We Must Banish Fear!

ONE thing an alcoholic must learn to control or banish is fear. In many of us the lack of control of our fears has had a great deal to do with our drinking beyond control.

I am convinced fear is instinctive. Specialists tell us we are born with a fear of falling, a fear of loud noises and that is about all. The fears we know later are conditioned within us. My experience leads me to believe that fears develop that are without explanation but with tremendous effect on our health and actions. Whether these fears develop through instinctive or conditioned reasons has little effect on their power to trouble us.

I believe certain fears were set within us for our protection and as our experiences multiply and dangers increase, these fears come forward to tell us to defend ourselves. But what about those fears that are not called forward by threats of danger? The imaginative fears that clothe people with the appearance of evil and make them specters of terror to the fear-filled mind? I don't know, but I do believe that a lot of the resentments that welled up in my alcoholic career were sponsored by these imaginative fears.

Fears are thoughts and thoughts are powerful incentives which create action, modify our conduct and affect our personality. The only way I ever found to displace a thought was to put another thought in its stead.

When fear darkens the mind and tends to force actions of escape from reality, strive to put thoughts of faith and courage in its stead. This can be done in most instances. "God give me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference" is a real help in trouble. Say this over and over, say it aloud so you can hear it, keep saying it until your body loses the tension of fear. That tension must be released before courage can fill the mind and hearten the body. Loosen the arms, let them go limp to the fingertips--until courage replaces the fear and you can act. Then act, don't wait. Do the thing that frightened you. If you can't do it, write it down on paper--try to give being to the things that bothered you in words--expose it.

All the strength we will ever find is within us. All the fear we shall ever know is within us. Both are thoughts and thoughts are the motive power of our actions. They can be controlled. Try it.

Jim
Virginia