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Are You Afraid? The Effects of Widespread FEAR

Some months back, increasingly people in meetings expressed their fear at what is happening in our country. I saw how much fear was being intentionally spread and this raised red flags. Fear-mongering as a control strategy has been used throughout political history to sway public opinion, influence voting patterns and even shift cultural agendas. Examples abound.

My reaction to how fear is being used to manipulate our emotions and behavior is anger. At first, I felt helpless but, the more I saw, the angrier I have become. I resolved to learn as much as I can about how fear-based propaganda affects each of us, so that I could find ways to resist that control.

I learned that being bombarded with fear-inducing messages by the media maintains us in a constant state of threat.  Even funding solicitations are couched in dramatic foreboding and bleak consequences. News of a different social institution being attacked every day keeps us off balance and reinforces our fears. We are being conditioned!

Effects of Fear Conditioning

Conditioning, a result of continuous exposure to fear over time, develops the habit of feeling fearful. Since our biochemistry changes according to our constant emotional states, we no longer need to encounter actual danger to feel afraid because we habitually feel fear, stress, and anxiety. When we are in this heightened emotional state, we are more likely to make impulsive decisions based in fear rather than rational thinking and ethical behavior. A belief in what is right is often sidelined as we react.  

There are serious implications for our health. Living under constant threat weakens our immune systems, can cause cardio-vascular damage, create gastrointestinal problems, accelerate aging and even premature death. Our memory is also affected, as well as our ability to regulate emotions (fear), read non-verbal cues, reflect before acting and making decisions. Other consequences are fatigue, clinical depression and PTSD.

By now, I am furious. I learn that my responses of anger and helplessness are common and can drive us into either inappropriate fits of rage or a state of apathetic numbness if we surrender to them. However, anger expressed in positive ways can be useful. Feelings of helplessness are diminished when we help someone else. Obviously, I am channeling my fury into this exploration (and I swear a lot). Transforming the Fear-cycle and sharing it may even lessen our helpless feelings.

In our next post we will discuss ways of breaking the Fear-Cycle as described above.  This will include specific ways to personally deal with the fear and also how to find the “all-important community” so necessary for support.