How Can One Overcome Fear?

Take some time out and relax. It’s impossible to think clearly when you’re flooded with fear along with an anxious brain. Take fifteen minutes or so to walk around, drink tea, or have a bath.

Breathe through your panic. Place your hand on your stomach and take slow, gentle breaths, in from the nose and out from the mouth. Just close your eyes and focus on breathing. That way your body gets used to the panic and can easily cope with it and take the fear away.

As much as I hate to say it, you have to face your fear. You will never be able to get over it if you keep running away from it. Avoiding your fears will only make you more paranoid.

Imagine the worst to happen, may that be heights or the dark. Then just think of the fear of not happening to you. You can’t. It’s impossible. However, you can get rid of the fear by chasing it so it runs away.

Look at the evidence. It sometimes helps when you have challenging thoughts about your fear. Think about your fear and ask yourself, is it a reasonable fear to have? What would a friend say if they had a similar fear?

Don’t try to be perfect. Life stresses us out and yet we all strive to be perfect. We get mad when we have a bad day, but when others have a bad day, it’s always “Life is unfair.” Do you understand that? Life is unfair and messy, but that’s the beauty of it.

Visualize a happy place. Take a moment to close your eyes and think of a special memory. It could be your cat laying next to you in bed, surprising your mother for Mother’s Day, or a happy childhood memory with your best friend. Let that positivity soothe you until you feel relaxed.

Talk about your fear. Try to talk to your family members or friends about it. If not, don't be afraid to talk to someone else.

Go back to basics. When people are paranoid, they normally turn to drugs as a coping method. However, this just makes matters worse. Simple, everyday things help a lot more than you think. Things like having good sleep or eating breakfast in the morning.

Reward yourself. Finally, treat yourself. When you have succeeded in your task, reinforce your success by getting a massage or having ice cream. Just do whatever makes you happy, you deserve it.