FEAR THESAURUS

THE UNKNOWN



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HELPFUL TIP:

A deeply embedded fear often stems from trauma, so it can be helpful to explore emotional wounds that may be a factor. Your character might also become risk-averse, which can create problems in their relationships and limit their fulfillment. And for a character to achieve their story goal, they must overcome any fear-based thinking that's holding them back. The Character Builder is a great resource for pulling all these factors together.
NOTES:
Life is a series of unknowns. When a character finds themselves in uncertain circumstances without enough information to know what's next, it can produce anxiety. But for some people, fearing the unknown can be overwhelming, becoming a fixation that causes them to neglect important aspects of their life. The situation is slightly different for someone who knows (or thinks they know) something terrible is coming. If this is the scenario for your character, see our entry on THE FUTURE.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:
Avoiding risk
Sticking with what's known—staying close to home, adhering to routines, etc.
Avoiding change (unless it's absolutely necessary)
Erring on the side of caution when making decisions
Engaging in habits with predictable outcomes (watching favorite movies, re-reading books, playing the same games over and over, etc.)
Seeing a variety of outcomes and obsessing over which one will occur
Needing lots of information to be comfortable (say, being invited to a wedding and needing to know where it will be, who's invited, etc.)
Creating multiple plans to account for each possible scenario
Impatience caused by waiting and not knowing
Pursuing distractions to keep the character busy as they wait to see what happens
Difficulty focusing on everyday tasks
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COMMON INTERNAL STRUGGLES:
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FLAWS THAT MAY EMERGE:
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HINDRANCES AND DISRUPTIONS TO THE CHARACTER'S LIFE:
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EMOTIONAL WOUNDS IT COULD STEM FROM:
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SCENARIOS THAT MIGHT AWAKEN THIS FEAR :
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HUMAN NEEDS THAT COULD BE IMPACTED:
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GOALS MADE DIFFICULT BY THIS FEAR:
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CONFLICT SCENARIOS THAT OFFER GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES:
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HOW THE CHARACTER CAN MINIMIZE OR OVERCOME IT:
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