Maturity in managing threats, risks and dangers
by Vito Viganò
SAnxieties, fears, fears, sometimes fright and panic are frequent in our lives. Wild animals seem to survive out of fear, caught up in the cruel challenge between predators and prey. Human beings have provided themselves with a quieter habitat, with predators reduced in number and confined to closed places or far from inhabited areas.
If in fact our survival is more secure, nevertheless the civilized world motivates different forms of threats and dangers, no less disturbing. We are certainly still afraid of falling, of crossing the road, of meeting a stray dog. Wars, risks of contagion, uncertainties or economic problems are scary. And confrontation with someone, dealing with an annoying situation or unexpected unfavorable events are a cause for trepidation. As unpleasant as it is, fear can even become a source of fun, due to the adrenaline rush it produces when we practice extreme sports or have engaging visions of cinema. horror.
Fear: a fine mechanism. Like any emotion, fear is an instinctive reaction triggered by perceiving a risk and danger factor in our lives. It works because we have a sensitive threat detector, which works based on a memory gallery of harmful factors. Once a threat is perceived, the system is alerted to the appropriate extent to deal with the situation. It's all automatic and you realize you're afraid of specific physical sensations once you feel them.
Instinctive reactions. In addition to a threat detector, you also have automated reactions, providential in emergencies or in the most serious dangers. The most spontaneous is escape, that is, putting a protective distance between oneself and the harmful factor. In big risks, "freezing" and becoming immobilized is also instinctive: for animals it is "playing dead". As a last resort, we decide to attack the threat to neutralize him, transforming fear into anger. With experience and maturity you also come to have many other opportunities to manage threats.
Fear with maturity. We must first realize and accept the fear we feel. You can be tempted not to let it be seen, you mask it with false confidence or bravado. Taking this into account allows you to look what is scary in the face, to take measures and find a better way to get out of it. We experience fears that lack realism, are light and are taken lightly. Or they are inflated (like taking a plane), with unreasonable blocks. To have a realistic measure of fear, it is suggested to talk about it, confide in oneself, compare one's experience with that of other people. It is then useful to take courage and not in words, but by shifting attention from the threat to safety factors to rely on. What or who can I count on? And again fear leads to procrastination to the point of avoiding and refusing. It is suggested: if you are afraid and have to do it, do it immediately, as soon as possible. And it works! Boldness and recklessness neglect or deny fear; courage is working hard for something that is worthwhile, while fear does the precious service of making us vigilant.