Fear is a choice

[LettingsBe]

Last night on I'm A Celebrity James Haskell said, "fear is a choice", which I believe might come from a quote by someone else.

However, aibu to say fear ISN'T a choice? I have an abusive ex partner who I have a fear of seeing, I also have a fear of various other things due to things that happened in my childhood.

So do we really think fear is a choice?

He’s not telling anyone to do anything though is he. The outrage on here is embarrassing.

I find it interesting the extent that people will take his rather obvious statement out of context for the purpose of their own argument

It really isn't that deep

Fear is not a choice, no. It is something that happens on an instinctual level, whether it is rational or not.
I see there is choice in how you deal with that fear. You can face what you are scared of head on, or you can avoid it. That is my understanding anyway.

I am scared of public speaking or performance.

So I joined a band and applied to a committee group where I have to speak to the group regularly. The idea being that doing these things would help me overcome my fear (they haven't, I only go to practices and the committee hasn't started yet) because it seemed like positive action

That's about the extent of what he meant I think