Being afraid of taking risks is a common phobia that can have a devastating effect on your mental health. This type of phobia is called agoraphobia and is basically when you are afraid to try new things and are likely to be devastated if you do so. Many people who suffer with this type of phobia find that it affects their everyday life. They are often too worried to perform normal everyday tasks such as going to work or shopping and can become extremely stressed out and have an irregular sleep pattern. Sometimes these fears are so severe that they develop into a full blown panic attack which can be incredibly frightening.
When a person is afraid of taking risks, there are two main responses that occur in the brain. The first is the fight or flight response where the individual will either attempt to avoid the source of fear or will begin to try and flee from the source of fear. The second is the relaxation response where the individual will take a long deep breath and then go into a state of calmness. Both of these responses occur in the central nervous system and when these emotions are experienced regularly, your body will begin to associate them with safety and without them you will begin to experience feelings of anxiety.
Being afraid of taking risks and being anxious at the same time is actually very common. However, sometimes our bodies can react in different ways and this causes us to experience two separate and unrelated feelings. This then leads to further levels of anxiety and embarrassment as you worry that what you feared is real and what you are afraid of is an imaginary fear.
When you are afraid of taking risks, you should always assume the worst and focus on trying to stay calm and in control. If you know that there is no real danger then you can relax more easily. If there is a real danger then you need to confront it. However, if you are afraid of confronting it, then you should avoid all contact with the object of your fears. This means that it could include all forms of social interaction and you should try as much as possible to remain alone and isolated until the anxiety subsides.
What happens when you are afraid? Your body responds to your emotions in the way you have trained it to react. Your heart rate speeds up and you begin to breathe heavily. You may feel shaky and light headed and you may even feel nauseous or vomit. These reactions are natural, but they can also be quite terrifying. If you are afraid of being left alone then you may feel anxious about the security of your home being burgled and you will experience an intense fear.
If you are suffering from panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders or phobias then you are likely to experience fear as a result of intense anxiety and stress. Panic attacks, phobias and other anxiety disorders can be debilitating and often leave you fearful of real danger. Being afraid of being left alone can lead to depression and thoughts of suicide. This problem is called panic disorder and if left untreated can affect your quality of life and make you depressed and anxious. If you have a phobia of leaving the house then finding help is imperative.
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