Can FEAR actually be Good for you?
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to a haunted house, lined up to see the latest big screen shriek-fest, or admitted to an inexplicable fear of clowns 😱👺🤡
We usually avoid situations where we’re likely to be afraid. We may dread them, but some experts are saying that feelings of fear and anxiety could actually be good for you.
So, could the spooky activities on your Halloween list actually be reaping you health benefits? The answer is mostly yes, and a little bit of no 👻🎃👻🎃
With today being Halloween, what could be a better day to talk about the science behind fear? Including it’s health benefits, when being afraid is not good for you, and ways to ease anxiety during the Halloween scaries!
Before we dive in….
I hope you enjoyed last week’s newsletter on “Weed, cannabis, pot, edibles, dummies and oils - My take on them!”. Wow, I’ve heard lots of interesting feedback from many of you; let’s keep the dialog going… If you missed it, you can use this link, here.
OK, let’s talk about F-E-A-R 😱😱😱😱😱
By definition, fear is a negative emotion. When we’re scared of something, we are experiencing our well-being under threat, and people do not enjoy that. What they are enjoying are things associated with that experience that typically happen after the scare is over.
If you go to a haunted house or you’re trick-or-treating in the dark, and you are with friends, this has great social benefits.
You’ve probably noticed that a little “boo” makes your heart beat faster. And perhaps you’ve seen that the people coming out of the haunted house are laughing as well as shrieking. We have these giddy responses for two reasons.
You experience a great rush!
Physically, our bodies and brains are being bombarded with chemicals. Adrenaline and dopamine speed up heart rate and blood pressure, flooding your muscles with oxygen to prepare you for fight or flight. But because we understand that these Halloween scares are safe, we get to enjoy that feeling of being pumped up rather than actually fighting or running away.
That being said, research shows evidence that it's all about how fear is experienced - though, of course, not everyone feels the same about it.
1) People who like being scared may feel rewarded by it - THE CONQUERER
One reason you may be drawn to scary experiences is the satisfaction of conquering a threat. Take roller coasters for example.
You might not enjoy thinking about the car falling off and hurtling you down to the ground. But when you finish the ride and you can look back up at the height of the coaster and say to your friends, “I made it, I did that”, that’s enjoyable.
Mastering the scary haunted house gives much the same gratification. And if you’re with good friends when you conquer your fear, that can turn your excitement into an experience you want to repeat.
2) Then there’s the SENSATION SEEKER
We’re all wired to look for novel things in our environment, a leftover from our ancient days of scanning for danger.
There’s an innate survival system in humans. It’s sort of like driving by a car wreck - you don’t want to see it, but you can’t help looking at it.
Then there are others who like to play with those emotions and take risks.
In psychology we refer to that as a sensation-seeking personality. It will be those people who skydive and bungee jump who may also seek threatening entertainment.
They may have a very low arousal set point, so they’re constantly craving experiences that elevate that arousal and flood the system with adrenaline.
There's evidence that people who enjoy watching horror movies have brain chemistry that differs from people who would rather not spend an evening binging on "The Exorcist" and “Evil Dead”.
Dopamine is responsible for feelings of accomplishment and rewards, but it's also been linked to averse emotions like fear and dread.
Research has found that those who enjoyed fearful or risky situations tend to have brain cells that aren't able to regulate their brain dopamine release as well - so their brains end up soaking in dopamine for longer periods of time.
In other words, they tend to get more out of being scared out of their gourds because they end up with higher levels of dopamine.
Think of dopamine like gasoline,. You combine that with a brain equipped with a lesser ability to put on the brakes more than normal, and you get people who push limits.
Adrenaline, which is also released during dangerous moments, is also perceived as enjoyable by some - hence the term "adrenaline junkies" for people who love skydiving and other extreme activities. The chemical release generates a feeling of exhilaration that continues after the threat has passed ... for some people, that adrenaline rush can become a reward the brain seeks.
3) Emotionally intense situations are more memorable and can bring people together - THE SOOTHER
People have been telling scary stories around the campfire for a long time. But fear, rather than scattering people screaming into the night, might actually make them huddle closer together.
Intense fear, when experienced with other people, can be very memorable.
We build a special closeness with those we are with when we're in an excited state, and more important, that it can be a really good thing. We're social and emotional beings - we need each other in times of stress, so the fact that our bodies have evolved to make sure we feel close to those we are with when afraid makes sense.
THE ROLE OF YOUTH
If you were young when that scary moment happened it’s more likely to stay with you and shape your future preferences.
Children at a very young age think that what’s on the screen is actually there. If a vicious beast is coming toward them on screen, a young child is going to be scared.
And because of the different ways younger children see and understand the world, parents may not at first understand the extent to which their child is frightened. It’s important to soothe a frightened child and help them cope.
Gradually, children learn the difference between fantasy and reality, but that doesn’t mean they get over their fears. Unfortunately, they learn from the news that terrible things do happen in the real world.
There are a lot of things they see in horror movies that actually could happen. Freddy Krueger may not be real, but there are “homicidal maniacs” in the world.
Finally, if a child is very empathic and relates to the characters on the screen, then that child is going to be more frightened, and the fear may last much longer.
You just might feel the fear more intensely and that stays with you, even for your whole life. Research has found that one really tough experience could last literally forever. Helloooo, one of our scaredy cat family members (not to be named) that can’t watch anything suspenseful, or the least bit violent 😱🙄
For example, research showed that people who saw the movie “Jaws” before the age of 13 continued to have a recurring fear, not just of sharks, but of lakes and pools or any water in which they could not see their feet.
That’s the unfortunate consequence of really deep traumatic feelings that get stored in the brain. All the physiological reaction: heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety; when you get older you say, “How can this be?” but your brain just won’t shut up.
If this sounds like you, hang in there and try small steps at a time to overcome your fears…. preferably with the comfort of those you love and trust close by! When you have a surge of adrenaline followed by the realization that’s all in good fun, it may eventually be able to relax you…
THE BOTTOM LINE
The fun of Halloween is that you can experience the thrill of fear without any real threat. What scares people at a haunted houses is that there's a limit to how fear can be safely experienced.
It's all about triggering the amazing fight-or-flight response to experience the flood of adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine, but in a completely safe space. Being scared lost in the woods alone with no help in sight - bad; being scared lost in a haunted house with your friends, with professionals no more than twenty feet away ready to whisk you out of danger - good!
It has to be the right kind of fear in the right place, at the right age.
The thrills of a haunted house or a scary movie can also provide a boost of self-esteem.
Lots of people also enjoy scary situations because it leaves them with a sense of confidence after it's over. Think about the last time you made it through a scary movie, or through a haunted house. You might have thought, “yes! I did it! I made it all the way through!”
So if you're a fan of the macabre, go all out. You might make some friends, and feel a lot better about yourself.
If you are a bona fide scaredy cat, try small steps at a time, working to overcome your fears!
So, what’s the best health approach for Halloween? If it feels good, grab a bunch of friends, head to your local haunted house, and enjoy the scare. If it keeps you from trick-or-treating and gobbling up a lot of candy, that’s even better.
I hope that today’s newsletter has shed some light on fear and how it affects people differently. Watch our social posts this week for other tips on how to face your fears 🤩
Remember, that the Functional Medicine approach we use here in our offices can offer you clear insight as to your health and healing options.
Feel free to come talk to us if you are having doubts or questions about your family’s health. We will give you the honest truth, and the clinical research that supports it.
Remember, the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers are…
Mindset
Nerve Supply
Nutrition
Exercise
Minimizing Toxins
There are NO LIMITS of what you can create, you are POWERFUL and there is nothing that you can not have or achieve! Believe in your power, believe in yourself and let go of what no longer serves you! ♡ Design your life, Create your reality…
This is life changing!
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