Fear is one of the most important emotions that help humans survive in the face of danger. The sensation starts from the brain and eventually spreads throughout the body to prepare for any sort of threat. This essay will explain why fear arises and why it exists. We also explain how it may be possible to not feel fear at all with brain surgery and the potential downsides of this idea. It will also explain why people like to feel fear, even though it can most likely be considered a negative emotion. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Fear is one of our strongest emotions. Although it is a very unpleasant feeling, fear provides the ability to identify things that are harmful, which is very important for human survival. Fear is like an alarm system that goes off when there is potential danger. In every alarm system, there is some sort of trigger, such as a fire alarm that goes off when smoke is detected. Inside the brain are two almond-shaped structures called the amygdala that are always on the lookout for potential danger. These structures are like an early warning detection system that acts as the trigger for the entire alarm system inside the brain. When one of the five senses observes something we may fear like a spider, a loud noise, etc., the amygdala is triggered. Almost immediately afterwards, these structures release hormones into the bloodstream, which activate areas involved in the fight or flight response. This leads to changes that prepare the body for any sort of threat or danger and increase the urgency to stay safe. Changes such as faster breathing, rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, and muscle tension all occur when these hormones are released. When there is a situation involving fear, the prefrontal cortex, "...a part of the reasoning of the brain located behind the forehead..." does not have time to register what is happening so the amygdala takes over. relay. This is why, in times of fear, the brain resorts to fight or flight. However, if the reasoning part of the brain can recognize that it is a false alarm, then it will tell the body to calm down. Although most experience fear negatively, it is very important for survival. By having a positive attitude, fear can be seen as a proactive emotion rather than a negative one. This will cause the body to learn from its mistakes when feeling fear so that it does not make bad decisions in the future. It also helps the brain recognize what is a threat and what is not. Fear does not exist to cause sadness. Rather, it aims to help us grow, adapt and learn from our mistakes. Fear is an unavoidable emotion that we all feel at various times throughout our lives, myself included. However, this is not the reason why I decided to write about this topic in my essay. The incident that led me to write about this happened not too long ago, in early August. My friend and I decided to watch a horror movie. As we watched, scares surprised us left and right. After each jump, I was immediately filled with fear, which brought my attention to the beating of my heart. Soon I started to calm down and my heart rate returned to normal. After this event, I began to wonder why I felt this way.sensation. I was aware that it had to do with something in my body and was compelled to do some research on it. After researching this topic, I was struck by the question: Is it possible to know when you are in a dangerous situation without feeling fear? This would certainly help humans think more intelligently when faced with a threat. Being calm when you are afraid is something that many people practice. With the mind open to more than just fight or flight, wiser decisions can be made. However, is it possible to eliminate fear completely instead of having to face it? It is not hard to believe that many do not like the feeling of fear and wish it did not exist at all. But is it possible to completely get rid of fear? As I explained in a personal conversation, people tend to panic in times of fear, which makes it difficult to maintain composure and think. This made me wonder if, if there was no fear, it would really improve a person's intelligence in these types of situations and if it did, what would be the potential obstacles? After studying this topic for a while, I discovered that the most realistic way to eliminate the emotion of fear is brain surgery. Brain surgery is not something most people would actively pursue. However, the idea of ​​removing the tonsil is something that many people might be interested in. Amygdala removal is actually a well-known procedure, but it is not generally used to reduce fear or anxiety. This procedure (also known as a tonsillectomy) is usually performed only to "...treat certain types of epilepsy and control aggression, primarily in patients with mental illness and intellectual disabilities." Although one patient underwent surgery due to a rare genetic mutation called Urbach-Wiethe disease. “Urbach-Wiethe disease is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis caused by mutations in the extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) gene.” Patient SM or “the woman without fear” benefited from this procedure and came out of the operation healthy and without tonsils. After the operation, it was reported that she showed no fear. She said she doesn't even know what fear feels like. Hypothetically, tonsil removal is possible, but there are many difficulties that one may face without a tonsil. Without this, one can still realize what can and cannot harm them. But "...they will lack the quick, subconscious, visceral response that the rest of us feel when exposed to danger." » So, we can be calm when we find ourselves in a dangerous situation, but our response will not be immediate or urgent, which could put us in danger. Additionally, the amygdala plays a role in memory, decision-making, and emotions. Therefore, this could lead to problems registering emotions. After studying the subject of fear, most of my questions were answered. Although I still didn't understand why people liked the feeling of fear. Ever since I was little, I've gotten scared easily and I've realized that I love it. The thrill of roller coasters, haunted houses, horror movies, etc. attracts me so much. So if fear is generally seen as a negative thing, why would anyone want to intentionally scare themselves? When we watch a horror movie or walk through a haunted house and are confronted with something that the brain registers as dangerous, dopamine can be released. Dopamine is achemical in the brain that controls the pleasure part of the brain. The release of this chemical is because “fear responses produce endorphins, which can cause a kind of natural euphoria.” Additionally, as discussed in the topic section, the hormones released trigger the fight or flight response, at the same time attention shifts away from abstract thoughts and instead focuses on survival. Because the brain is focused solely on fight or flight, a feeling of escapism can arise. “Our thoughts can simply pause and we can fully enjoy being in our bodies, feeling primate and animalistic. When you're on a roller coaster or in a haunted house, you're not thinking about your bills, your classes, your relationships, or your future” (Manning-Schaffel, 2017). Eventually, the fear fades as soon as the brain realizes that the situation is not actually dangerous. This is when fear can be enjoyable for some people. Often, after something scary happens, it will feel like they have overcome a challenge which boosts the individual's confidence. There are many methods used to overcome fear. One method that logically works best is to face your fears. This works because of something called Habituation. “Habit, formally defined, refers to the fact that arousal of the nervous system decreases upon repeated exposure to the same stimulus” (Sphancer 2010). In short, this means familiar things become boring. When you are in a state of fear, your nervous system is excited. This is naturally why most strive to avoid situations or objects that provoke fear. However, due to this, the nervous system cannot get used to it. Therefore, every time one displays an emotion of fear, whether because of a spider, a presentation in class, etc. and we decide to avoid it, then we continue to be afraid of it. So, to get rid of fear, it is much more effective to use the principle of habituation through exposure. Exposure is one of the most effective methods used in psychology, especially in the treatment of anxiety. Exposure forces one to face one's fears, which will be uncomfortable at first, but if one wants to achieve a long-term goal, one must go through short-term discomfort. Think of facing fear as if you were studying for a test. Long tedious studies may not be fun, but the result will be worth it. Exposure scares people, but scary things aren't always necessarily dangerous. Exposure is scary mainly because many people don't know what the principle of habituation is and how it works to help get rid of fear. Thus, they believe that their fear will intensify when they are presented with a feared object or situation. Anxiety is like a maze in the sense that the only way out is to get out of it. Therefore, if one is afraid of spiders, one must expose oneself to spiders. If they're afraid of roller coasters, they should go. If we continually face our fear, it will begin to lessen. Facing your fears is not easy, so most look for other ways to overcome fear. Another method used to overcome fear is to trick the brain. This method is less effective than habituation but it works. To do this, several mental and physical measures can be taken to minimize fear. To begin, you have to “fake it until you make it.” To do this, an individual can tell their brain positive things such as.