Fear is a feeling that is familiar to a person from birth. To a greater or lesser extent, each of us experiences a feeling of fright almost daily. But why do we experience such an emotion, what is the mechanism for the occurrence of such a state? It turns out that the cause of this sensation is the hormone of fear. More about the physiology of the occurrence of such an emotion is in our material.
What is fear?
Fear is a person’s internal state , which is provoked by some kind of danger, and associated with the emergence of negative emotional experiences. This feeling at the instinct level also occurs in animals, manifesting itself in the form of protective reactions. In general, in humans, the mechanism for the formation of this emotion is identical: when a danger arises, all possible body resources are activated to overcome the threat that has arisen.
For example, we do not hesitate to close our eyes, increase the distance from the source, which causes fear, etc. In some situations, people even run away and hide from the danger that has arisen. Despite the fact that the mechanism of formation of fear is the same in different people, the responses to the stimulus are directly opposite. So, if the organism of one person activates thought processes when a threat occurs, trying to find a way out of the current situation, then the other, on the contrary, falls into a stupor. In any case, the body's reaction to fright occurs due to the release of a certain substance into the blood. About which hormone is responsible for fear, we will describe below.
Fear as an instinct for self-preservation
Both in animals and in humans, the reaction to the emerging danger lies at the genetic level and is more instinctive. Thus, studies have noted that even a newborn baby feels various fears. Then, under the influence of social experience, emotion takes on other forms and manifestations, but nevertheless, the reaction to a dangerous stimulus remains at the instinct level.
The physiology of fear has been studied in a large number of scientific and literary works. Despite this, there are still many topical issues related to the mechanism of formation of the protective reaction. It is reliably known that the symptoms of fear are caused by hormones produced by the adrenal glands, namely adrenaline and cortisol. But this is why the same substances contribute to the formation of directly opposite reactions (namely, excitation and inhibition) in people to the same stimulus - still remains a mystery.
Education mechanism
What happens in the body when a danger occurs? First, signals are sent from the sensory organs to the cerebral cortex to detect a situation that poses a threat to human security. Then the body begins to produce the so-called hormone of fear - adrenaline. In turn, this substance activates the production of cortisol - it is he who causes the symptoms characteristic of the external manifestation of fear.
Experimental studies have shown that during a period when a person is experiencing severe fear, cortisol in the blood increases significantly. As a result, characteristic external manifestations of such a negative emotional state arise.
Classification
Numerous studies have shown that fear can be caused by various reasons. Depending on this, it is customary to classify such an emotion into the following types:
- Biological has primitive roots. It is a survival instinct. Such a reaction is characteristic not only of animals, but also of people. In the face of a clear danger to life at the level of instinct, the “hormone of fear” begins to be produced, which allows the body to instantly activate all available resources to combat the threat.
- Social concerns include fears acquired as a result of life experiences. For example, fear of public speaking or medical manipulation. This type of reaction can be corrected - in the process of comprehension, logical thinking, it is possible to overcome such fears.
Symptoms
Adrenaline in the blood causes a number of conditions characteristic of feelings of fear. So, this substance contributes to an increase in blood pressure and vasodilation - thereby improving the oxygen exchange of internal organs. In turn, increased nutrition of brain tissue helps, as they say, freshen up thoughts, direct forces to find the necessary solution to overcome the current emergency. That is why, when a person is very scared, in the first seconds his body tries to assess the threat as accurately as possible, activating all possible resources. In particular, pupil expansion occurs to increase visibility, and tension of the main motor muscles occurs to maximize acceleration when flight is necessary.
Stress Hormone - Cortisol
The mechanism of fear formation does not end there. Under the influence of adrenaline, cortisol in the blood, or stress hormone , rises . An increase in the performance of this substance leads to the following symptoms:
- heart palpitations;
- sweating
- dry mouth
- frequent shallow breathing.
When they say "hair stood on end", they mean that it was very scary. Does this really happen when a person is afraid of something? Indeed, science knows of individual cases of the manifestation of such a reaction during danger - at the roots, the hair slightly rises due to the action of hormones. Researchers have suggested that such a reaction is reflexive - for example, birds fluff feathers, and some mammals release thorns when there is a danger to life. But if such actions can really save lives for animals, then in humans such a reaction is only a primitive instinct of self-preservation.
Types of fear
Studies of fear have proven that there are two kinds of human reactions to danger:
So, in the first case, the body instantly activates all the defenses. In this state, opportunities are greatly increased. Many cases have been noted when, in a state of fear, a person did things unusual for him: he jumped over a high barrier, suffered heavy loads, traveled long distances in a short time, etc. In addition, attempts to repeat this in a calm state led to failure. Such possibilities are explained by the fact that at the time of fright, adrenaline is produced in large quantities in the human body. It is this substance that activates protective functions in a short time, allowing you to use all available resources to overcome the threat.
A passive reaction occurs when a person unconsciously tries to hide from the danger that has arisen. This is manifested in fading (the majority of animals and birds behave the same when approaching a threat to life), covering their eyes and mouth with their palms. Children often hide under a blanket or bed. It is known that such reactions are also caused by the fact that the hormone of fear is secreted by the adrenal cortex. But why some people take active steps to eliminate the danger, while others passively wait for the threat, still remains a mystery to researchers of this problem. There are suggestions that this is due to the social experience of a person and his individual psychological and physiological characteristics.
Effects
Is fear dangerous? Doctors answer this question unequivocally - such an emotion brings serious and drastic changes in the body, which cannot but affect health. Strong fright can cause blood flow disorders, brain hypoxia, a significant increase in blood pressure with all its attendant consequences. In severe cases, blockage of blood vessels and, as a consequence, heart attack is possible.
Fans of extreme entertainment are sure that adrenaline in the blood increases vitality, improves health. Indeed, this substance causes a tonic effect in the body, and the sensations that a person experiences during a fright are often compared with euphoria. Despite this, doctors claim that the frequent release of the hormone of fear reduces the strength of the body. A regular increase in pressure leads to a large load on the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of various diseases: from rosacea to disruption of the internal organs.
Can fear be cured?
A person’s fears do not always have a physiological cause - a problem can also have psychological roots. The hormone of fear can be produced by the body even in the absence of a clear threat to life. For example, a public appearance, a dark room, or a harmless insect can hardly be a real danger. Nevertheless, almost every one of us is afraid of something absolutely groundless. Moreover, this is manifested not only in thoughts, but also in physiological changes. So, people suffering from various phobias develop adrenaline in the blood, and symptoms characteristic of fear appear. Such conditions, of course, require the help of specialists. In addition to psychological support, if necessary, the doctor will prescribe sedative or homeopathic medicines.
We told what hormone is produced in fear, explained the mechanism of formation of such an emotion in humans. It can be noted that in most cases, such a protective reaction protects a person from real danger. But baseless fears can lead to serious health problems.