by Robin Shane

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: May 18, 2007

As children, we begin to experience the crippling emotion of jealousy. As a child we may become jealous over another child's toy, or a parent's attention. As teenagers we may become jealous over the fashion of another or over their popularity. As adults we can easily become jealous over our partner's communication with another person of the opposite sex. When we become jealous it is because we are insecure, but the root of the insecurity is fear.

Fear is a normal emotion. It helps us to stay alive. We either defend ourselves or run. This type of fear will manifest itself physically by kicking up our own adrenaline, making our heart palpitate or even enhance our physical abilities. Many people, in emergencies, have accomplished amazing acts of strength produces by this adrenaline rush. The difference between this type of fear and other forms of fear like jealousy is that the normal fear is an immediate response that goes away when the source of fear is over. A jealous fear tends to linger and hang on for hours, days, months, and even years.

Both forms of fear affect us physically. We know that an adrenaline rush after dealing with a critical situation can leave us physically exhausted. What we don't know, exactly, is what happens to our bodies when there's a continual flow of adrenaline over a period of time. Just like with stress, it can deteriorate our body in any number of ways, like depression, cancer, heart disease, and the list goes on.

The jealousy fear also affects our emotional and spiritual well-being. Jealousy is a very self-centered emotion. We wallow in pity, fear, and anger when we are jealous. Unreasonable reactions to situations make for an unpleasant experience for us and others around us. Then we have to deal with the after affects of those who we harmed on top of what we're already going through. We lost that fire in our ambitions, if we have any left at all. We lose our trust and faith in a being greater than ourselves. It is often a struggle to concentrate or think. Jealousy and fear do absolutely nothing but wreck havoc on our entire system.

Want that pit in the stomach feeling to go away? It is possible to be rid of the jealousy, and fear altogether. It takes a little effort and perseverance, but there is hope. That hope is a gently, loving God. Some people who haven't really met God yet can find this same source in a Higher Power. We must get rid of the selfish emotion and the only way to do that is with someone or something who is bigger than our self. Prayer and meditation is a huge start to getting out of self. We pray and ask God to remove our fear and then we look to help someone else. By helping someone else we aren't focusing on our jealousy and the pain it brings. It also does much good to pray for the other person everything you would want for yourself. It may take praying over and over to train our brain to not be in fear and full of jealousy, but it truly works.

On a final note, it is also common for someone suffering depression to be in fear and jealousy. This is a very real disorder that should be treated by a professional. Treatment can resolve many issues related to any insecurities.

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