FEAR IN SELF-DEFENSE

Fear is a natural response to a threat. Your body's natural mechanism for controlling fear is adrenaline. If unanticipated, this strong emotion can cause a person to freeze.

Even the best physically-trained can freeze in an encounter with crime. That is because mental preparedness to violence is typically not taught or trained.

It only takes a few seconds of concentrated effort to react effectively.

The antidotes to fear are:

• Focus on survival
• Warrior mindset
• Confidence from training
• Expect to be injured
• Mind setting

Focus on Survival

The primary outcome is to survive. Focus your thoughts and energies toward doing whatever it takes to survive. Do not worry about what the criminal will be doing. Think about what you can do to get out of the situation. Do not let them move you to a second location, as isolation will provide them time and freedom to do their worst.

Warrior Mindset

Direct your natural response, fear, into primal rage against the attacker. Be outraged - how dare they violate you! No way will you let them hurt you. Summon up your strength and courage to get through.

Confidence from Training

Training into muscle memory your physical responses ensures automatic responses to attacks. To make training even more effective, induce adrenaline so that you know what it will feel like in the face of fear and still perform physical techniques.

Expect To Be Injured

Being afraid of being shot, cut, bruised, broken causes a delay in response as you worry about the consequences. The reality is that you will likely get hurt. But survival with injury is far more desirable than being dead. Act with knowledge that you will be hurt.

Mindsetting

Knowing what to do removes anxiety and uncertainty. Prepare by using the mental scenario-based training called mindsetting. Simply, determine likely scenarios of violence, getting ideas from the news. Then discuss with friends and/or family how you would respond. The process of discussing with someone else could reveal approaches that you may not have thought of.

Then visualize yourself in the situation and respond with the approach you discussed. Do this several times during idle times of your day (at stoplight, waiting in line, etc.) to burn it into memory.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Books Self-defense books covering the foundation of personal protection and security. Includes recommended books.
• Videos Self-defense DVDs and videos serve as excellent supplemental learning tools as you see self-defense techniques performed.
• Training Live self-defense training from qualified instructors allows more personalized training, technique correction, and practice with partners.
• Information Additional websites that provide self-defense and personal protection information.
• More Articles Read more general self-defense articles from our library.