Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, in his first inaugural address, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. I wonder why. Fear is normal, fear is helpful, fear can actually help save our lives! But what if it takes over? What happens if we feel we can’t control it?

The Fear of Fear

Fear is something we all feel at different times and for different reasons. Fear can protect us because it helps us learn to avoid dangerous situations.

But sometimes, we may become afraid of the feelings of fear. Sometimes, we may become afraid that our fear will get out of control and the feelings will never go away.

We become afraid of feeling fear; we develop a fear of fear. This fear of fear is a major aspect of anxiety. Not only do we try to avoid the fearful situation that has started these feelings in the first place, but the feeling of fear also becomes something we want and try to avoid. In fact, this is really the basis of anxiety and panic attacks – the fear of fear. Continue reading →