Fear is an unpleasant feeling which triggers anxiety when the mind perceives danger around the outcome of an event.
Fears are generally of 5 types as so well explained by the 'SHAME' acronym. Dr. Karl Albrechts , the 'Renaissance Thinker' explains lucidly :
If your mind perceives the likely consequence of any act to lead to 'SHAME' factors, then Fear is triggered ...
1. [S]eparation : Anxiety due to loss of connectedness; fear of becoming a non-entity, becoming a 'persona non-grata', losing respect, feeling wanted, losing a loved one. Retirement anxieties are experienced by a lot many golden-oldies when it is time to superannuate .
2. [H]umiliation: This is a person's 'Ego-death'. The anxiety caused to a person when the mind perceives the consequence of an act to bring humiliation or loss of recognition, caught in a fraud, arrested by police, fired from a key job, found out indulging in unacceptable ugly things. I have often woken up from my slumber with a scary dream of going to an examination hall to write my Math exams and suddenly finding myself absolutely blanking out.
3. [A]utonomy : This is Fear caused by belief that outcome of the challenge at hand could lead to restriction of power, immobilization or curbing of power as consequence of failing. Corporate Executives generally breakdown when suddenly a new Boss is appointed above their roles and they are asked to report to him.
4. [M]utilation : Fear of Physically losing any part of a body, or invasion of body (like in a rape) or losing natural functions (can't walk or speak) or feeling physically unsafe or under attack;
and
5. [E]xtinction : 'Existential Fear'... the fear of dying. It is about the fear of destruction or non-existence. Also triggered by fear of how one would die - the 'Big C' fear. Walk atop a tall mountain or fear of deadly critical diseases or dark alleys or walking alone etc triggers such fears.
Knowing your fears and their triggers is the first step. Then start beating your fears.