One of the Quora users asked the readers of the resource an important question that comes to each of us at least once in our lives: “How to overcome fear of the future?” Indeed, any person has asked himself these questions:
What will the future be like? Will my dreams come true? Will I be able to achieve the goals I set for myself? Will I be able to cope with all the obstacles that will come my way? Will I be able to build a career? What about my personal life?
Today we will share with you people's opinions on this matter.
Causes
Fear of the future is called futurophobia in psychology. This concept refers to a feeling of anxiety about upcoming events. Fear of what will happen appears not only on the eve of bad life events, but also good ones:
- the expectant mother may be afraid of the baby's arrival;
- actor - the upcoming performance;
- player - big game.
All events are potentially dangerous, and in our subconscious they can cause psychological distress. What happens to us for the first time is both frightening and fascinating.
Fear of the future arises from doubts and lack of confidence in oneself and one’s abilities.
A person can unwittingly program himself for failure. The presence of futurophobia in a person in any, even mild, manifestations can serve as a signal of psychological problems that should be corrected with the help of a specialist.
Symptoms
The following symptoms may indicate that a person suffers from futurophobia:
- life seems boring and uninteresting;
- events stop happening around the person;
- fear of change;
- depression, depressed mood.
The transition to a new stage of life is accompanied by a rethinking of values and gaining experience. People who easily perceive new things and are ready to change endure crises quickly and painlessly.
The causes of some phobias can be found in childhood. A child growing up in a troubled environment may experience unreasonable fears and anxiety about the future. He stops trusting the world, which negatively affects his emotional state.
Symptoms
Symptoms of futurophobia can be not only psychological, but also physical. In anticipation of the event, a person may experience a panic attack. The condition may also be accompanied by:
- dizziness and fainting;
- increased or decreased blood pressure;
- fatigue and apathy;
- depression;
- insomnia;
- rapid heartbeat.
Self-flagellation about life and its course can lead to obsessive disorders: a person understands his problem, knows the reason for his fears, but the condition only gets worse. Each time, in an attempt to correct the situation, the patient performs a ritual, after which, in the patient’s opinion, relief follows, and he does not think about what is coming as a problem. The situation can only get worse. The obsessive thought returns time after time in a new interpretation. It becomes impossible not to think about the problem.
Let's look at a vivid example of how a person can fear for the future:
“Just the thought of a future birth can terrify a woman in labor, and this is due to incorrect information and lack of support. As a result, the expectant mother withdraws into herself, endlessly revising the materials of many forums and magazine articles regarding her question.”
Manifestations
Futurophobia can manifest itself spontaneously. It is characterized by the following symptoms:
- panic attack;
- diffidence;
- isolation;
- feeling of helplessness;
- stiffness of movements;
- stuttering.
You should not think that the problem of the future, fear of choice, bad feelings about vital matters are only your problem. Everyone suffers from it, to one degree or another. It’s just that some people attach more importance to their fears, and others less.
It all depends on:
- temperament;
- stress resistance;
- human willpower;
- ability to make decisions independently and take responsibility.
A person who does not know how to be responsible for his actions, who lives at the expense of someone who solves all his problems for him, when faced face to face with the reality that he is “the architect of his own future,” falls into a stupor. This is where the fear of the future manifests itself.
Life is a pleasure
The main advice on how to overcome the fear of the future is to live in pleasure and not try to look into the unknown. We all know well that we create our own lives. Therefore, you should know one simple truth: what we call reality today is the very future that we are so afraid of. Live your days richly, try to spend your time as actively as possible.
Learn not to just live through the days in anticipation of some event - use the time usefully for self-development, strengthening relationships, and communicating with children. Don't focus on the future, live for today. A person who loves his life, has clear positions, and lives in the present moment can achieve a lot.
Clinical psychologist Ivanovsky told how to cope with fear of the future
Today people live in a mass neurosis that psychologists have not previously observed. Even in the “roaring nineties” our compatriots had hope that sooner or later life would “form”. Contemporaries seem to have almost no such hope. The coronavirus pandemic, the unstable socio-political and economic situation on the world stage - all this gives rise to certain fears and a sense of uncertainty about tomorrow
How to deal with the fear of the unknown and pull yourself out of the emotional swamp, like Baron Munchausen? Valery Ivanovsky, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Valaal school of psychological combat, answered these and other questions for Moskovskaya Gazeta.
– Valery Valerievich, what is the reason for the mass neurosis among Russians? Many people complain about how hard life is.
– Rather, it is due to certain disaptation processes that we are now observing. Russia is in a period of socio-political turbulence, which gives most people anxiety about their near and distant future. On the other hand, it is clear that Russia is located in the macrocosm, which is experiencing the same processes. Therefore, if earlier the answer to some socio-political troubles could be external emigration, now a person has no way to avoid that traumatic external situation, pressing on him with uncertain living conditions. Any psyche is a certain concentrate of past experience and certain extrapolation capabilities that allow it to better adapt to the external and internal conditions of existence. And when the external situation begins to change rapidly, that is, its basic parameters change, it turns out that all our previous experience is incongruent, inadequate to what is happening in the external world. Therefore, people experience anxiety, which can develop into neuroses and their more serious manifestations. A person simply does not know how to behave in a rapidly changing world.
— Fear of the future is an interesting phenomenon. Tell us more about it.
— One of the basic properties of the past is its inviolability. When the surrounding world and internal state are clear, the psyche is comfortable, because there is no pressure from new, and therefore stressful, situations. Any change in external parameters is perceived by the body as a threat to its existence. The future is always uncertain, although the likelihood that it will be better or worse than today is about the same. Intelligence is not an accurate enough tool for forecasting. A person sees that the amount of stress around him is growing exponentially, hence the fear of any future. Moreover, wealthy people endure uncertainty much more difficultly, because a poor person has nothing to lose except his chains. And the rich feel a threat to his existence, his property and his position.
– How to overcome fear of the future?
– Constant development and self-improvement are the best antidote to fears. We need to develop our body, intellect and spiritual qualities. We can play sports, read books and learn new professions. Next, you need to develop an accepting outlook on life. We all understand that it ends in death, but the interval prepared for us must be filled with large and small deeds that will benefit as many people as possible and leave a good memory of us. Understanding this will help you avoid fear of the future and come to terms with yourself and reality.
– How to avoid falling into the trap of depression?
– We need to understand what we are afraid of and why, and what we want in this life. You need to develop a specific plan for your life and follow it. We must direct all our activity towards self-development, which will have a positive impact on the life of society. We must strive to live for people without forgetting ourselves. By finding this balance, we gain harmony, inner confidence in the correct course of our lives. This helps us avoid depression, which is a consequence of a dead end in life, when a person does not understand who he is and why he lives. For a ship that does not know which harbor it is sailing to, no wind will be favorable. Chaotic throwing leads to depression. It is necessary to take care of yourself, normalize your diet and sleep, and also maintain mental hygiene.
– You said that you need to plan your life. So, despite rapidly changing circumstances, this is still relevant?
- Certainly. Man, in the process of his social evolution, has lost the possibility of unconditional and conditional instincts guiding his life. Planning is necessary for the process of life to happen properly. So dream and plan.
Earlier, Valery Ivanovsky explained why former partners follow each other on social networks after breaking up.
Solutions
If you feel that the fear of the unknown is developing into a psychological disorder that is severely depressing you, and you are not able to cope with it on your own, seek help from a qualified doctor. You may be prescribed medications or psychotherapy sessions, during which you will discuss in detail your fears, the reasons for their occurrence and find a solution.
Treatment of psychological disorder can also be carried out by putting the patient into a state of hypnosis. This practice is used only in special cases and only with the consent of the patient.
Overcoming Fear of Change
Overcoming the fear of change is not a difficult task, you just need to force yourself to do what you are afraid of.
To help you get out of your comfort zone, do things that you are not used to. If you are used to eating normal food, then try Chinese food, change the places you go to or the tables you sit at, or go somewhere else to see a different culture.
Even if these changes were small, they will program your mind into a new way of thinking that will allow you to accept the changes.
Finally, find out if your past experiences have anything to do with your fear of change, and then work to address the root causes associated with your past.
Stress Prevention
As you know, all our problems are caused by stress. To overcome a phobia of the future, you just need to strengthen your nervous system. Stress prevention involves simple activities.
- Play sports. Yoga is especially suitable because it will teach you concentration and relaxation.
- Meditate. Turn on your favorite music, close your eyes, imagine that your problems are far, far away, and the future is wonderful.
- Find a new calling for yourself. To get distracted and collect your thoughts, you need to do something else; everyone knows that the best rest is a change of activity.
- Eat right. This will improve metabolism, provide a surge of new strength, and at the same time strengthen the immune system.
