Fear is an emotion aroused by danger. It is an important protective instinct. At any hint of danger, a substance called noradrenalin is released into the blood. This prepares the body for action. When we are scared, our skin is pale, as blood is diverted to the muscles. Our body is sweating more, to cool the muscles; our breathing is faster, and provides so more oxygen for the muscles; our heart beats faster to push more blood to the muscles. Also the gut and bladder relax, as blood is diverted from them to the muscles. As a result, we can feel quite sick and breathless. In many creatures, including man, fear can also cause paralysis, or freezing with terror. It is very common to experience fears in childhood. Many of these childhood fears, such as a fear of animals, darkness, storms, doctors and strangers, disappear as the child gets older. However, as people get older, a few may suffer badly from phobias. These are unreasonable fears, which send one’s body and mind into panic. Some of the common phobias are a fear of heights, spiders, and closed places, flying in planes, speaking in public, injections or blood. There are also endless uncommon phobias, including fear of running water, swallowing solid food and even going to the hairdresser’s. Everyone is mildly phobic about something, it is natural. But when your phobia spoils your life it’s time to do something. When I was a child, I didn’t have any typical childhood phobias, except of one, which lasted until now – my fear of insects. My childhood was also probably the most dangerous part of my life. Most children don’t have the self-preservation instinct and neither did I. Bruises were quite common and I never remembered how and when I injured myself. Also bloody knees and elbows were part of my everyday life. As I grew older, wounds started to appear more and more seldom and I am happy to say, that I have never had any more serious injuries as a dislocated
Fear is an emotion aroused by danger. It is an important protective instinct. At any hint of danger, a substance called noradrenalin is released into the blood. This prepares the body for action. When we are scared, our skin is pale, as blood is diverted to the muscles. Our body is sweating more, to cool the muscles; our breathing is faster, and provides so more oxygen for the muscles; our heart beats faster to push more blood to the muscles. Also the gut and bladder relax, as blood is diverted from them to the muscles. As a result, we can feel quite sick and breathless. In many creatures, including man, fear can also cause paralysis, or freezing with terror. It is very common to experience fears in childhood. Many of these childhood fears, such as a fear of animals, darkness, storms, doctors and strangers, disappear as the child gets older. However, as people get older, a few may suffer badly from phobias. These are unreasonable fears, which send one’s body and mind into panic. Some of the common phobias are a fear of heights, spiders, and closed places, flying in planes, speaking in public, injections or blood. There are also endless uncommon phobias, including fear of running water, swallowing solid food and even going to the hairdresser’s. Everyone is mildly phobic about something, it is natural. But when your phobia spoils your life it’s time to do something. When I was a child, I didn’t have any typical childhood phobias, except of one, which lasted until now – my fear of insects. My childhood was also probably the most dangerous part of my life. Most children don’t have the self-preservation instinct and neither did I. Bruises were quite common and I never remembered how and when I injured myself. Also bloody knees and elbows were part of my everyday life. As I grew older, wounds started to appear more and more seldom and I am happy to say, that I have never had any more serious injuries as a dislocated