Fear and courage are two companions, both are essential for survival and both are contagious. What do you choose?
Fear is contagious and destroys emotional stability. Various studies suggest that not only animals but also humans can smell fear, although further research is needed in this area. What is certain, however, is that (irrational) fear is fueled by messages, images, comments, and posts.
Fear protects us from danger and ensures our survival. Neurologist Antonio Damasio¹ emphasizes that this emotion helps us maintain our homeostasis and adapt better to our environment. However, things become problematic when we react to unrealistic perceptions with excessive fear or act inconsistently. Some examples:
- A person is afraid of flying but is not worried about his health as a chain smoker.
- We feel safe at home, even though most accidents happen within our own four walls.
Many fears are unfounded and contagious like a virus. We should therefore be vigilant and remain rational without immediately being put on alert.
Fear is contagious: the power of emotions in an uncertain context
Many people are more afraid of a spider than a car accident. Fear is often irrational and also makes us susceptible to manipulation and fragile: we feel forced to do things that we would never accept in normal situations. This emotion has a paralyzing effect and pushes our reason into the background.
Anyone who suffers from a phobia or knows someone with irrational fears knows how powerful fear is and how it influences our behavior patterns and decisions. In addition to phobias, hypochondria, and psychological anxiety disorders, we must not forget everyday fear: we are bombarded every day with alarming news that spreads like viruses.
Fear is contagious and often uncontrollable. It defies logic because in these situations our amygdala takes control and likes to stir up panic.
The power of thoughts
Thoughts are extremely resistant and contagious. We can see, especially in online media, how fear breeds more fear. We get carried away when others react fearfully, while our brains prepare to respond as quickly as possible when necessary. And fear quickly turns into hatred and agitation. But just as fears are often exaggerated into the irrational, especially in the network of networks, we can deconstruct them with logic, reason, and sobriety.
Fear is a strategy that the Roman Emperor Caligula already knew how to use: “Oderint, dum metuant” (They shall hate me as long as they fear me).
The traces of fear in the brain
Fear leaves its mark on the brain: an unpleasant experience remains in the memory and warns us of danger in similar situations. A child who is bitten by a dog will most likely have a lifelong fear of dogs. Certain synapses become denser in the brain, including in the hippocampus, which is responsible for storing new memories.
Scientists at the Ruhr University Bochum are therefore working on how these traces in the brain can be reversed in order to “eradicate” fears. They talk about “ extinction learning ”. If we better understand these cerebral mechanisms, better therapies can be developed for people with anxiety.
Exposure and confrontation therapy helps people with phobias, among other things, to overcome their fears.
Fear is contagious and hereditary
Scientists assume that genetic factors play a role in anxiety, as an increase in anxiety disorders can be observed in the families of those affected. Researchers at the University of Münster were able to identify an anxiety gene but point out that 30 to 100 genes probably have to work together to cause a genetic risk for anxiety disorders. Further research is also important in this area in order to be able to better help those affected.
Fear is contagious: where is the courage?
Fear feeds itself, incapacitates us, and shuts down our minds. It leads to illogical, senseless, and impulsive reactions that drag others along. But especially in crises, we need courage to successfully deal with uncertainties and risks.
The Greek philosophers viewed courage as a strength of character, and today it is still considered one of the six universal virtues. Courage can be trained, but this requires leaving your comfort zone and exploring new paths. You can develop this skill in everyday life by forcing yourself to take a step forward.
If you want to go a little further, you can train your civil courage. There are numerous courses that not only show options for action but also strengthen self-confidence. Some of these focus specifically on moral courage in the online world.
"Boldness is understanding what we shouldn't fear."
Plato
The dose makes the poison
Too much courage (cockiness) is dangerous because we forget the risks that could be life-threatening. Too much (irrational) fear, on the other hand, makes us unable to act, passive and discouraged. However, we often shy away from risk simply because it is easier to do nothing or say nothing. On the other hand, we admire the courage of others: Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi are courageous role models who inspire us.
In times of uncertainty, courage is a particularly important virtue: on the one hand, this ability helps us to take action and work for improvements, but on the other hand, we need it to fearlessly question realities. We need courage to face reality, even if it involves risks. Fear and courage are two companions, both are essential for survival and both are contagious. We can all learn to deal with our fears better and show more courage.
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