Are You Afraid of the Dark? An Article About Fear

What are some of your fears? Mine include clowns, and sometimes the afterlife.

Fear is a powerful thing, and one of the few common attributes that we, as people, share. Dr. Sarah Sarkis defines fear as “a powerful feeling that reveals a soft underbelly of our relationship with self-regulation, control, and vulnerability.”

The psychology of fear is fascinating. Studies have shown that when we become fearful, the amygdala part of the brain reacts, along with physical and neurological networks, leading to a change of focus to personal wellbeing.

Dr. Sarah Sarkis also writes that fear is so disruptive that it overpowers our ability to preserve logic. You can find her full article on fear here!

Research conducted with Harvard University suggests that fear levels are often dependent on past experiences, starting in childhood. In early childhood, children engage in “serve and return” processes—when a child cries, they expect a caregiver to respond. The child reacts in turn, much like a tennis game. While infants are more helpless, with the right caregiver, children can thrive. However, a lack of caregiving can lead to developmental issues, and fear can develop in either party.