My kids are a little older now, but I recall each of them having a blanket that made them feel safe. Because the fear response is one of the first parts of our brain to develop (the amygdala), reaching for a safety mechanism is innate in us all.
But what happens as adults when we get stuck in fear, and we do not have a safety blanket? We often try to cover ourselves with words, actions, unhealthy decisions, or develop behaviors detrimental to our lives.
Fear does that, you see. Fear reaches for a blanket. The problem? The blanket cannot do for us as an adult what it did for us as a kid. In fact, the blanket is now unhealthy.
So what do we do in the face of real fear without a means to cover ourselves?
Here are a few techniques that might help you when fear makes itself known:
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- Ground yourself. Go outside, feel the grass between your toes, sit on the ground, and feel the grass with your fingers.
- Breathe. I know this may sound elementary. But breathing helps calm the mind when fear or anxiety is raging. Here is a link to help you with grounding and breathing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoQVgJx_QN4 (You can also click here to watch Refuge Therapist, Hannah Owens, walk you through some deep breathing)
- Tell someone safe. Not everyone can handle information. If you have no one with whom you feel safe, consider a therapist at The Refuge Center. We help to navigate fear every single day and help people put away their blankets. Give us a call at 615-591-5262.
Blog written by Master’s Level Intern, Matt Wade
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The Refuge Center for Counseling is a 501c3 nonprofit organization (20-3831943). We are also a United Way of Williamson County Partner Organization.
