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Psychologist Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, writes there is ample science supporting the idea that regularly practicing meditation eases fear and anxiety. This includes:
- Reducing the size of the amygdala, or the part of the brain responsible for fear, anxiety, and stress. This can help lower your stress and anxiety levels.
- Increasing the thickness of the hippocampus, or the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory.
- Deactivating the default mode network (DMN), or the region of the brain responsible for mind-wandering and anxiety-causing thoughts.
- Reducing physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, such as elevated heart rate and increased muscle tension.
Meditation for fear management was also promoted by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and author, who said: “The therapeutic power of meditation is very great, as modern scientific studies are now showing. The practices of mindful breathing, sitting meditation, and walking meditation release tensions in the body and also in the mind.” He added that sitting quietly with a focus on gentle breathing permits the body to release tension while simultaneously bringing balance and healing.
-Victor M Parachin, "Overcoming Fear the Buddhist Way," Spirituality & Health
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