Do you run upstairs as soon as you switch off the lights downstairs? Do you put both your feet under your blanket when sleeping to avoid from any creepy crawlies grabbing you? Do you watch that scary movie from the corner of your jacket with your eyes half closed? If you say yes to all these questions, welcome to the Scaredy-Cat Club!
With Halloween fast approaching, all the hantus and pontianaks are out to play (at least in malls and cinemas) and there is just no way of escaping them! Well, take it from a resident penakut, here are 5 tips on how to be LESS scared.
1. Breathe
First and foremost, whenever you encounter something scary and the hair at the back of your neck starts to rise, always remember to breathe! Studies have shown that breathing helps calm the nervous system and relaxes the muscle tensions especially when you’re experiencing stress or fear.
2. List it down
Listing down your fears might seem ridiculous but knowing what you are actually scared of might actually help. Start with what scares you, then move to why and later on how to overcome them. The idea is to address your fears and be mindful of ways to solve them, the more you jot your thoughts down.
3. Talk to someone
Are you the type that will close your ears or sing loudly whenever your friend is talking about something scary? Well maybe this time try talking about it. Open communication especially with someone you trust (and won’t make fun of you) can make anything less scary. Maybe they are just as scared as you! Having a friend to go through tough times with you is definitely better.
4. Distract yourself
This is a nifty trick that we’ve learned from being scared all the time. Whenever you’re getting that eerie feeling, crack a joke! Dance around, count backwards or just sing! The more you diffuse the tension, the less you’ll think about what’s scaring you.
5. Face your fears!
This may sound crazy but most of the time, the things you fear are just things you build up in your head. Say you’re afraid of spiders, getting bit by one or having one jump on your head. Remember that the likely chance that you encounter a venomous spider ready to attack you at your home especially in Malaysia might be harder than you think. Differentiating between rational and irrational fears might be difficult but in time you’ll be the master of your fears!
There’s no guarantee that you will follow this advice when our scaredy senses are tingling and our body takes charge, but at least it’s here if you need them! Best of luck for all you scaredy cats this Halloween!
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
