The Neuroscience of Fear - Understanding anxiety, trauma and the tools to overcome them [Lessons from NPD, BPD and ADHD]

The Neuroscience of Fear - Understanding anxiety, trauma and the tools to overcome them [Lessons from NPD, BPD and ADHD]

From Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement by Sam Webster Harris | Growth Mindset Psychology

June 22, 2026 · 51 min

About this episode

This episode explores the neuroscience of fear and how understanding it can lead to personal growth and overcoming anxiety and trauma.

Fear isn't the opposite of growth. It's the gatekeeper of it. Every hesitation before a risk, every excuse before a hard conversation, every night spent worrying about what others think.. These are more than subtle character flaws. They're ancient circuits doing exactly what they were designed to do. The real question is whether you understand your fear well enough to stop letting it make your decisions for you. In this episode, we explore the neuroscience behind the threat response — why trauma reshapes the brain, how anxiety disorders illuminate something true about all of us, and what it actually means to rewire the patterns that keep you small. Understanding fear is not a detour from building a better mindset. It is the path. The four core fears that explain almost every way we self-sabotage Why the brain's fear circuitry becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy — and how to interrupt it The shift from reactive to regulated: what the science says actually works The brain that learned to fear can also learn to grow — this episode shows you where to start NEW SHOW - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How to Change the World: The History and Future of…

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