Fear, an age-old response, protects organisms from threats. While chemicals involved in fear also contribute to happiness, the context often determines whether we feel terror or thrill.
Fear has evolved to protect organisms from harm. The brain’s amygdala detects threats, while other areas provide context. While some enjoy the thrill of fear due to a sense of control, others may find it overwhelming. Disorders stemming from abnormal fear are prevalent but treatable.
Fear may be as old as life on Earth. It is a fundamental, deeply wired reaction, evolved over the history of biology, to protect organisms against perceived threat to their integrity or existence. Fear may be as simple as a cringe of an antenna in a snail that is touched, or as complex as existential anxiety in a human.
Whether we love or hate to experience fear, it’s hard to deny that we certainly revere it – devoting an entire holiday to the celebration of fear.
Thinking about the circuitry of the brain and human psychology, some of the main chemicals that contribute to the “fight or flight” response are also involved in other positive emotional states, such as happiness and excitement. So, it makes sense that the high arousal state we experience during a scare may also be experienced in a more positive light. But what makes the difference between getting a “rush” and feeling completely terrorized?
Source: SciTechDaily
Published in Fear, Psychology, Science and The Conversation
- Fear Engrams Unlocked: A Neuroscientific Journey Into Memory and Behavior
- New Research: Fearlessness Can Be Learned
- Where Do Fears Come From? How Can New Insights Improve Treatment?
- Withstand Psychiatric Stress: Jumping Gene Strongly Linked to Depression, Fear, and Anxiety
- Neuroscientists Discover Why the Memory of Fear Is Seared Into Our Brains
- Age and the Perfect Partner: Is There a Connection?
- Neuroscience of the Swipe: What Makes an Online Dating Profile Irresistible?
- Debunking the Myth: Alcohol, Attraction, and the Illusive Beer Goggles Effect
- What Is the Hardest Part of Waiting? Scientists Have Discovered the Answer
- Clicks and Tricks: How Online Tests Are Changing Motor Learning
- Harvard Engineers Discover Method to 10x Rubber’s Resistance
- A Boost in Dopamine During Adolescence Permanently Amplifies Impulsivity and Aggression
- Ancient Predator Unearthed: New Species of 65 Million-Year-Old Fossil Shark Discovered in Alabama
- Potassium Depletion: The Invisible Threat to Global Food Security
- Reviving Ancient Skills to Solve Prehistoric Puzzles
- Unlocking Your Body’s Natural Weight Loss System That Works Like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro
- Counteracting Addiction: How Alcohol and Drugs Genetically Rewire Your Brain
- Unraveling the Mystery of Insects Circling Lights at Night
- Fiber’s Surprising Role in Brain, Immune System, and Overall Health
- Measles: The Most Infectious Disease Known to Science – Why Adults Need an MMR Vaccine Booster
