When something seems threatening us, we become afraid and fearful. Different people are afraid of different things. Something that is harmless for one person can be very frightening for another. Some people love to watch horror movies, others will have weeks of sleepless nights afterwards. Some like to stroll through the forest alone, and others get goosebumps at the thought of this.
This does not mean, that fears we don’t share with others are meaningless. Fear is an important basic feeling which helps us to stay away from danger. Fear is a protective mechanism, which helps us to stay alert in dangerous situations and to take the right action to protect ourselves. Fear will, for instance, tell you when to run and escape a certain situation. A lack of fear can be dangerous, but so can an excess of it. If our fear gets too big, we may “freeze” and are unable to take meaningful action. On the other hand, we might experience “false alarms” if we are afraid of things, which aren’t dangerous at all. If these false alarms happen too often, it can make life really difficult. Fears can become so strong that we cannot bear them anymore. We may end up feeling trapped and that there is no way out.
There are not only different types of anxiety or fear, there are also many ways in which fear can surface. Sometimes we are aware of our fear and of the reason for it. In such cases we often try to avoid situations that we are afraid of, such as presenting in front of the class, taking the elevator or to flying in an airplane. But often this is not the right strategy. On the contrary, avoiding such situations may intensify our fears.
Sometimes the reasons for our fears are not so obvious. Some girls feel anxious in normal daily situations, but are not able to work out what exactly they are afraid of. This can go so far that they are constantly afraid of something, for instance, they are always worried about the wellbeing of family members or friends.
Anxiety and fear may lead to emotional and even to physical pain. It can be the reason for heart palpitations, breaking into a sweat, dizziness, tightness in the chest or stomach problems. Sometimes girls don’t feel well and are not aware of the fact, that the reason is fear.
Some girls even experience panic attacks, which may also include heart palpitation, dizziness and a real fear of dying: The fear grows so strong that they believe that they are going to die in this very moment.
You should seek help, at the latest when your fears become so strong that they limit your life and enjoyment of life. A first step can be the online-consultation on this website. We can help you to find the root cause of your fear and how you can get back to enjoying life.