Sometimes, I have my anxieties – moments in which I’m afraid, I worry, I put the negative things in front of me.
One solution is to learn to cope with these – try to find out what causes fear, and what alternative ways I have in handling a state.
But there’s also another one, which is generally poorly regarded – avoiding the stressful event.
About this second solution – if the reason for fearing the things is not motivated (let’s say I’m afraid of planes, dogs, public speaking), yes, it’s a good thing to face the fear. You shouldn’t be afraid of planes, dogs, or public speaking.
But if you fear things which should, really, be feared, in my opinion, it’s good to avoid those items. I’m not afraid of dogs, but I am afraid of stray dogs. I’m not afraid of public speaking, but I am afraid of a hostile crowd. I’m not afraid of communicating, but I’m afraid of having arguments online.
All of these are examples of motivated fears.
The solution? Stay away from stray dogs, hostile crowds, and arguing online, as much as possible. Not possible? Face the fear and learn how to cope with this, but this should be plan B, in my opinion.
