What Is Fear and Its Causes - Essay Example

Fear stimulates too certain physical reactions such as fading of facial appearance, widening of eyes and mouth opening, drying of the mouth, raising of eyebrows, the quickening of heart rates,  increasing of blood pressure, tightening of muscles, redirecting of senses, erecting of skin hairs, nervous responses including shaking of hands, etc. One has many fears - fear of death, fear of small creatures and animals like spiders, snakes, lions, tigers, etc., heights, water including swimming, mountains, plane riding, driving, violence, the list is endless. Swimming is feared for drowning which may cause many fatalities and can take away life even.

Causes of fear:

            Some specific fear occurs as a result of learning in one’s life like, if a child falls in a well or pond and finds it very difficult to come out then the child would remain afraid of water until his / her life. Fear sometimes becomes a part of human nature through natural selections like fear from animals, heights, clouds, etc. This human nature fear is also known as preparedness. Some fears occur through historical and cultural influences. Fear from universal truth like fear of death. Fear can be described in degrees from mild to extreme and relates to a variety of emotional states like anxiety. worry, terror, horror, panic attacks, etc. which change the normal behavior. During childhood parents often find it very difficult to consol their children that there is actually no fear despite it becoming a part of the life of the child. Childhood fear can have a negative effect on the growth of the child and may sometimes create problems in his / her life. Like other natural fears, more people are either fear of swimming or afraid of water. It is a natural phenomenon that water holds up the human body and this truth will help to overcome the fear of swimming irrespective of the weight and height of the person

Dealing with fear:

Fear can not be conquered but can be neutralized. Fear is personal and focuses on the

individual. It is highly recommended to share the fear with others who may not just help the victim in return but can benefit them too. There are many ways or approaches to deal with fear:
--  becoming aware of the present situation to resolve to do something about it.

--  type or way of expressing it

--  understanding of the relationship with it.

--  understanding of ways or techniques to reduce it.

It is observed that children remain more interested to learn swimming but they feel nervous and have fear of water. Parents should be polite to make them agree to go and try but should not put any pressure on them. Some following simple steps fear of swimming can be gradually reduced and one can become a swimmer.

--  Children are sometimes scared of drowning, parents should explain safety techniques and calm their fears.

--  Children may start learning to swim in a backyard or wading pool to make bathing safe fun for their first experience of water.

--  Children may start entering in a zero-depth pool to a big pool slowly at safe higher depths using some rubber tubes filled with air in the beginning.

--  Children should not be left unattended while in water or near water and with other children as well. Lifeguards help and can not be relied on. Always remain safe with the children and no room for sorry. The help of toddlers may be taken. Children finally overcome their fears and would start swimming in due course of time.

--  Like children, more adults feel nervous and have fear of water. Adults can acquire knowledge of some scientific principles, physiology, and psychology to avoid fear and would help them to learn swimming.

--  It is necessary for adults to know the breathing techniques to be adopted above and below water, floating process, and efforts to remain standing in a calm and balanced way.

--  Adults may take a few swimming lessons through a qualified instructor to become conversant with some key techniques of swimming.

--  Upon learning the swimming techniques, the adult may try for strokes slowly in a safe and relaxed way undermining the fear. The adult would enjoy and would feel swimming a fun.

--   More people know the secret of swimming for many benefits and as a good exercise.