fear is an emotion that God has given to us to protect ourselves

but when we live our lives in fear of things that can't really hurt us or we make bad choices out of fear, then we get into the "fear is just a lie" mode.

It is interesting that scientists of discovered that fear is not really a separate emotion, but the wrong recipe of chemicals. The same chemicals, in different proportions as love. Read Dr Caroline Leaf's book, "Who Switched off my Brain" Her website: http://drleaf.com/index.php

INTERESTING

All of our thoughts and emotions are chemical reactions. God created us this way and He does give emotions like fear to help us see danger and escape. All of life needs balance. Too many of the chemicals for fear will throw us into a downward spiral of too many negative thoughts and emotions.

But we can fight the thoughts and emotions. We can argue with them and tell ourselves that the things we are thinking are wrong. Then always tell yourself the opposite or the truth. If you're thinking something unreasonable is going to hurt you, tell yourself that's wrong and then tell yourself that you God will protect you and guide you in making the right choices so that you need not fear this thing.

As we chose to think the positive thoughts we can change our emotions with God's help and we can over come all of the negatives. Thinking the positive reverses the chemical reactions, but it can take time for all of the reactions to be reversed.

God can heal us immediately from this, just as He sometimes sets alcoholics or drug abuses free immediately, but other times He chooses not to set us free immediately. I believe that God in His infinite wisdom, knows who will best benefit from being set free immediately, and who will best benefit from learning some patience and endurance as they go through a struggle to be set free.

Phil 4: 8 Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things. 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Thinking on the true, honorable, just, pure, love, and commendable things of God is the best way to improve our mental health. God wants us to chose to do the right things, so He doesn't always make it easy for us to change.