Is fear stronger far from home?

It's easier to be afraid when we are far from home.  Close to home, when bad things happen we reach out to others, perhaps do something meaningful together, and the fear lifts.  Away from home the fear can seem more powerful.  Perhaps we are in danger.  We are more vigilant, on high alert for possible threats.

Neuroscience tells us, when we feel threatened our brains change. Our perception narrows, we are less creative, we make poorer decisions, and we don’t work collaboratively with others. Instead of operating at a high thinking level our brain focuses on the basic responses: flight or fight.

When my son was little he did a great Yoda imitation.  His favourite lines have been echoing in my head over the past ten days: “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering.”

I’m not sure there is an evidence-base behind Yoda’s predictions but I do know that negative emotions lead to narrowing of the urges – Fear leads to the urge to escape and anger leads to the urge to attack.

These urges also come with specific physiological changes. With fear, our blood flows to our large muscle groups so we can immediately run.

For centuries these response have helped us to survive, but they may not be the most helpful responses now. The news of terrorism and tragedy brings deep sadness and fear.  If you are on a global assignment and far from home, you and your family may be longing for an opportunity to leave.  The news around the world resonates more strongly.  Home seems safer.  Your new location may seem unwelcoming or their responses unfamiliar.  But is leaving the best option for you? Or is your brain responding to more basic instincts?

Right now we need people to be thinking with all of their cognitive and critical thinking capacity.  We need collaboration and creativity.  To address the problems of terrorism we need broad perceptions, and integrative thinking.  The sort of thinking that is triggered when we experience positive emotions.

We need to switch our brain from a fear state to a more positive state. 

What can we do? 

Neuroscientists talk about engaging your brain’s “braking system” – (the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex)– to increase self-control and thoughtful, deliberative decision-making. How do we do that?  Try the following: 

1. If you are anxious, fearful (or some other strong emotion) then say it. Name it. If you are feeling fearful, say to yourself, “I am feeling afraid”.  If you are feeling worried, you might say to yourself “I am feeling anxious”.   The mere act of putting your strong emotion into words helps your brain to switch back to a more thoughtful thinking space
2. Then do something to generate more positive emotions.  

Appreciating something beautiful, savouring something delicious, enjoying a special moment with others, laughing at something funny - all positive emotions. Research shows -experiencing a positive emotion leads to states of mind and to modes of behavior that broaden thinking and mind-sets and build resources and resilience.

The results?  We will think more creatively, see more possible solutions, integrate ideas and knowledge, collaborate more with others.  At a time when we need people to be thinking big, looking for the best and most creative solutions, and reaching out to others around us we need to put the mental brakes on our fear and consciously choose to broaden and build.

References

Fredrickson, Barbara. 'The Value Of Positive Emotions'. Amer. Scientist 91.4 (2003): 330. Web.

Rock, David and Cox, Christine. 'SCARF® in 2012: updating the social neuroscience of collaborating with others.' Neuroleadership Journal Vol 4