[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Public Facing the podcast.
[00:00:16] Speaker B: Hey there.
What if the very thing trying to protect you could also wear you down?
It can happen.
Today, we embrace fear. Cue the intro.
[00:00:37] Speaker A: From the Natural State. This is Public Facing the podcast with Jo Hulman.
[00:00:48] Speaker B: Thanks for joining us today.
Fear can save your life in a split second.
But when the alarm never seems to shut off, your body can pay the price. And here's why this matters.
Understanding the physical side of fear can help us recognize when our bodies are asking for a little support.
Welcome to Public Facing. I'm Joe Holman.
Listener discretion is advised.
This is not an attempt at medical advice.
Today we're starting a three part conversation called the Factors of Fear.
And we're beginning where fear often announces itself first, the body.
Which is interesting because fear doesn't exactly send out an email saying, hey, Joe, I'd like to discuss this with you.
No. It sends a racing heartbeat, a sweaty palm, tight muscles, and occasionally the overwhelming desire to consult Dr. Google regarding every symptom that you've ever had, my friend and favorite listener.
Please don't do that at 2am I know that the science is pretty fascinating. I get that Fear is part of the body's defensive system.
So when we perceive danger, the body can activate what's commonly called the fight or flight response.
Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, even muscle tension can all rise.
You may even break a sweat.
And that's useful when a threat is immediate.
But today, we're asking an even bigger question.
What happens when the alarm keeps ringing?
We'll look at the body's emergency response, what prolonged stress can do, and how to recognize the difference between a normal fear response and something that deserves attention.
All right, so let's get into it now, my friend. Let's start with the basics.
Why does fear feel so physical?
Well, it's because fear isn't just a thought, it's a whole body response. It's basically your internal emergency crew shouting out, everybody, head to the exits.
And historically, that makes sense.
If our ancestors had heard something rustling in the bushes, their body didn't need a committee meeting. The body needed speed and focus.
And preferably an exit strategy that's not automatically a bad thing.
In short bursts, the stress response can help us respond to challenges.
But the important phrasing there is in short bursts.
Now, I used to think of myself as pretty fearless, except for that whole spider thing. And the fear of flying.
Not for any particular reason.
Wasn't always that way. But air travel is statistically the safest mode of transportation, followed closely by bus and Train travel.
Still, I can't quite bring myself to board a plane to this day.
But I digress.
Fear is not automatically the villain.
It's more so an alarm system. You know, the problem is what happens when the alarm stops behaving like the neighbor's car alarm at 3:00am you know, going off when nobody can find a problem.
And that's where prolonged stress becomes important.
A good listener takeaway would be that a physical fear response is normal. And staying stuck in that response is where we need to pay attention.
Now.
Now that we've covered the body's alarm system, let's look at what happens when that alarm doesn't get much downtime.
See, here's the part that people sometimes miss when the alarm stays on.
The body isn't designed to live permanently in emergency mode, right?
So chronic stress can contribute to or even worsen problems that involve sleep, digestion, headaches, and other symptoms. Sleep's the big one.
And it's because when you're worried, your brain may decide that bedtime is the perfect opportunity to replay every awkward conversation that you've had since Y2K.
Your brain is saying, you know what? We should discuss everything at midnight, all at once.
Right? So here's something important.
A symptom doesn't automatically tell you what's causing it.
If you're experiencing persistent physical symptoms, such as, especially symptoms that concern you. Well, it's. It's definitely appropriate then to talk with a healthcare professional rather than assuming that fear is responsible.
And that's a really important distinction.
Now, we don't want listeners diagnosing themselves with the old, oh, I heard it on a podcast syndrome.
Yeah, because that condition has an unfortunate cure.
We stop diagnosing ourselves on advice and information from podcasts.
So just don't stop listening to podcasts. At least not this one anyway. Is that fair?
Now, the bigger point is that mind and body, they aren't separate departments. No, they communicate constantly.
And when stress becomes chronic, well, that communication can become pretty noisy.
Speaking of communication, you can share your feedback with us by sending an email to hellopublicfacingpod Stream.
And please note, I may share your feedback in an upcoming episode.
Now, that brings us to the bigger picture.
Fear isn't only something you feel in your chest.
It can affect how you sleep, how you think, concentrate, and even how you function throughout the day.
But wait, there's more.
No, seriously, there's a whole other side to this, my friend. Let's change the way that we talk about fear.
Fear gets a bad rep and it's often treated like weakness, but biologically, fear is a protection system.
Now, the National Institute of Mental Health describes acute fear as activation of the brain's defensive motivational system to promote behavior that protects us from perceived danger.
Wow, that was quite a mouthful.
So feeling fear doesn't mean that you're failing.
It means your system has detected something it interpreted as important.
And sometimes that interpretation is accurate, sometimes it's exaggerated, and sometimes the danger isn't physical at all.
Now, it could be uncertainty. Could be a difficult conversation, a medical appointment, a job interview, a major life change, or public speaking.
You know, that thing we're literally doing right now?
You see, the goal isn't to eliminate every uncomfortable feeling.
No, the goal should be to actually understand what the feeling is telling you and decide what response makes sense.
So if fear is temporary and it's connected to an obvious challenge, well, it might simply be your body's normal response to stress.
If fear or stress becomes persistent, if it interferes with sleep or daily life, causes avoidance or even feels increasingly difficult to manage.
My friend, that's worth discussing with a healthcare or mental health professional. An asking for help isn't admitting defeat.
It's using another tool.
Think of it this way.
Nobody looks at the smoke detector and says, oh, what a coward, it detected smoke.
Although if your smoke detector is screaming every Tuesday because you've made toast again, you probably do need to check that detector.
But the same principle applies to fear.
Listen to the alarm, understand the alarm, and if it won't quiet down, don't ignore it.
That brings us to today's final word.
So here's today's takeaway.
Fear can create a powerful physical response.
Short term stress can help us respond to challenges. But prolonged fear and stress can affect sleep, digestion, tension and overall well being.
But ultimately, fear is not a character flaw. It is a protective system.
In learning to understand that system can help us make better take better care of ourselves.
And that's today's final word.
So if today's conversation has helped you understand fear a little differently, please share this episode with someone who might need it.
You can follow Public Facing the podcast on X, formerly Twitter and stay connected with
[email protected] PublicFacingPod.
You can also email us at any time. HelloPublicFacingPod stream and visit the website PublicFacingPod stream for all of our episodes.
My favorite listener next time.
In part two of our series on the factors of fear, we're moving from the body to the mind. Because fear doesn't just change your heartbeat.
It can also change the way you think and how you focus and how you experience the world.
Until then, stay informed, stay encouraged, and stay Public Facing For Public Facing the Podcast, I'm Joe Holman. Come back and see us soon.
[00:13:14] Speaker A: Foreign.
Thanks for listening to Public Facing the Podcast with Joe Holman. Visit us online at public facing pod stream and on
[email protected] public facing podcast Sam.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: Foreign.
[00:14:14] Speaker A: Thanks for listening to Public Facing the Podcast with Joe Holman. Visit us online at PublicFacingPod stream and on
[email protected] PublicFacingPod.
[00:14:31] Speaker B: Sa.
