Saturday, January 2, 2010

Flight or fight. Panic! Panic!

I am learning that fighting fear is hard. I know that it is there for a reason, like any other emotion.

It is also an emotion that is not learned but innate. You are born with it. The emotion of fear is likely to happen with any sudden intense stimulation. It is a primitive, automatic response that is meant to keep us safe. Like a panic alarm to warn you to prepare to flee or fight.

Often, you quickly realize that you are not in any danger and you no longer feel startled.

Now, being that it stems from things unexpected, I do not understand it as well as other emotions and have a hard time dealing with it. That and like any other tough, independent person, I hate admitting when I am scared to myself, let alone anyone else.

What is learned is what to be afraid of. You learn observing others or from your own experiences and associate certain things with those experiences.
Smells, tastes, places, songs, feelings.

The only other two believed innate emotions are delight and anger.
I wish that the same things didn't seem to bring all three. It would be so much easier to know what to fight for and what to run away from.

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