We, like other animals, get physical and mental symptoms when we experience fear. These bodily reactions range from getting goosebumps to anxiety, sweaty palms, faster heart rate or butterflies in the stomach. The stress hormone, commonly known as adrenaline is responsible for reactions to emotional triggers. Unlike animals, the “adrenaline rush” caused by fear fallacy makes us worried about the future.
Our fears can also be based on past negative experiences. For example, we might fear that we’ll have to face harsh consequences if we behave in a certain way or say certain things. These strong emotions are normally experienced in the context of things that matter to us. For example, we might fear that we’ll lose our friendships, our jobs or connections to family members, if we behave inappropriately.
The “Appeal to Fear” or the “Fear Fallacy” can be the worst form of fear. It can be emotionally abusive or very detrimental to your mental well-being.
What is “appeal to fear”?
Appeal to fear is when fear is used as the primary motivator to get others to accept an idea, conclusion, or consequence. It is commonly used by politicians, insurance providers or as a marketing trick.
This type of fear is structured like:
“If you don’t believe in A, something bad will happen. Hence A is right.”
An example is when a political candidate suggests that if they don’t get elected, crime rates will skyrocket. Another example is an insurance company highlighting the devastating consequences of not having adequate coverage in the event of a disaster.
From a psychological point of view, extreme fear and worry are often projections stemming from the mind imagining the worst case scenario.
One of the paradoxes of a culture of fear is that serious problems that need our attention remain ignored, while we buy into our worries, many of them off-base. We’ll all have to pay the costs of the fears ingrained within us. This type of fear will put our “self-love”, “self-respect” and consequently our “self-care” at risk. Compounding our worries beyond all reason, the fear fallacy writes a disaster story to our “most likely” happy ending.
What To Do to Survive the Fear Fallacy?
There are many fears in the air and so many of them are unfounded. We’d better learn to doubt our inflated-by-the-fear-fallacy anxieties before they destroy us.
Does panicking over exaggerated perceptions of devastating events and things happening leave us better off? Or does it prompt us to be in constant defense mood?
Instead of “bleeding before you are cut”, it is crucial that we preserve our time and energy to take care of ourselves and to achieve meaningful goals and fulfilling experiences.
Here are some practical steps to take to survive the scare tactics and enhance “self-care”:
1. Look for Evidence-Based Facts
The amount of stress and the number of perceived threats are on the rise. Our external environment, including the media, makes these conditions vivid and immediate, all owing to the “appeal to fear” effect. Appeal to fear is also very common used in social marketing with the objective of reducing or eliminating harmful behavior such as smoking (think anti-smoking pictures printed on a pack of cigarettes). Although the effectiveness of this approach has been questioned, we must be mindful of scare tactics that aim to manipulate our physical, mental and financial resources.
2. Master the Art of Not Reacting Too Quickly
When we get exposed to fear, our natural response is to react. We get defensive or become embroiled in our own exaggerated worries. The imagination-based fear makes us think that terrible things could happen, even when we know that the chances are very slim. It takes effort not to react when you get hijacked by the appeals to fear, especially because we are terrible predictors of how we might react. But fear is a genuine threat to our well-being. It is beneficial to your self-care to move ahead and not react immediately as your body needs some time to calm down after a fight/flight trigger. If non-reaction is not a possible alternative (maybe you have a sensitive disposition), the best tactic is to delay the reaction as long as possible. Even a 10-minute long psychological detachment, e.g. meditation or a brisk walk outside can make a huge difference. Breathe and take a break!
3. Focus on Facts, Learnings and Logic
Don’t let Aunt Wilma distract you from focusing on the facts you used your time and energy to put together. There is so much noise and so many different opinions out there. To make things more complicated, you might have a conflict-avoiding personality. But remember that you don’t have to persuade other people to accept your facts and logic. Nor does your personality it give you a reason to overlook the facts and convince yourself to agree with family, friends, or coworkers. Have no judgment and stick to your facts so that you are not directing your attention away from what is essential to your self-care and wellbeing.
4. Highlight Positive Outcomes
In 1932, in his inaugural speech, Franklin D. Roosevelt asserted: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
If your external environment does not give you any positive coverage, why can’t you focus on the positive outcomes?
Positive reinforcement is remembering and highlighting positive outcome(s). In a scenario where there are two possible outcomes, one positive and one negative, try to refocus your thoughts on the more positive, preferable outcomes. Try to find credible evidence that supports them. The positivity and sense of connection to desirable outcomes is a key aspect of self-care and self-love, as it puts you into a mindset that is encouraging and empowering.
5. Strengthen Your Positive Self-Loving Inner Voice
A positive inner voice that regularly acknowledges your self-care needs acts as your own best friend: the one that defends and acknowledges your needs.
“Do I gain anything by reinforcing my negative thoughts and fears?”
“Do I have control over things and events that put me in a state of fear?”
You might not have control over things and events, but it is within your control to become more positive and hopeful. Instead of consuming readily available information that clutters your mind and drains you, look for uplifting stories that celebrate the best of life and teach you how to take care of yourself. Steer clear of negative headlines and tales of what is going wrong. By walking away from appeals to fear, you put yourself in a positive position: one of taking control away from scare tactics and giving yourself more power and control over your well-being. Take small steps and strengthen your positive inner voice.
We feel the fear and that things and events that haven’t even happened are going to hurt us, but the advice of General George Patton comes to mind:
“The time to take counsel of your fears is before you make an important battle decision. That’s the time to listen to every fear you can imagine. When you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead.”
