Fear urges us to flee from danger
Fear alerts us that we are threatened. When the danger is real, then fear is a healthy emotion that motivates us to exercise caution and avoid risk. Fear tells us to get out of the way, to protect ourselves. When there is no real danger, then fear can become destructive. Making the right decision often means choosing to face fear, to take a risk.

We can become afraid of our grief, afraid of others criticizing us for expressing sadness. We can be afraid of our future without whom or what we loved. We can be afraid of becoming physically ill. When I felt intense sobbing grief for the first time, I discovered the meaning of the word heartbreak. My heart hurt inside my chest. It actually ached in a real, not metaphorical, sense. I found this alarming. Could I die from grief?

The risk of fear is panic. Panic is mindless flight from a danger. Panic is dangerous. If we panic, we put others and ourselves at greater risk. When associated with a specific object or circumstance, panic can become a phobia.