There Are 3 Different Kinds Of Fear — Here's How To Handle Each One

All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives. From an evolutionary standpoint, fear is a built-in mechanism, a highly effective warning system that helps to keep us out of danger and from physical harm. Put simply, the original purpose of fear was to help keep us alive.

Since most of us are no longer living in the middle of a vast wilderness, the fear responses that may have helped keep us safe from bears and lions don't do us much good in modern life. We no longer experience the same mortal threat that our long-lost ancestors did. Our physical lives are rarely in danger, so the fears we grapple with today are largely conditioned.

While healthy fear is still effectively alerting us to danger, there are two other types of fear that have evolved over time: real fear and illogical fear. All three types of fear can help us grow if we become aware of them, but more often than not, they rob us of the joy we could be experiencing day-to-day.

Healthy fear helps us discern safe situations from dangerous ones. It is a gift given to each and every one of us and typically manifests as a physical, instinctual response. This is the type of fear we need for our survival and protection, and it is characterized by a physical response: a rush of adrenaline, an elevated heart rate, a burst of energy. It is the fear that kicks in when you are standing too close to the edge of a cliff or placing your hand near an open flame.

While real fear is very much based in reality, it is not the same as healthy fear in the sense that it's not based on physical danger. Some examples would be the fear of losing the people we love most, never achieving our dreams and aspirations, and even the fear of our own death. This fear exists in the truth that life is a terminal condition, and it's based on something that is irrefutably real: Everything we do and everything we are has an expiration date. These manifestations of real fear may be existential, but they are just as valid because they are associated with real events like death, change, and pain.

This is the big one. Illogical fear resides on the opposite end of the spectrum from healthy fear. It feels the same, but it is typically triggered as a result of something hypothetical or altogether nonexistent.

Whether big or small, this fear manifests for all of us in different ways. Spiders. Heights. Cockroaches. Flying. Is there a fear in your life that falls into this category? Perhaps it's driving on freeways? Claustrophobia? Public speaking? Imagine, for a moment, what your life would be like if this fear was eliminated. The feeling is almost always one of liberation and peace.

Using my illogical fear experience, I'll take you through the steps of eradicating this type of fear from your daily life:

1. Plan for the morning.

It has been scientifically proven that our willpower is strongest in the earlier part of the day. We experience optimum levels of endurance and stamina then, so practically speaking, do the thing that scares you first thing in the morning.

2. Challenge your fear-based thoughts.

Ask these questions the next time you find yourself at the behest of fearful thoughts.

3. Exposure.

Really pay attention to your emotions, as this is key to developing that self-awareness that will allow you to understand what's at the root of your fear. Are your fears mostly healthy, real, or illogical? Do you know when your fear started? A deep understanding of your fears, with the tools and consciousness, will help you eliminate them. You may also need the assistance of a mental health professional, and that's totally OK, too. Reach out for help if you need it.