How to tame fear?

05/03/2022

We are all scared. It is impossible to turn back time. There is a war in Ukraine and it concerns us all. We realized that, above all, there is nothing we reach for in different circumstances - there is no escape and we must find comfort in this tremendous discomfort and fear.The danger of war is clear. It is also a war that tests whether we can support each other, cooperate, empathize, understand each other, be one, or the opposite. How to deal with paralyzing fear and overwhelming thoughts?

GO OUT OF YOURSELF
 
Giving, helping, organizing - it is human and it allows us to build relationships, develop empathy, give meaning to who we are. It seems obvious. The action itself is curative in a situation in which our body would most likely shut down, freeze, hide, or run away. Remember, however, that not everyone can do it. People react differently to fear. Not all of us are strong, organized, and act when we are faced with fear.

DO NOT AVOID
 
Avoidance is costly, because we have to keep a wall that separates us from reality and causes even more anxiety, because not only do we do nothing, but the thought that others are doing and we are not, overburdens and makes us cheating on ourselves. There will be some who avoid - not everyone is strong enough to face it right away. However, there is no other way. You have to face fear to deal with it. Action is a good way to fight fear, but only for those who have the strength to do so. If we are subject to large doses of fear or anxiety - we definitely need to consider meeting a therapist who will help us see this fear, tame it, and maybe even disarm it in the right process and at the right time.

MEET AND TALK
 
Exchanging thoughts with another person gives us different perspectives. Look for the meaning of life and joy in everyday life and in conversations. War can make us doubt the sense of life. Find sens in little things, interesting conversation, good meetings with friends, not to mention being together and nurturing family life. For lonely people, being with others at this time is extremely important, because staying with your thoughts and beliefs can be not only limiting but paralyzing.
 
READ, LISTEN, WATCH
 
Being close to art - books, music, films, pictures - allows us to release and understand emotions. Then we view the paths of our thoughts, reactions and sensations. It will be easier for us to understand ourselves and reality if we allow ourselves to reflect in art, as in a mirror of ourselves - what we experience and what surrounds us.
 
"If you’re going through hell, keep going". Winston Churcill