The Price Of Paralyzing Fearfulness

Powerful emotions in charged situations produce visceral reactions that aren't thought out or calculated. The emotions take over and prevent the individual from responding intellectually. Whether you are dealing with a child that is excited over a gift, a prospective bride that has just received her engagement ring, an athlete that is still celebrating his recent win, or an individual that has just landed in a life-and-death situation, this reality is in play.

A seasoned educator will confirm that most learning ceases the minute a student gets excessively emotional. A distraught person cannot be expected to make considered reasonable choices. Whether an individual is jumping for joy or weeping with loss, overwhelming emotions can make it impossible to respond logically.

I've recently watched footage of folks that have had their autos towed to an impound lot. These individuals must traverse a difficult maze of legal and monetary specifications before taking control of their automobile. The circumstances are varied, but one thing is common: these consumers are under stress.

Those owners who are able to remain calm and not give in to the frustration of the moment manage to weave their way through the process without too much difficulty. They determine what is required for the release of the auto, go about getting their affairs and paperwork organized and then go back to claim their car.

For those not able to calm themselves, the process becomes more tedious and prolonged. They direct their frustration at the employees in the office. Intense body gestures, elevated voices and allegations fly forwards and backwards as workers make an effort to inform the automobile owner what he or she must have. Before emotionally shutting down, the frustrated owner may only hear a couple of bits of information instead of the complete list. They leave and return repeatedly as they gather 1 or 2 of the records they need each time. The tension level of the worker begins to increase as he or she reacts to the annoyed customer. This creates errors in communication on the part of the employee.

Fear affects mental function in the form of bafflement, lapses in memory, and the inability to focus. A person in this condition can panic, rage or simply go numb emotionally. When lives depend upon quick action, this could be fatal. It could be necessary to leave him behind in the interest of the group's safety.

In their essence, most survival experts focus on two facets: preparedness and faith. Of these, the most important is faith. Why? In survival conditions, the truth you comprehend about God and about humans is going to have a powerful impact on your behavior. A man or woman of faith won't waste as much time second-guessing and railing against the situations.

Faith cancels fear. Faith moves us in direction of life. Faith reminds us in Whom our belief is placed. Faith serves as a reminder that we are never alone.

At the point you are able to calm yourself, your preparedness training will take over. If you've practiced thinking while you are learning, making selections on the go, and working with several landscapes, you'll find yourself well-served by your time invested in these pastimes. However, if you're ineffectual at reigning in your emotions, all of your planning may likely do you no service.

My interest was caught by a report of a meeting of individuals that had survived the Indonesian tsunami of 2004. The reporter stated that she realized that all of the people in the room were alive because they had not hesitated to run for high ground. People who didn't move promptly perished. It brought to mind the scripture that reads, "And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment." (Mark 13:15,16).

Fear made use of appropriately can be a life saver. Served as a master, fear can destroy. Know truth. Seek to increase your faith and be ready. These things are key factors when you are equipping yourself to respond to an emergency situation.