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First published July 30, 2021

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Anxiety disorders not only have a negative impact on a person’s mental and physical health, his or her profession and love, they also impair the development of social life, since the ability of adult citizens to make decisions is severely restricted. Fears of life, in the sense of persistent feelings of diffuse anxiety for which there is no real, concrete reason, go beyond the natural sense of anxiety and fear with which human beings are born. Since they are acquired only in the course of upbringing and socialisation, they can in principle be overcome. This specialist article in generally understandable language is also intended to provide the interested layperson with insight into the human soul.

Natural basic feeling of fear versus irrational fear of life

Every child is born with the feeling of fear and anxiety because the essence of life is afflicted with fear and anxiety. Without this fear, without this caution – the fear of losing life – the development of the human being and of life in general would not be possible. Not only the human being, but also the smallest being, which can only be observed under the microscope, paves its way and retreats in the face of danger.

While this basic feeling of human anxiety and fear sustains life, irrational fears of life that arise from an unobjective attitude on the part of parents and educators as well as the environment severely restrict human feeling, thinking and acting. Such fear of life can develop to the point of insanity. The balanced, healthy person who has been less damaged will also feel anxiety and fear, but he will not panic so easily, he will not lose his senses.

The first foundation for these fears of life is laid by the parents, the mother and the father. This is the world of the child. The way the mother and father deal with him, which cultural – and especially religious – values and feelings they pass on to the child, that ultimately results in the person’s attitude to life: the degree of courage and the degree of fearfulness. One has a lot of fear, the other less.

Before the child thinks, it already feels and experiences the attitude of the adults. Even if the mother is wholehearted when she gives birth to her child, she usually does not know how to deal with the child. She brings it up well, but with the portent of authority, force, coercion and rebuke. And this leads to the adult not being able to appreciate the other person. He has not experienced him in his feelings as a friend, but as an opponent. The interpersonal relationship has been disturbed: The authoritarian upbringing leads to fear and partiality towards the other person.

In addition, there is religious upbringing: as soon as the small child shows the first mental impulses and learns to speak, it is “taken into care” by society, i.e. by the parents and the church. It is made clear to him that his nature is not allowed to develop freely with regard to his feeling for nature and his world view. Then, in the 3rd year of life, God and the devil of the religion in question intervene and teach the child not to trust in itself, but to let itself be guided and controlled by supernatural powers. The child learns about the fear of demons and acquires fears that turn against man.

Eventually, the young person steps out into the world and experiences the same thing over and over again. In our culture, violence is always used. Even the teacher’s attitude at school is authoritarian – even when he does not hit. The child does not live in a friendly world. Everything is a continuation of the educational problem at home. Whether in school, in teaching, in the military or in the university: the idea of authority is cultivated everywhere.

The human reflex of absolute obedience as a result of unconscious fears

As already mentioned, most people react to these fears of life as if they were confused and paralysed. As a result, not only their very personal lives suffer, but also their actions in society. Very quickly they are ready to give up their own thinking, to go along with the opinion of supposed authorities and to obey unquestioningly. This happens largely unconsciously. The feeling of fear overtakes the person, he cannot help himself.

A tsunami of anxiety disorders in adults and young people

The measures taken by politicians for more than a year, ostensibly to protect the health of the population, have triggered a veritable tsunami of severe anxiety disorders and helplessness among young and old. The potential for destruction in terms of human health and human life in general is on an enormous scale worldwide. Everything that makes life worth living has been turned upside down. And this damage done will be irreparable. Among the measures taken are all the irregular political decisions. Since every citizen felt and still feels them first hand, there is no need to enumerate them again here.

Raphael Bonelli: “Explosive study! Do MEDIA & CORONA POLITICS have human lives on their conscience?”

Finally, a recent scientific study should be mentioned, to which the Austrian psychiatrist and psychotherapist Raphael M. Bonelli recently referred in a video entitled “Brisante Studie! Do MEDIA & CORONA POLITICS have human lives on their conscience?”. Bonelli concluded: fear kills! The main message of the study is: Fear leads to more severe courses of disease and even death in COVID-19. Anyone interested is recommended to watch the entire video.

Video (German)

The emotional overcoming of fear

How should a person overcome these fears of life? Depth-psychologically oriented psychotherapy has an answer to this question: the emotional overcoming of the partly unconscious fears is best achieved within the framework of psychotherapy in connection with rational knowledge and reading.

Of course, one can always appeal to the fellow citizen that he should give up the general fear of life, or that he need not be afraid of other people because they have nothing against him, or that he should make friends with people. But these appeals will have little success. To be able to give up fear, one needs professional help. The anxious person cannot give up this feeling until he has experiences with a person, for example with a psychotherapist, that are in contrast to his father, mother and teacher, that is, to his experiences in childhood. He has to experience that there is a person who gives him the feeling of trust.

The fears he experienced emotionally with his father and mother, before he could even think about them, he can slowly put aside with the therapist. He experiences that a person understands him. This opens his eyes and he begins to assess himself and the other person correctly and to understand that the parents did not know how to deal with the child. He reconciles with them.

He also begins to read and acquire the necessary knowledge about people and the world, which puts his fears in a realistic light. Psychotherapy is hard work on the character. But when he has changed his feeling, he is no longer afraid of the other person, lightning or even the devil and hell. The wrong opinions of grandparents or parents then fade away.

By means of psychology, one can acquire a new view of life and oneself, of people and the world. Of course, this makes high demands on the psychologist and therapist. The psychologist must be ready to know and explain why the person seeking help has these fears and how to overcome them. He must also know how to talk to the help-seeker. In a way, he has to “blow up” the help-seeker’s opinion that his parents and grandparents have given him and give him a new and realistic one.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of people are unable to confront their own opinion with a new one. However, it is only with a transformation of feelings and thoughts that we begin to see the world differently, abandon the irrational fears of life and stop obeying.

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This article was originally published on the author’s blog site, NRhZ-Online.

Dr. Rudolf Hänsel is a graduate psychologist and educationalist. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.