Why do people feel afraid?
People are afraid because we see, hear, or feel something that makes us anticipate danger. Triggers can come in any form. For example, a spider, a knife cut at your neck, a crowded audience seminar auditorium waiting for you to speak, or a loud banging of your front door. All of this acts as a stimulus that triggers the brain to transmit signals throughout the body.
Fear is a chain reaction in the brain, which begins with a stressor and ends with the release of the rapid flow of adrenal hormones by the adrenal gland. This results in a variety of physical and emotional changes, ranging from a rapid heart beat, a rush of breath, to even changes in brain activity and others. This chain reaction is also known as a fight-or-flight reaction.
How does the brain process fear?
The process of creating fear occurs in the brain and is entirely in the subconscious. There are two paths involved in the fear response: The spontaneous fast-paced track, and the slow path that takes longer and provides a more precise interpretation of the event you are experiencing. Both of these processes occur simultaneously.