*** Are You Addicted to Fear? Learn How Not to Be!

If you don't make it your business to overcome fear, you better believe it'll try to overcome you. Most people are subservient to this emotion though they may not know it. I define fear as the emotional response to danger, perceived or real. What underscores fear in all its permutations is the feeling that you won't be all right.nnEmotional Action Step from "Emotional Freedom". Harness Your Biology to Quiet Fear.nnTo short-circuit fear and turn off your flight-or-flight response, you'll need to train your brain to send chemicals to counteract them. Otherwise, fear and its hormones will make you crazed. In contrast, with a calm biology it's easier to find courage by practicing the combined techniques below to quiet your system.nnTo achieve immediate and longer term results:n

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• Eliminate caffeine, sugar, and other stimulants--these fuel the fight-or-flight response.n
• Avoid people who reinforce your fear--they are biological irritants; stick close to emotional nurturers.n
• Stay away from violent newscasts, traffic jams, arguments, or other stress inducers.n

nWhen you're in the grip of a fear-driven adrenaline rush, try these quick solutions.n

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• Use this Progressive Relaxation Technique: In a comfortable position, sitting or lying down, take a few deep breaths while letting your body go as limp as possible. When you're ready, begin by tightening the muscles in your toes...hold to a count of ten... then relax. Enjoy the relief of tension melting. Do the same with flexing your foot muscles, and move slowly through your entire body: calves, legs, stomach, back, neck, jaw, face, contracting and releasing each area.n
• Immerse yourself in hot water to relax muscular tension as soon as possible.n

nThese practical changes, which allow you to take control of your body, can be tremendously effective in restoring calm. You don’t have to be passive while battered by fear. The victim mentality takes many forms. It requires courage to assume control, to say, “I’m going to be responsible for my biological self-care.” Educating your body how to respond makes you emotionally freer.nn Based on Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life by Judith Orloff MDnnJudith Orloff MD, a psychiatrist and intuition expert, is author of the new book Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life (Harmony Books, 2009) Her other bestsellers are Positive Energy, Intuitive Healing, and Second Sight. Dr. Orloff synthesizes the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality. She passionately believes that the future of medicine involves integrating all this wisdom to achieve emotional freedom and total wellness. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA and has been featured on The Today Show, CBS Early Show, CNN, and in Oprah Magazine and USA TodaynnGet your copy of Emotional Freedom with 100+ free gifts from Dr. Judith Orloff and many other transformational leaders: http://judithorloff.com/emotional-freedom-promotionnnWatch Dr. Judith Orloff interview people on Hollywood Blvd. about emotional freedomnnVisit Dr. Judith Orloff's blog