Definition Paper : Living in Fear

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorCollege, Undergraduate February 2008

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Everyone has had to face it at one point in their lives. Whether you feel it when you are over ten feet off the ground, or when a certain insect lands on your shoulder, everyone has had an experience with fear. Fear is like a double edged sword, a little fear can be good and increase blood flow and adrenaline, but too much fear can be restricting and cause panic. Some people cannot even go into dark places, or swim in water when they cannot see the bottom, simply from the fear of the unknown. Other people fall into certain categories and have lifelong fears known as phobias. Everyone is scared of something, but it is in the balancing fear and courage that fear can then become a force that can drive a person to do bigger better things.

Fear can be interpreted in many ways. The Webster?s dictionary describes fear as, ?a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,

whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid.? Fear can stop a person dead in their tracks, or challenge them to go above and beyond the task and attack the situation. Fear is commonly associated with many things. Terror, fright, panic, horror, and dread are all words that come to mind when fear is mentioned. Other words that may come up when fear is mentioned are adrenaline, challenge, and conquering that fear. Everybody has their own fears, and the experiences that people have with their fears can teach them a lot about themselves.

When I was younger I had a passion for ski racing. Of course I was an adrenaline junky, so I had to pick a high risk, fast paces sport to compete in when I was a kid. I loved...