Afraid You Say, but Why?

Why do we get scared? Why do we get scared of things that aren't there? Why does our mind play tricks on us that put us into hysterics?

You're walking in the woods on a dark night. The hairs on the back of your neck stick up. Your pulse starts beating just a little bit faster. You can't see very far, but you feel certain something is there, just behind you, waiting to pounce. You say no, there can't be anything there, there isn't anything there. Yet with every passing second you get more scared, and are completely certain that something will jump out at you. Even though you are certain nothing is there. You walk faster. You won't look behind you cause you feel something is there. It's right behind you on your heels, you begin to panic a little bit. Even though you know nothing is there. You won't stop for anything. You just keep going. You can't stop until you are completely safe, even though nothing is there.

What the crap is the point of that? Don't tell me it hasn't happened to you. Maybe not that exact scenario, but probably something like it. You get scared for some unknown reason. It might not even be to a really high degree, but you just feel it. I don't understand. I'm walking outside at night. Yes it's dark, yes it's very quiet out. I've done it a hundred times, and yet every once in awhile I think something is there. Nothing is, I can look all around with my flashlight, find nothing, and that feeling stays with me.

It kinda gets me mad. Why? Why does that happen? Is that mind just so polluted with horror stories that anytime you're out and about it'll start making one for you? Why can't the rational mind win? You know for a fact nothing is there, but that feeling just won't go away. I'm not one to be scared all that easily. Movies don't do it, nor haunted houses. But every so often my mind will play tricks on me that I just can't shrug off.

I understand being scared of water, or heights, or death, or public speaking. But to be afraid of an imaginary thing just doesn't fit. You have control of yourself in almost all aspects, but this is just above you somehow. The only thing I can do is when I start to get that feeling, I stop and I face it. I look all around and wait, until I've gotten control of myself and calmed down. I can't stop it, but I sure as heck will face it head on.