One Simple Question That Helped Me Neutralize Fear

 

My method of successfully handling the fear apparatus in our brain, the amygdala – hippocampus system

It was about five years ago that I suddenly became aware of the crippling power of fear growing over me. It seemed my mind was getting tricked by itself into being fearful. These were short episodes but were apparently increasing. Concurrently I also noticed that I hated that state. My mind was becoming fearful for absolutely irrational reasons. Either it was occurring repeatedly or I was becoming aware of it now. As age increases a myriad of experiences that one passes through in life should make one less fearful. But on the contrary, I found that I was becoming fearful more readily. This was just not acceptable to me. I was not enjoying it. Right from childhood my parents especially my mother had taught and trained us brothers to be fearless. I tried different techniques to overcome this unacceptable and uncomfortable state of life. I tried analyzing the fear response on the anvil of rationalization. I meditated. I distracted my mind by changing my state when fearful by listening to music or reading. Many of these techniques did help and are in use. But for me personally, I wanted a much stronger and sustained tool. 

The Physiology of Fear in Us:

In this quest to find a solution I started reading about the physiology of the brain as regards fear. It was soon obvious to me that the brain is an organ automated to protect me. As a result fear as a protection response was readily produced. To transgress this evolution-generated system will need extra efforts. I came across the role that the amygdala plays in fear. It appeared to be a 24 x 7 x 365 days radar system that was working every second in the awakened state or in sleep to identify fear around me. It was actively and continuously seeking fear. To sense fear it needs a memory system from which it gets inputs to make me fearful. That system is located in its neighborhood - the hippocampus. These two are working continuously sensing fear around, in fact seeking fear even when it doesn't exist. Thankfully while evolving, the human brain also developed higher centers in the prefrontal cortex of the fore-brain. These centers are programmed to rationalize. The perpetual fearful state that the amygdala-hypothalamus unit seeks to generate is filtered by the higher centers. Thus these impulses get filtered and are nearly always eliminated. For this elimination to occur efficiently, it seems the brain needs training.

While it became clear to me that being fearful is an innate state as a human being, I started seeking a solution. It was now clear to me that an effective solution should lie in rationalization. I found research showing that more than 90% of our fears arise from some events of the past that we extrapolate or some events that may occur in the future but which almost always doesn't occur. We continuously swing between the past and the future and become fearful in the present. As our age advances, our collection of past experiences increases. It seems to be making us more fearful instead of allaying our fears. One event of the past leaves its strong shadow on a series of events in the future. See this for example: In 2016, a total of 40 million commercial passenger flights landed safely at their destinations. Only 10 ended in fatal accidents bringing the incidence to 0.000025%. Still, these 0.000025% is catching our eyes. This is absolutely irrational.

The agile amygdala:

While studying the behavior of the amygdala and how it causes fear and anxiety I came across some very insightful observations on facts. Amygdala triggering happens very quickly - in less than a fraction of a second. That means we 'feel' fear even before we can comprehend what we fear and why we are fearing it. We cannot control this. It switches off its alarm when it believes that there is safety. Once the amygdala alarm is switched off, symptoms reverse themselves back to normal. The good news is the amygdala can be trained. Our prefrontal cortex can be used for this training which will support recovery and relieve anxiety.

The game-changing question:

I started seeking a strong solution and I got it. I found that most of the time fear emanated from events of past and sometimes events that may occur in the future. Nearly always the situation was not occurring at present. As a natural consequence of this realization, I got a powerful tool in one question. As soon as the fear gripped me I started asking myself – What of it now (at this material moment)? This question of four words proved to be a powerful and effective rationalization tool for me. I could combat fear very effectively and consistently. At this material moment, there was nothing happening to cause fear. There might be some memory of the past or a faint possibility of something that may happen in the future then why am I becoming fearful in the present? What of it now and the fear seemed to melt like wax. My rationalization process quickly latched on to the question. If nothing worth being fearful is happening currently, why am I being fearful now at this material moment? Surprisingly the fear got dropped.

It was not that the powerful amygdala-hippocampus system would accept attenuation easily. It sneaked in through side doors - by raising questions like "Oh okay, if not now maybe this fearful event will take place tomorrow". I used the same tool to counter. I would ask "but is it occurring today? Is it at this moment?" The reply came - No? Then why panic at this moment? I knew the powerful prefrontal cortex is rationalizing and as a result of the fear consistently melted. I felt liberated from what is described as amygdala hijacking.

The question that I used to counter my fears was using my prefrontal cortex to rationalize and alleviate fear. It can be used by anyone. In these days where in the present generation stress and fear is so rampant, I feel this is a powerful tool. In days of Artificial Intelligence and Machine-learning, stress and resultant fear has become a rule than an exception for young professionals. This tool it seems can help them, as well. Also, it could be used anywhere at any time. While walking, or eating or exercising whenever fear tried to strike, I used the question and successfully countered it. I had read about training the amygdala. Possibly this was my way of training it. It is not that I do not feel fearful anymore. I do. But I am able to counter it effectively with this one simple-looking question - What of it now? This got me my freedom from the cudgels of fear.