A little bit of fear is normal and necessary like loading of spring to be effective .It helps Instinctively to protect ourselves from harm. Us to understand degree of danger and choose safest choice But being fearful of non dangerous events like public speaking/social anxiety May cost Career advancement , Prevent Participation in social events and May even corrode our personality. May even create bigger problem in life. Hence there is a definite need to learn coping mechanism to overcome it . This can be done by Evaluating the risk , Formulating action and Seeking help of Psychologist/Psychiatrist if so needed. ( Though visiting a Psychologist / Psychiatrist is still a taboo in our society and we tend to be secretive in spite of tremendous suffering. )

1. by
Col Mukteshwar Prasad(Retd),
MTech(IITD),CE(I),FIE(I),FIETE,FISLE,FInstOD,AMCSI
Contact -9007224278, e-mail –muktesh_prasad@yahoo.co.in
for book ”Decoding Services Selection Board-A Career in Armed Foces
As An Officer” and SSB guidance and training at
Shivnandani Edu and Defence Academy
How to face fear?
Ref-https://www.verywellmind.com/healthy-ways-to-face-your-fears-
4165487

2. Introduction
 A little bit of fear is normal and necessary like loading of spring to be
effective .It helps
 Instinctively to protect ourselves from harm.
 Us to understand degree of danger and choose safest choice
 But being fearful of non dangerous events like public speaking/social
anxiety
 May cost Career advancement ,
 Prevent Participation in social events and
 May even corrode our personality.
 May even create bigger problem in life.
 Hence there is a definite need to learn coping mechanism to overcome it .
 This can be done by
 Evaluating the risk ,
 Formulating action and
 Seeking help of Psychologist/Psychiatrist if so needed.
( Though visiting a Psychologist / Psychiatrist is still a taboo in our
society and we tend to be secretive in spite of tremendous

3. Evaluate Risks
 Many a time our fear is due to ignorance.
 As an example being afraid of flying being risky is untenable as death
in commercial airline is probably one in few millions as against
death due to smoking and consuming tobacco, which is 2 to 5 per
thousand.
 Hence looking at statistics and understanding nuance of event
may reduce the fear.
 Why should we afraid of public speaking?
 Risk involved is at best people will laugh at us or make a joke.
 Even Churchill was afraid of public speaking as a child who ultimately
became a great orator and lead UK In world war 2.
 We can learn from other’s success to be more confident.
 Feeling scared does never imply it is risky.
 Educate yourself and face things that scare you.

4. Create an Action Plan
 The key to facing your fears is to take one small step at a time.
 Going too fast or doing something too scary before we are ready can
backfire.
 But it’s also important to keep moving forward.
 A moderate amount of anxiety is OK.
 Don’t wait for your anxiety to disappear before taking a step forward, or
you may find yourself waiting for a change that isn't going to come on its
own.
 The best way to create an action plan is to create a fear hierarchy made up
of small steps.
 As an example for Boys in School afraid of height ,I used plan structures
from 3 ft to 9 ft and graduate them slowly from climbing 3 ft to 9 ft.
 In Army many soldiers are scared to jump 9 ft ditch with battle fatigue.
 Near 9 ft ditch only we used to make 4ft,6 ft and 8 ft ditch with varying
and increasing depth.
 Simultaneously make many of their colleagues perform in front of them.
 They could all overcome their fear. This is virtual reality
treatment/exposure therapy/Shaping .

5. Visit Psychologist/Psychiatrist
 If our fears is excessive and we are unable to get over it our self ,then
unhesitatingly seek help of professional psychologist/psychiatrist
specially eating disorder, social anxiety disorder, or PTSD.
 They are of great help in persistent specific phobia using cognitive
behavioral therapy or even medicine if needed .
 Fear-facing treatment may include:
 Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT): ACT involves accepting
your fears in order to make them less threatening and less impactful on
your life.
 Exposure therapy (immersion therapy):Through practice and
experience, one becomes more comfortable in situations that he would
otherwise avoid.
 Psychoanalytic theory: Psychoanalysis aims to cure the fear or phobia
by rooting out and solving the original conflict.

6. Avoiding vs. Facing Your Fears
 Face rather than avoid fearful situation.
 Avoidance is a short term solution which may cause anxiety in long
term.
 By avoiding fears, we teach our amygdale (the fear center of brain)
that we can't handle them.
 By gradually facing fears, in small doses without overwhelming
ourselves we may help
 Decrease anxiety "habituating“ amygdale, or
 Letting brain become accustomed to the fear.
 Study has shown that the brain has to experience
repeated exposure to fear in order to get over it.

7. Should You Face Your Fear?
 One need not conquer all fear but concentrate on fears
that are stopping him from performing assigned or valued
tasks.
 As an example fear of earthquake or Tsunami are relevant
to people in seismic zone/sea shore.
 Internal conversation with self to identify relevant fear is important.
 Consider the pros and cons of not facing your fear.
Write those down.
 Identify the pros and cons of tackling your fears head-
on.
 Write down what you might achieve or how your life
might be different if you overcome your fear.
 Read over the lists to make a clearer decision about
what to do next.

8. Fear vs. Phobia
 Psychologists distinguish between fears and phobias in terms of difference
in the strength of the fear response and its impact on the person's life.
 Both fears and phobias generate an emotional response, but a phobia
causes anxiety that is disproportionate to the perceived threat so much
so that it interferes with a person's ability to function.
 Get familiar with the fear by watching actual event or video and
shaping slowly to get over it.
 Treatment for phobia may include an element of facing the fear in the form of
guided therapy which may also include medication or alternative therapies.
 If you can’t actually do the thing that scares you , practice then to
visualised imagined exposure.
 Jumping from 9 mtr in pool of water to get over fear of height.
 Think about how it would feel to take a jump and touching pool, of water
 Public speaking can be got over
 Stand in front of a mirror and give a two-minute talk.
 Record yourself giving a talk and watch it back.
 Practice the talk in front of a partner, family member, and friend.
 Give the talk in a meeting at work.