' Fear Complex '

' Fear Complex  ‘

• P.Natarajan.

'Fear Complex' does not mean any destination but may mean fear or a sense of fear in reaching out to the end game or destination. It is a syndrome developed over the years. There might be some underlying causes in certain cases and may need medical assistance or counseling.

The whole world is experiencing fear at this time due to COVID-19 and there is widespread dismay what to do or rather what not to do. This article is about fear only and there is no scope to cover the deadly virus. 

Fear is an emotion induced by a perceived danger or threat. Fear is powerful and primitive and alerts the presence of danger. Fear is innate or inborn. Fear can be judged as rational or appropriate, An irrational fear is called a phobia. When struck by fear, there are physiological and biological changes happen. Increased heart rate, constriction of peripheral blood vessels, sweating and formation of goosebumps, to mention a few. It is but natural to get afraid to see a snake. It is an innate fear.

Fear can be learned or experienced by watching a traumatic accident. Alfred Hitchcock’s movie ‘PSYCHO’ creates fear in the audience in the opening scene itself. 

Fear of heights is called as Acrophobia. Fear of enclosed space is Claustrophobia. 

Some fear of water and the fear is called Aquaphobia. In the early 20th Century, Americans feared Polio as a disease that can lead to paralysis. Fear of victimization is a function of perceived risk and seriousness. If a person is caught in a scam, it is natural for him to perceive he may lose his job and punished.

Fear of ghosts, tunnels, failures, public speaking come under most common fears that are temporary in nature. Irrational fear arises from anxiety or physical problems. A mother becomes anxious when the child does not return from school until very late in the evening. The tourists fear whether they might miss some important spots due to the prevailing bad weather.  Farmers in extreme cases commit suicide under fear when there is a failure in monsoon.

Some more names in the phobia category:- Emetophobia relates to fear of vomiting. We always come across a few people in a group of tourists who feel uneasy to mention their fear of vomiting en route a long journey. Aerophobia is fear of flying, Arachnophobia is fear of spiders,

The fear of the end of life and its existence is otherwise known as Fear Of Death. An abnormal fear of death is called ' THANATOPHOBIA'. Fear of Death ritualized the lives of our ancestors. God-fearing, as they were, consulted Pundits and astrologers and performed worship accordingly to ward off danger and for longevity. Performing the rituals over a period reduced their fear. There were some byproducts also. The most important one was the preservation of cultural ideas. We can be proud that we carry on the culture, family traits, habits and pass on the same to the next generation. People who have lived a full life do not fear death as they believe they had lived their life to the fullest.

There is another fear that may apparently appear strange is fear of success or fear of one's own achievements. It is known as "JONAH COMPLEX ". It is a fear of one's own greatness. Students, Sportspersons, Politicians undergo jonah complex as some of them have a tendency to fear whether they would not retain their success in the ensuing examinations, competitions ane elections respectively. It may hinder achievement or fear of being left alone - monophobia.

In a lighter vein, we can take F E A R in the following manner:-

F - False Evidence Appearing Real

- False Expectation Appearing Real

- Forget Everything And Run

- Face Everything And Recover

It can also be argued that we can overcome fear and phobias in this manner:-

F - Focus instead of Freaking out

E - Expose instead of Escape

A - Approach instead of Avoid

R - Rehearse Repeatedly

Ignorance is the parent of fear. don't be afraid of tomorrow as yesterday had been seen, and as you love today. 

In time, we hate that which we often fear.

Isha Upanishad says " Who sees all beings in his own self and his own self in all beings loses all fears.

pn