found that those without negative experience have stronger fear responses. Think of this as someone's “fight-or-flight” mode being more easily activated. 

Also, during a particularly stressful period, you might notice yourself feeling more worried. When you’re stressed or sleep deprived, it’s harder for your brain to keep out intrusive thoughts and stay focused on the real world. In this heightened state, you’re also more likely to be reactive to threatening situations, which could affect fearful thoughts. 

How can you manage fearful or anxious thoughts?  

Building a toolkit of strategies can help you counteract fearful thoughts and get them under control. You can use some of these strategies in the moment when you’re having spiraling thoughts. Other approaches could help you lower your baseline of fear overall, which can lower the frequency and severity of fearful thoughts. Some strategies to consider to help calm your nervous system and keep you focused on the present include:  

• Relaxation strategies: Take deep breaths and identify things you can see, hear, or feel around you.  
• Creating routine: Get enough sleep, eat nutritious foods, and incorporate enjoyable activities into your daily life. 
• Positive self-talk: Emphasize that you’re in control and safe. You can try to Repeat reassuring statements might help distract you from a fearful thought like I’m in control and I’m safe, when you notice your thoughts spiraling.  
• Challenging negative thoughts: Think through the evidence to support your worry. Could something else be causing the problem besides illness? Have you eaten today? Are you feeling particularly stressed out?    
• Take notes: Keep a journal to write down your thoughts to break down your fears and find pathways to reframe your worries. 

These strategies are just some examples of how you may address these feelings. You may also find others that help you! 

How are fearful thoughts treated?  

If you notice that your fearful thoughts are blocking everything else out, you might benefit from working with a mental health professional. They can help you identify the root cause of these thoughts and develop strategies to better manage them. 

There are several different approaches to therapy that can identify negative thought patterns and help develop new thoughts to replace them. These include methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychodynamic therapy. When you meet with a professional, they’ll be able to help you identify the approach best suited to your needs.  

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Here’s to holding your worries at bay!