Understanding F.E.A.R.
...update Jun 2016 - this page still basic - lots to go - some material on Anxiety & Phobias to be added
Why talk about fear? Because it's a stick that drives a lot of us [especially unconsciously/automatically]. We can turn the energy of flight or fight into a positive... Say "thank you fear!" as they keep you safe.
We will feel the fear of dying [no longer existing] or being hurt [all sorts of physical pain & bodily invasion] at some time.
We may not be aware of how much socialized fears like guilt & shame drive us or how that can be changed. Guilt & shame have their place but, for me, not as controllers of people, individually or collectively. I'm not talking here JUST about them, but ANY expression of self-created fear apart from the raw biological. Yes our mind is biological so let's call them social or identity FEARs. Let's look at some biology/neuroscience/hormone effects before we can choose better responses.
False Expectations Appearing Real, FEAR.
Real fear is the one that will KILL or hurt you within moments. Fear of death [or pain/injury] - when an automatic decision is made by the Amygdala to act: Flight or Fight!
All FEARs can be managed differently and diminished rather than be hidden & automatic [tho' you want some to operate that way]. You don't want social fears to be unknown. They are the 3 identity FEARs [I also call them social FEARs]: FO loss of Autonomy, FO Separation, & FO Ego-death. Pic right, more later...
So how can we tell the difference between fear and FEAR? Remember, our biological response causing fear comes from situations that can kill [or seriously harm] you fast - i.e. short term. FEAR may be either short or long term and can be insidious; i.e. sneak up on us. FEAR of dying one day - even IF one has e.g. cancer; FEAR of germs and dying or being sick one day [OCD?]; FEAR of losing one's job; FEAR of ... get the picture? NOT the same fear as from as falling 100m to those rocks or that sabre-toothed tiger about to tear you limb from limb.
Both fears FEEL the same. The FIRST step to identifying the fear is to ask the question in the initial environmental scanning process - will it kill/maim me immediately... YES? then biological survival skills invoked; NO? then count to 10. This allows the Amygdala to transmit information to your neocortex for processing. Depending on your learned responses, you act.
You laugh! How can you stop your automatic reactions? Only by training and slowing down your responses in 'normally safe' environments. In dangerous situations, you won't stop the Flight & Fight, but a lot of people use that when not in actual danger. They react inappropriately. I'd like to show you how to respond appropriately [for you].
This Uproar or Arousal of energy can be really good, IF directed appropriately. People primarily using emotions are sensitive to their environment and could be used as 'signallers of danger' rather than 'calmed down' or suppressed.
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We are going to look at FEAR [in caps, not 'fear'] in terms of our Value Stations and their capacity to deal with or respond to certain real or imagined threats, but not immediate [seconds only] type fatal or serious-injury threats. Especially just before and during and major change, these FEARs surface more clearly. They are imagined, in the sense of not being immediate threats to survival, though the effects of a law suit, for example, is very real.
As 'civilized' humans, we seem to have forgotten our roots in biology and why and how fear is used innately to survive. In this page, we will investigate the mechanisms of fear and find better and diverse responses to fearful situations based on better knowledge and skills, focusing on the F.E.A.R. or unreal fears [even if we perceive them as real fear].
The first step is to look at our biology. Do you recall the Freeze, Flight, Fight responses? These are simple evolved responses from our primal brain. There are more responses that we use, such as Fright, Flag, and Faint, though I will add a few more responses later that we can adopt IF we use our more evolved brain functions from the next level - our mammalian brain. Before that brain, we evolved a limbic [emotional brain]. While we are considered 'rational' beings, we are more like rationalizing beings - finding ways to justify OUR particular view of events. We CAN be rational [which includes being creative] using our higher order thinking processes but it takes training. I will use the right-left brain metaphor as well. I.e. left = rational, etc & right = creative, emotional, sensitive, etc. The split brain concept is a useful tool even though not exactly 'true'. It's a prototruth; a useful metaphor.
Our biological responses [below] in a snapshot based on neuro-biochemical activity in our body. We CAN prepare ourselves to deal with future shocks and threats aka Significant Emotive Events [SEEs] and improve our response to current stressors. We are driven by our hormones & neurobiology more than you may believe and they can, to a point, be managed by self-intervention in the early stages of FEAR, i.e. pre-shutdown. Once abnormal shutdown has commenced, it is increasingly likely that external intervention is necessary. this can be the form of friends and family early on, to counselling, then to full medical or psychological/psychiatric care in the mid-latter stages. There can still be disturbing early responses as inappropriate freeze, flight, or fight for the situation. Only a few people can self-intervene [is that a word?]. Dabrowski's TPD covers those personalities.
In particular, I will address early intervention by giving ways of using Freeze and Flight better, and more positive/flexible Fight responses. This includes a Why Fight response [i.e. diffusing Fights towards the win-win although any means may be used as appropriate if win-win is not taken up] - a Yellow response.
FEAR CASCADE MODEL
Graphic adapted from Shauer & Elbert 2010
[errata: Peak Mobility Level should be at peak of curve]
In the cascade model, the energy surges to run or deal with the threat head on in the Uproar stage. This is a state of high Arousal [a term we'll see later and is relevant]. Presuming that you are still alive, you let down the energy through a different hormonal melange and return to your usual state - normal. IF this is not executed well, one can get 'stuck' with unreleased tensions - still in complete or partial uproar. This is the source of eventual disorders - noticeably emotional ones - anxiety, etc - but also as physical presentations. There are always more subtle 'signals' IF one learns to sense them. At the other end of long-lasting stressors [social threats/fears] is tiredness or total exhaustion and everything in between. The social has not been dealt with EFFECTIVELY and we may go into other states of distress, such as depression, apathy, illnesses - all requiring external support to survive it & hopefully heal.
As with the PCVJ, individual responses scale to groups and even larger social entities such as nations - we respond to threat similarly as the group dynamic is collectively threatened. Interesting! Consider that a natural life-threat [e.g. Sabre-toothed tiger about to pounce] is a relatively momentary threat - you will live or die soon, and social threats [keep a job, fix the car, paying taxes, deal with a lawsuit] are long-lasting threats/fears. Perhaps you could look at some of the social threats like complicated emotional costs of being in a society. We are not yet so good at seeing and coping with the long-term ones unless we know of them. That requires understanding how society really works AND taking a long view - decades to centuries [not many people do that! It takes awareness & practice.].
I will go through scaling later, but social groups are created from individuals & have very similar reactions & responses, tho' more cumbersome & with much more resources [& if they use them all or wisely]. Some resources are the different perspectives/mindsets within the group - Orange, Green, Blue, Red, etc.
What 'higher' responses are there beyond biology. I will address the 'fight' response mainly as this is the area to fight smart, i.e. before the threat can hurt us, preferably. We CAN learn and generate better fighting techniques, and I'm NOT talking about martial arts. I'm saying that to 'fight' a social issue [FEAR] of yours, you can use other skills and resources... Consider using the legal system. This is an example of fighting differently. Better skills and resources, better your chances!!!
Consider how a sovereign state handles a threat from a dangerous individual - it has an armed and trained police or military force. There is a lot of resource, discipline, process, and practising PRIOR to any threat or attack on the state. They are prepared.
Individuals can do that too. They need to do the same things - threat assessment, monitoring the environment, focussed and sufficient training, develop resources, etc. The further along the Values Journey you travel, the more social capacity/skills/tricks that you have.
Remember, the approaches I will take will be beyond RED fights, to Orange & ideally Yellow and beyond "Fights" mainly.
I need to bring Emotional Regulation into the equation momentarily, via the Flow Model [you may see it as 'Feel How' elsewhere on this site] below. As we wish to delay or stop Red 'Fights' and emotional dysregulation is the hallmark of the Red paradigm when triggered. Remember, the emotional sensitivity CAN have a useful purpose for others. Being able to stay aware of emotions AND use its energy in a positive way is what I suggest, not suppress emotions [see TEA BAG]. E is potentially also sensory awareness &/or sensitivity so is what I call the Sensitive Sentinal. Note: All paradigms have positive or negative aspects.
Emotional Regulation
I will use Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Model [right] [I adapt it slightly & call it the FEEL HOW model in my courses] to describe Affect or Emotional State throughout this site. So, look at the axis of positive & negative Affect, AND the axis of DOing/BEing [not doing]. You CAN move your Affect into positive territory - how later via a mental 'FLIP' practice... I'm hoping you can appreciate that improving your skills generally can give you the better chance to be in positive territory. IF you are in a specific threat situation [or negative mood or negative Affect state] where you 'feel' stressed/bad/not coping, then THAT situation may need SPECIFIC skills. Example: if your finances are out of control at home and you are stressing, then get some financial skills - learn them or get them from someone else i.e. get help understanding financials so you ESCAPE your fear trap. ALWAYS, the more choices you have for any situation [Requisite Variety], the better chance of coming out unscathed &/or winning.
Flow is the state of painless, timeless, ease of facing a challenge/DOing. This is the state one gets to when immersed in reading, art, music, - any place that stimulates YOUR reverie, often a hobby. A state where Control & Arousal, high emotional motivation aka Vision & interest aka Purpose] are in balance within a coping range - your Flow range. [Arousal = high personal energy -- equivalent to Uproar cascade -- energized]
Relax is the Positive Affect state of NOT DOing - not thinking, not emoting, not physical - something like a meditative state or 3rd Self Observer Position where you become the Watcher watching your 'whole self' in the background [which is likely still doing, thinking, feeling]. It can be an aware state or a resting state. Remember: this is NOT DOing - generally NOT reading, NOT TV, NOT running/swimming/etc. This is a kind of relax I did not know for decades and did not use well after knowing for even more decades ;-o You CAN do it, relax, while DOing activities with inordinate practice towards self-awareness.
The recent neuroscience research says that the observer State activates the right frontal lobe. Interesting: still in the right brain side from where intuition emerges & negative emotions are processed.
So keep this model in mind as you read about positive or negative states or emotions and where that state sits... It IS useful... let's apply it - mainly by 'Flipping' into the positive!
[sorry - something has gone wrong with the formatting!!!]
Flourish
Quick intro to the Happiness Hill aka Flourish [I also called it Flow Compass for a while, if you see that term in here]. It is derived in part from Aristotle's [among others] concepts of Virtues & Vices, where vices are of excess or deficiency of 'something', with added limits [for a middle road] defined by the maximum & minimum at Tipping Points [Gladwell].
This approach that I offer is integrating psychological [eudamonic] & emotional/subjective [hedonic] approaches, as well as the rational [cognitive] choices of action [or inaction] to smooth life's bumps. And there's more... later!
The Hill metaphor implies slopes which get steeper as you get closer to the edge with the risk of 'falling off' - at the Tipping Points - the point of no return in either direction.
The Shutdown Responses implied here are the NEGATIVE or imposed ones from unresolved FEAR Responses [fear cascade model at top] causing harm to ourself, not the normal PSNS calming. Usually Shutdown is good [& is necessary] but we don't have to worry about that. We'll touch on the negative Shutdown Responses - OCD, PTSD, Suicide, Depression, apathy, etc.
'Flourish' can be used for navigating YOUR value system as this is what you consider makes you HAPPY! It makes your choices explicit rather than submerged in the depths of often triggered emotive responses. Choices such as 'What do you REALLY want out of your life?' And how far in either direction will you do to achieve it? i.e. your limits. IF you can simplify your life to a few core values or virtues, 'Flourish' is your tracker. It can be applied at any level of awareness though.
'Flourish' then becomes your compass and self-awareness tool for personal growth &/or health. It can be used to put perspective on any situation - looking at extremes and moderate ways of approaching the situation - & for sensing nearness to a Tipping Point [TP].
THIS WILL NOT WORK IF YOU ARE A BLACK & WHITE STYLE THINKER!!! I.e yes/no; can/cannot; should/should not, rigid or closed mindsets, etc. You are automatically liable to extremist positions [vices] - take care!
For those, it CAN help you think more gray, eventually more colourfully.
The model works by 'plugging in' a value or aspect of life at the top [in place of Flourish] & working our YOUR limits of capacity [whatever TEA].
Eventually hues of colour will mix your view of life and it's situations, too. Truths will become prototruths as there are so few absolute or fixed truths.
As you travel along the 'hill' [say, into the page] while watching out for getting too close to falling off either side [TPs], you follow a meandering path. Eventually you may come to another TP as you move 'forward' in life. This is just as scary & emotionally volatile as the side ones but is positive as it leads to the next paradigm. There's NO avoiding the chaos of transformation should you choose to go through. Get prepared if you can - with the aid of someone who's "been there, done that". Forewarned makes it easier.
To use: remembering that many iterations will be needed
ANY response/behaviour, process, thought, value, or virtue that you want to 'plug in' goes at the top - between the red lines [in place of the words 'Flourish/Flow Compass']
at the extremities of Vice & opposite Vice, consider what those extremes of response/behaviour, process, thought, value, or virtue are & write them in
at the Tipping Points, imagine the situation where you have 'lost control' & need outside help to correct YOUR behaviour/thought/etc - what are those limits? Be explicit if you can. There are 2 situations - too much & too little of whatever. This may take a while to realize! The Wise Choices [Cross-Impact Analysis in Dr Dave's terms] chart may help working these out.
Apart from explicit, cognitive limits, Body Awareness [Felt Sense] can be your 'warning signal' [if bad vibes/gut/hunch] that you are approaching YOUR TP... IF you listen to it. Most people don't!
The next level of 'signal' is emotion or Affect - again, IF you listen to yours. If in positive AFFECT you are within your 'range', else negative Affect indicates some action/behaviour/response is past your skill/coping/energy level. Listen next time & CHOOSE to stay in, or move to, positive territory [stay on the right in the Flow Model, now called FEEL HOW?].
recap: Choose your path; LISTEN to your warnings; stay within your bounds; if you go past your TP - get help ASAP. Early intervention reduces the negative side effects. You won't do this of course unless you've decided to wake up and grow. Few people do this willingly. The few that can have all strongly internalized Control, Will, Drive, & Emotional capacity to find a Toehold, that scrap of hope and direction that helps them crawl back to the light! Back to the top of their particular chosen hill.
The result is Flow - you are within your skill/talent/expertise level for the challenge/threat/obstacle facing you and you are relatively safe in your competence to navigate your life in your society. Then remember to Relax, its complement. This requires a continuous learning approach to life to maintain sufficient challenge [hence motivation & interest].
[NOT Flow Compass, now called Flourish. click on any pic for a larger version]
Remember that a Slippery Slope gets harder to walk as it gets steeper. Use Your Flow Compass to stay on track for your life.
Either side of Tipping Points are severely negative stressors [consider them as results of fears] where you FEEL bad and often are harmed in some way - emotionally, physically, financially, etc. I will give examples later
Readers: This is a preliminary graphic - plonked here for now. Pick what you need out of it
Albrecht [2014] says there are these 5 layers or levels of fears. I will address these also under the TEA BAG View page.
Even though they feel real, these top three are Identity or Social fears meaning they exist only because of other people, not just simple biological evolution. They have evolved out of our social context which usually means an emotional context. They are also usually
The colour indicates the paradigm most affected by that fear. In the Volatility Model, you'll find that some paradigms face dual FEARs.
The fear of failure is EGO-DEATH and is discussed most in Systems & Integration being the trigger for transformation to Yellow. This is often felt strongly [but not as a transformation] when public speaking, especially if you don't like it. i.e. Your ego is feeling inadequate or threatened somehow.
When we treat life as a hobby - always learning more, enjoying the challenge [eustress], & focussed on a long-term positive Vision/Purpose, the transition is [almost] welcomed. Recall the Yellow 'Flow' state. Definitely welcomed after the transformation. Find a mentor who's where you want to be - it's FAR easier & less painful. Social fear/pain will then be a joke - well, at least humorous...
Elsewhere I mention the Volatility model, showing the fears faced between paradigms. I'll plonk it here again - 2 versions. Click for larger graphic
....tbc
I may delve more into this soon after my book is released ["From FEAR to Freedom" 2015? Oops, rewriting it now???!!!???2016].