Mindfulness may Help us unlearn our Fears

Fear has always been the evolutionary factor that has helped humans stay safe. In today’s world, however, fear responses or phobias are more a hindrance than help. To overcome these phobias, accumulating scientific evidence shows that ‘mindfulness’ practice could help in unlearning the fear response.

A new study from researchers at the University of Southern Denmark, Uppsala University, Lund University, Peking University and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai shows that mindfulness training facilitates extinction of conditioned fear reactions, producing lasting reductions in threat-related arousal responses. The purpose of mindfulness is to help an individual focus on stimuli occurring in the present moment rather than the fear response. It is commonly believed that mindfulness can help people feel calmer, more serene, and more motivated in their day-to-day lives. But first, let us define mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment, which one can develop through the practice of meditation and through other training. The findings of an increasing number of studies are now backing up that evidence, indicating that mindfulness practice can bring real benefits for physical and, especially, mental health. This new study, published in ‘nature Scientific Reports’, has suggested that if you start practising mindfulness, you will find it easier to unlearn your phobias and remain fear-free.