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. 📱☎️💬