HSMP demo.2

How Does ​Fear​ Affect Your Health?
By Marcy-Hanne Guerrier
​Though common, ​fear is not
something to be taken lightly. ​Fear is an
emotion we are equipped with at a very young age. Being afraid is natural and can be helpful as well as essential to human
survival. ​Fear alerts the body when your brain senses potential danger. It serves as a
caution that activates physical responses.
Fear can protect us, but too much fear
can negatively impact our health. Many mental illnesses are associated with excessive fear. This means that it is extremely important to be aware of your
fears and phobias and inform your
doctor of any persistent ​fears you may have. Evidently, very few people are aware
of the effect ​fear has on one’s mental and even physical health. Even fewer people
notice when their ​fear becomes irrational. With that being said, when does
fear​ become a problem?
​We ​all know that fear as an emotion
we feel when our brain senses potential danger around us. But what exactly happens in our minds when we are afraid?
Before answering that question, we need to familiarize ourselves with certain parts of the brain. Our amygdala is a tiny part of the brain that serves as an alarm system. The amygdala waits for any sign of danger, and once it acknowledges a potential threat, it sends signals for the body to respond. You might already be familiar with the “fight or flight” response. The part of the brain that activates that response is called the hippocampus. The hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands to pump hormones, and the prefrontal cortex interprets the situation and compares it to previous events. The thalamus decided whether to send the received information to either the sensory cortex or the amygdala. These parts all work