Fear is an emotion that almost everyone is familiar with. The psychological effects of fear are readily apparent, but many people are unaware of the physical effects. Some of these are important; others are so minor as to go unnoticed. The 20th century philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti said: “What is necessary, rather than escape, control, repression or any other resistance, is to understand fear; this means observing it, knowing it, coming into direct contact with it. We must learn to know fear, not how to escape it." Understanding the physiology of fear may provide a basis for better coping and treatment strategies in the future. To fully understand the effects of fear on the body, it is essential to understand that fear manifests itself in different dimensions. The simplest and most commonly experienced levels of fear include worry and anxiety. A clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University stated that “anxiety is not present in all people only some of the time, anxiety in one form or another is present in all people most of the time” (Goodstein). Heightened fears, such as paranoia and phobia, follow. The highest level of fear is usually described as terror. At each level you get different physical effects. The degree of physical results corresponds directly to the levels of fear. As the fear increases, so do the effects. The actual physical effects of fear cover a wide range of conditions and reactions. Like most emotions, fear causes different results in each individual. The overall effects, however, are reasonably consistent across individuals. The emotion of fear has multiple outcomes, but the reported and recognizable ones appear to be predominantly negative. In an article published in Harvard Health...... halfway through the paper...... and beneficial, if the elevation is temporary and in moderation. There have also been experiments linking high levels of fear (in some situations) with pain reduction. Fear is an emotional state that can be difficult to understand. Fear is caused by many objects and situations, and each person's fears are different from those of the next individual. One person may seek and enjoy the wave of fear, while another will loathe and avoid it. When our understanding of the physical effects of fear is expanded, our ability to find coping methods and treatment strategies also improves. The first step will always be to admit that you are afraid. Some approaching a frightening event, such as Luke Skywalker seeking his destiny in the Degoba system, might say in a spirit of overconfidence, “I'm not afraid!” How appropriate, then and now, was Yoda's response: “You shall be.”