Can You Rewire Your Brain’s Fear Response?

Like all other animals, we’re hardwired to respond to fear. For many people, it can feel almost impossible to do something that they’re afraid of. But as strong as this emotion can be, we aren’t powerless before it. In fact, it’s entirely possible to rewire your brain’s fear response.

When I was younger, fear ruled my days. But over time, I was able to shift this, and now I feel confident in situations that used to bring overwhelming fear. You can absolutely do this too. In my patients and clients, I’ve seen over and over how a person’s life can change when they master their fear response.

How is the brain’s fear response produced?

In order to discuss how to rewire your fear response, it’s helpful to know a little bit about how the brain works. Knowing how something works gives you greater power to change it. So let’s talk about what’s actually happening inside your brain when you feel fear.

The primary brain system involved in processing fear is the limbic system, which contains a few different structures. One that we really want to know about is the amygdala. This is a little almond-shaped structure located deep within the brain, and it’s involved in processing emotions, including fear. When something triggers you to feel afraid, your amygdala starts lighting up like crazy.

The prefrontal cortex is also very important in emotional regulation. This is the part of the brain concerned with cognitive control – thinking about what’s happening. The prefrontal cortex receives information about emotions, as well as other types of information from various parts of the body and brain. It evaluates all of this information and then makes a decision about how to respond. This process allows you to get perspective on your emotions and to choose the best path forward, instead of simply reacting to every emotion you feel. The prefrontal cortex doesn’t finish maturing until we’re around age 25 (which definitely helps to explain teenagers).

How can you rewire your fear response?

In a short-term sense, the reactions of the amygdala and other parts of the limbic system are beyond our control. We simply feel what we feel. When people try to force themselves to simply stop feeling an emotion like fear, this almost never works.

So the answer isn’t to try to change what we feel in the moment. Instead, we can modify what we do in response to those emotions. The nervous system is very good at learning from feedback, so when we modify our responses, the brain will learn the new pattern very quickly.

The prefrontal cortex is where emotions are translated into action. That’s why changing the activity of this brain area is the key to shifting our response to fear (and other emotions). And how can we change the activity of the prefrontal cortex? Through working on our mindset. If we change how we think about and evaluate our emotions, then we can also change the actions that we take because of them. 

Over time, the reactions of the limbic system will also change. When you feel fear, the amygdala has a huge spike in activity. But if you go ahead and take that action that you were afraid of, then your nervous system learns that it wasn’t really dangerous after all. Next time, your amygdala’s fear response won’t be quite so strong. It doesn’t happen all at once, but gradually, over time, you’ll find that the fear you used to feel simply isn’t there anymore.

How I rewired my brain’s fear response

I’ve conquered quite a few fears in my life, but perhaps the most powerful example of a time when I rewired my brain’s fear response was when I learned to show up in public completely bald.

When I was a teenager dealing with hair loss from alopecia, I was absolutely terrified of going out without a wig. I had all kinds of fears about what might happen – people would see how unattractive I was, they’d make fun of me, and no one would want to be my friend anymore, let alone date me.

During that time, when I thought about going out in public without a wig, my amygdala would light up like a Christmas tree.

When I became an adult and decided to transform my life, I started to take that action that I had been so afraid of for so long. I would show myself in public completely bald. I was still afraid – my amygdala was definitely activated. But I used my prefrontal cortex to evaluate the situation and select a different course of action to take. I posted a photo of myself without a wig – and nothing terrible happened. In fact, it was a very positive experience, and I received tons of support for my choice to show up authentically.

The next time I was getting ready to go out, I decided to go out without the wig. I still felt fear – that hadn’t just disappeared overnight. But the fear wasn’t as strong as the last time, and I made the choice to take the action despite the fear. Again, nothing terrible happened, and the experience was actually positive. 

Slowly, over time, my amygdala stopped getting triggered by the thought of being seen as my true self. I was able to rewire my brain to be more in alignment with reality. There’s no rational reason to fear going out without a wig. That was just my amygdala’s response to the unknown. 

By showing my nervous system that there was really no reason to fear this situation, my amygdala no longer got activated by it. Over time, it stopped firing in response to leaving my house without a wig on. In fact, I started to feel great about showing up in public as my true self. People would comment on how brave I was and how amazing I looked. They’d say that they admired how free I was. It felt good to be my true self, and as I let go of fear, it was replaced by much more positive emotions, like self-confidence and pride.

Now, I’m able to show up in the world as my true self, without any fear. You can absolutely do the same for whatever it is that you fear. Maybe it’s letting people see your bare arms when you’re having a flare, or going out in public without foundation covering your skin, or saying yes to a day at the pool or the beach. You can shift how your brain responds, and show up in these situations feeling confident instead of avoiding them out of fear.

How to rewire your own fear response

When you’re facing a situation where you’re feeling fear, the first thing to do is to consider whether the fear is truly rational. Sometimes it is – if you’re considering riding a motorcycle without a helmet, then the fear that you feel is very rational, and you shouldn’t take the action. Fear is, in fact, there for a good reason.

But if you’re thinking about something like going out into the world as your true self, then the fear that you’re feeling isn’t really rational. The likelihood of anything truly terrible happening is basically nonexistent.

Ask, “What do I fear? What bad things could realistically happen if I do this?” If the answer is, “I might find myself in a mangled heap on the side of the road”...well, probably don’t do that. But if the answer is, “Someone might not like how I look”, then ask yourself whether that’s really a good enough reason to keep hiding. In truth, the worst-case scenario is actually not that bad.

The next step is to face your fear by taking the action anyway. Make a decision to move forward with taking that action that you fear – wearing short sleeves during a flare, going to the beach in a swimsuit, whatever it may be. When the time comes, your fear will flare up. Notice it, and then decide that you’re not going to let it be in charge. Take that action anyway.

Each time you do this, you’ll teach your nervous system that it’s actually safe to take that action. The fear probably won’t disappear right away, and that doesn’t mean that you’re doing anything wrong. It just takes a little while for the brain to learn a new pattern. But over time, you’ll almost certainly notice that you’re feeling less and less fear each time. Eventually, you’ll stop feeling afraid at all. That action you were once terrified of will simply become a normal part of your life.

Seek support along the way

All you really need to go through this rewiring process is the intention to do it. You can absolutely do this on your own. But it can be helpful to have someone to support you as you’re going through this. They can give you advice, keep you motivated, and cheer for your wins.

You can ask a friend or family member for this support, or you can seek professional support from a coach. I offer health coaching nationwide, and I support women living with chronic skin conditions, metabolic health or weight management issues, the menopausal transition, and more. If you’re interested in coaching, the first step is a free consultation. Simply get in touch with me to book your appointment.