What we’re going through, now, in the West is a diminishing of the ‘control’ of the systems that we relied upon to bring measure and justice and set boundaries that made normal life predictable.  And that enabled growth, surety and personal financial success. 

The American Dream was possible, until it wasn’t.  From 1948 to 1972 the average American could buy their first property on a single income.  At that point, the wealthiest top 1% of the population controlled 8% of the US economy.  Today, the top 1% controls 32% of the US economy and that economic chasm is set to widen more, intentionally.  

For the average person, the ratio between income and expenditure has meant that many younger generations cannot hope to buy their own homes until they are in their 40’s.  Living under their parents’ roof (or renting property with escalating rental prices) can cause delays in life milestones, restrictions in time needed to advance up the property ladder and limit whatever they can bequeath to their children, further widening the gap in society between those who have and those who don’t.

The Republican Party in the US, and the establishment Democrats who are acquiescing, are either driving these changes or are complicit.  The Project 2025 policy proposals, drawn up as a mandate for a conservative country limiting protections, rights and equality, that Trump denied he would enact is now 48% enacted.  This Trump administration began 300 days ago and there are another 1,160 days to the end of his term.  Prior to the last election, in July 2024, Trump said: “Get out and vote, just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. … In four years, you don’t have to vote again.  We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.”

Control

In the face of these, and other growing global upheaval and political shifts, there can be a scrambling for a desire for personal control.  As Covid kicked in, there were over 26 million individuals in the United States buying weapons for the first-time between 2020-24.  The underground safety bunker industry was worth US$100 million in 2020 and that jumped to over $137 million in 2023.  Stocking up for the unknown, known as the “emergency food market”, is now up 80% today since 2020, and investments in ‘off-grid systems’ is up 25% since 2019.  

And there is anecdotal evidence of large numbers of people emigrating from the US as the changes there take hold, with many people seeking a simpler, democratic, less expensive new life in Europe and elsewhere.

There are more subtle efforts at grasping for control, such as individuals moderating their news intake, or identifying how the current changes will impact them directly, if at all, and navigating only that.

And in the absence of control, there can be fear.  

Healing Fear

In a previous blog, we talked about How to Live in Chaos and how to strategically prevent fear from getting absorbed into the body.  But what if there is fear already in the body?  How do we address that?

Extreme states of life-or-death fear, such as in a war zone, or in a school shooting experience, trigger our human survival mechanism to ‘get safe’ and can easily put us into flight, fight, freeze or fawn and result later in post-traumatic stress syndrome, should we survive the onslaught.  That is a different type of chaos than the fear that we will address here.  

Instead of a war zone, what if we feel a looming threat, the threat of oncoming political upheaval, or injustice, or economic threats?  What if we feel threatened by a lowered sense of safety generally in the world, or that society is ‘meaner’ or that our pension investments might get wiped out? I’m talking about the kind of global chaos that feels like it is ‘creeping’ in a macro sense, but then also repeatedly ‘sudden’ in a personal, micro, sense, all at the same time.  Like unprecedented changes are being allowed to happen that affect great numbers of people and the checks and balances that should protect those people don’t seem to be working.  What if we get racially targeted by the authorities and instead of a slow burn fear, we have an urgent fear, the kind that tries to throw me off centre?

What happens when the systems themselves fail the people that they are meant to serve?

What does that kind of fear do to our bodies?  And what can we do about it?  First, let’s look at why fear is necessary, but can be toxic in our bodies if allowed to be there too long.

How We Respond to Fear

Fear is one of the body’s most powerful survival mechanisms.  When we sense danger, either real or imagined, our system responds instantly, preparing us to act.  At the centre of this process lies the amygdala, a small almond-shaped structure deep within the brain, that acts like a smoke alarm, alerting us to possible danger, even before we consciously register it.  Once it detects a threat, it signals to the hypothalamus, which is a region of the forebrain below the thalamus which coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary, controlling body temperature, thirst, hunger and other homeostatic systems and is involved in sleep and emotional activity. 

The hypothalamus coordinates the body’s response through the sympathetic nervous system, and once that is activated, stress hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline surge through the bloodstream.  The physical effects are striking.  Heart rate and blood pressure rise, breathing quickens and pupils widen to take in more light.  Blood flow shifts from digestion to the muscles, priming us to fight, flee or freeze. 

Not everyone reacts with fight or flight or freeze.  Some fawn (people-please) or collapse into a stupor state when overwhelmed.  These responses are guided by the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system, specifically the dorsal vagal pathway.  The affects can be momentary, or last several minutes. 

If the sense of threat continues, the slower HPA axis (hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal) response takes over, releasing cortisol, a hormone that sustains vigilance.  Cortisol raises blood sugar, suppresses digestion and immunity and keeps the body on high alert.  This is useful in a crisis but it is harmful if it is prolonged.  Chronic fear can mean cortisol remains high, leaving us exhausted, anxious or prone to illness, also known as ‘tired and wired’.  Trauma Recovery Specialist, Michele Rosenthal, said, “Survival mode is supposed to be a phase that helps save your life.  It is not meant to be how you live.”

Long-term fear or hypervigilance, can lead to chronic health issues including sleep disruption, digestive trouble, muscle tension and immune weakness.  In essence, we are having a post-traumatic stress response, meaning that the body has ‘forgotten’ how to stand down.  

When we have fear, it’s caused typically by two types of threat; ‘emergency’ or ‘slow burn’, each causing a different type of fear.  We’ll look at them in turn.

How We Heal Fear from ‘Emergency’ Threat

‘Emergency’ threat is imminent, but once the threat has passed, how do we get instant relief?  There are two healthy ways to immediately reduce fear when the need is urgent and in the moment; ‘logical thinking with presence’ and physically lying down.

Presence 

Fear often thrives in the imagination, in over-thinking, spiralling into ‘what if’ scenarios that our brains use to seek safety.  Anchoring ourselves in our bodies and in what is real and present is a powerful antidote.  Take a slow breath and notice, “Am I physically safe in this moment?”  Engage your senses.  Feel your feet on the ground, feel yourself in your own skin, feel the chair beneath you.  Notice a colour in the immediate space, what materials are used in the decoration of the room or street around you?  How old is the stone in the pavement beneath your feet?  Notice the textures of the surfaces around you.  Listen to a sound.  Do you hear traffic, or birds, or your breathing?  Witness your breath, count the breaths, allow the breath to become regulated.  Even when still under extreme stress, noticing what is real and present is a proven way to lower stress and control fear.  

Lying Down

If the ‘logical thinking with presence’ method is unavailable, or isn’t enough to provide the safety needed, then lie down.  Lying down has the almost-immediate effect of reducing the stressors in the body that are associated with ‘fight or flight’.  This is because lying down causes the blood pressure to drop slightly, causing symptoms to be milder.  It also tells the body, the physical threat is gone and we don’t need to be hyper vigilant.  And we associate lying down with rest, so the brain takes this as a cue to ‘stand down’ and release and move to ‘rest and repose’.  If overwhelm is present, lying down can transform shock, fear and panic into tears to release the energy effectively from the body.  Lying down also has a comfort aspect to it that we associate with being nurtured and taken care of, which can soothe the nervous system.

How We Heal Fear from ‘Slow Burn’ Threat

What when the fear is more grinding and slow running anxiety under the surface?  Deescalating fear and hypervigilance can be taught to the body through several mindful practices, including slow breathing, grounding, gentle movement and compassionate self-care.

But there are other things we can do as well, to reduce our exposure to fear.  Consuming less fear-driven media can help significantly.  A 50% reduction in news consumption has been shown to dramatically lower stress hormones, according to recent research from the American Psychological Association.  It also helps us to ground ourselves in localised reality and reduces helplessness and restores perspective.

Balancing awareness with well-being is crucial. It is good to be informed, but constant exposure to distressing news can overload the nervous system.  Choose one reliable news source and limit your exposure, then counterbalance with restorative inputs such as art, nature, exercise, humour or spirituality.  Like muscles, the brain needs both effort and rest.

Connection is another vital remedy.  Isolation feeds fear, while supportive relationships and community builds resilience.  Talking with people who share your concerns but remain calm and constructive can be soothing.  Volunteering or joining community groups can transform anxiety into agency.  Writer and activist Margaret Wheatley once said, “In times of uncertainty, the best thing we can do is to be fully present and participate fully in our communities.”  Intergenerational conversations also provide perspective, reminding us that humanity has weathered many dark periods.  Trauma expert, Stephen Porges writes, “Safety is not the absence of threat; it’s the presence of connection.”

Reframing uncertainty can also ease the burden of fear.  Instead of telling ourselves, “I can't handle what might happen,” try saying, “I don't know what’s coming, but I can meet it one step at a time.”  Daily practices like reminding yourself what is within and outside of your control reinforce this mindset, especially if you feel vulnerable.  Psychologist Brené Brown says that vulnerability is not weakness but courage.  “Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage,” she said.  “Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”

Finally, it is absolutely okay to seek help if fear feels overwhelming.  Therapists trained in anxiety, trauma, or eco-anxiety can provide tools like mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive behavioural strategies.  Support groups, online or local, normalise feelings and reduce isolation.

Healing is a Journey

Nurture meaning in your life to allow hope to help heal fear.  Even in chaos, people create beauty, kindness, and solutions.  Seek out stories of helpers, innovators and acts of compassion.  Create something tangible, like gardens, music, writing, cooking, to remind yourself that life continues.  Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”  Hope is not denial, instead it is endurance with purpose.

Healing fear in your body from living in a world of chaos is a journey.  Ground yourself in reality, stay connected, reframe uncertainty, balance awareness with well-being, be creative, nurture hope and seek support when needed.  As you practice these steps, you will find a sense of calm, resilience, and purpose even amidst the chaos.