No fear.

[Dan]

Finding courage.

Fear, a universal human emotion, strikes each of us in different ways. The brave parachute jumper may be afraid of public speaking, and the brilliant orator may have a fear of flying. An alcoholic's drinking is partly an attempt to cope with the feelings of fear. The recovering person, now having no drug, must face fear by using the tools of the program.

The sober way to deal with fear is to admit that one has fears, to discuss them with a sponsor or another understanding person, and to seek the help of one's Higher Power in living with fear or having it removed.
When we share our experience with fear, we hear different kinds of stories.

One person may declare that fear was completely removed by prayer. Another person, who prayed with what seemed to be the same degree of sincerity, may still be troubled by occasional fears. We cannot know exactly how the program will help each person cope with fear, but we can be confident that it will work for all of us.
We have met fear successfully when we continue to stay sober and meet our responsibilities in all sorts of threatening situations.
I will not let fear keep me from any good thing today.

My Higher Power can see me through any difficult or threatening situation.

From the book Walk in Dry Places.

[Five]

I have studied, as a layman, the works of behavioural and cognitive pschologist. The surest way to overcome a fear is to face the fear head on. Anxiety always goes down. Think of it this way: the first night of a play is probabley the most scary for an actor, the second night less so, etc until it becomes a breeze. Expose plus response prevention: feel the fear and do it anyway!

[equus]

Originally Posted by Five

I have studied, as a layman, the works of behavioural and cognitive pschologist. The surest way to overcome a fear is to face the fear head on. Anxiety always goes down. Think of it this way: the first night of a play is probabley the most scary for an actor, the second night less so, etc until it becomes a breeze. Expose plus response prevention: feel the fear and do it anyway!

But.... perhaps in small steps that breed success, rather than all at once and risk failure. Whatever the fear it can be broken down into smaller chunks.

[Five]

Originally Posted by equus

But.... perhaps in small steps that breed success, rather than all at once and risk failure. Whatever the fear it can be broken down into smaller chunks.

Gradually, and then you realise your original beliefs, i.e:

he hates me and wants to punch me

sink away as you expose yourself to the reality: he does not hate me, and has not punched me!

Its like racist people who move to black areas normally mellow out, because they see the evidence that people different to them are not necesarily how they were originally percieved. Belief change by confronting fear...

[Ann]

My codependency is based on a deeply rooted fear of bad things happening to people I love.

Facing the fear head on and walking through it is the only way I have found for me to get past the fear...and I have only been able to do this with the help of my Higher Power. I do what I can do and ask God to do the rest.

My Higher Power can see me through any difficult or threatening situation.

Amen.

Hugs
Ann

[Five]

Sounds cool Ann.

[Grimnar]

I will not let fear keep me from any good thing today.

Ah, fear.

Long have I struggled with it.

Mostly I think my biggest fear is that of being alone. That has led me into some very unhealthy relationships.

I have found that I have stayed in bad situations because I have let fear get the better of me. Now at least I know that much. Now I can question "why?" am I seeking to be with this person. Is it to appease my fear (unhealthy) or for some other postive (healthy) reason?

I would also say that this line of thinking also applies to not only personal relationships but also my job, where I live, and such.

Wow... this thread really got me thinking...

[Sugasnaps]

Yeah, it really does get you thinking about your own fears. I drowned my fear with alcohol for too long.

Fear... man I need to get to know my fear much better. I need to delve in there and discover what it is, how it thrives, and where it's soft spots are...

so I can kick it in the nuts.

Suga

[Five]

Originally Posted by Grimnar

Ah, fear.

Long have I struggled with it.

Mostly I think my biggest fear is that of being alone. That has led me into some very unhealthy relationships.

I have found that I have stayed in bad situations because I have let fear get the better of me. Now at least I know that much. Now I can question "why?" am I seeking to be with this person. Is it to appease my fear (unhealthy) or for some other postive (healthy) reason?

I would also say that this line of thinking also applies to not only personal relationships but also my job, where I live, and such.

Wow... this thread really got me thinking...

Great insight about how you use healthy and unhealthy across your life. Me to. Or try to at least.

[frankie_b]

FEAR....FALSE EVIDENCE APPEARING REAL. Most of the stuff we fear is unknown.
Our brains are wired with fear or flight mechanisms since man's earliest days on earth.
Fear is in our genes. Sometimes we need to pay attention to fear when our gut tells us there is some form of real threat to our well being. Most of the time it's best to turn it over especially when it's an imagined fear and keep on keeping on.

Frankie is dancing in the LIGHT

[nutz]

You can't threaten what's real. NOthing real can be threaten.
Courage is not without fears....otherwise , it wouldn't be courage.
Embrace fear, oh how... fear would run, after all it is just fear.

It's still a TRIP AND A HALF to experience it, thou..lol

[Grimnar]

Originally Posted by Five

Great insight about how you use healthy and unhealthy across your life. Me to. Or try to at least.

Thanks. It's a learning process for me. I am just getting started really.