Evaluation of Psycho-Social Factors of Fear

Abstract

Fear is part of the life and existence of any culture or individual. Over the years, the object of fear in a society and the strategies to combat it may change, but the expectation that people can be completely free from fear is simply an utopia. Different branches of psychology always tried to find distinguished explanations for the methods of originating and overcoming fear, although the fact is one, fear arises where there is a lack of individual’s personal maturity. When a person avoids every new life experience and does not try to move to a new stage of growth, it all accumulates in him/her in the form of fear and the individual experiences developmental fixation.

It is also interesting to talk about the differences that exist between fear and anxiety, as these two emotions are often interrelated. If we refer to Barlow, fear differs from anxiety in that, fear is present-oriented and relatively certain, rather than future-oriented and relatively uncertain. Uncertainty not only increases anxiety levels, but is also responsible for a person’s various mental disorders.

That is why, in the current situation in the world, when the Covid-19 pandemic affected the life of each individual, it is important to focus on the fear of the unknown situation caused by uncertainty. Usually, people want to control the present because with this they also want to take control over the future. In order to know what we are afraid of; it is necessary for a person to have insight by approaching the problem with consciousness and asking the questions to himself/herself. People in general have tendency to imagine a harsh scenario of the expected consequences of the future, which in many cases is completely far from the reality. It is fact that in case of having „apocalyptic" thoughts it becomes impossible to deal with fear. In the end, those who fearlessly „approach" this mentioned unpleasant emotion win the battle of overcoming fear.