If being in the presence of guns makes you anxious or afraid, I can relate. The first time I saw someone hold a loaded gun, I could feel my cortisol shoot up and it made me very nervous. What if he accidentally fires the weapon? What he drops it and it goes off as it hits the ground? Being in the presence of a powerful weapon that can cause death has an effect on you if you’re not used to it. Since then I have become much more comfortable being in the presence of firearms. It’s a process.
If anyone is interested, the fear of guns is known as “hoplophobia” where hoplo is a Greek word that translates to weapon. A good place to start would be to find a good firing range that’s close to home. If guns produce fear and apprehension for you, experience and practice will be the best measure to overcome said fear. The more you participate in target practice and the repetitive feel of the weapon discharging in your hand, the more comfortable you will feel and that is what you should be aiming for.
If you are still in a position where guns make you nervous and afraid, it will put you in a considerable disadvantage if you find yourself in a position where you need to use it to protect yourself. Any sense of hesitation or fear could compel a potential invader to try to take your firearm away from you, and if they are successful, you are in a lot of trouble. Hold your firearm with confidence and make any perpetrator fear that their life could end at a moment’s notice if they don’t leave immediately.
Reasons People Fear Firearms
There can be a whole host of reasons that people fear guns. A traumatic experience in someone’s youth is a common scenario. Maybe a firearm was accidentally discharged and the sound and power of the weapon left a deep impression. Maybe a relative was the victim of gun violence. Sometimes news of school shootings and violent crime can do the job. Even in Hollywood people accidentally die on movie sets because of firearm accidents (sounds a little dubious to me, but I digress). The list of potential scenarios that can make people fear guns is a long one. A gun can be a very visually intimidating object in person, knowing what it’s capable of. The less experience someone has using firearms the more likely these fears can be triggered.
Unfortunately, politicians capitalize on people’s fear of guns to try to pass legislation limiting our Second Amendment rights. There is a segment of the population that believes guns are an epidemic, and that they should be seized and our gun rights should be taken away from us. You’re likely not in that camp if you’re interested in prepping, but you might have a genuine fear, and that is nothing to be ashamed of.
A New Way To Think About Guns
Having at least one firearm is important to surviving a catastrophic situation that many of us are envisioning. So how can someone with hoplophobia overcome their fear of guns? I’ve personally witnessed people overcome this fear, and it’s definitely something you can do too.
The first step should be going to a firing range. This is a controlled and safe environment where you can get some experience with guns and ammunition. You can even receive instruction and get shooting lessons at many ranges. These steps toward familiarity go a long way in easing your fears of firing a weapon, and being around guns in general. It also gives you the much needed experience you must possess after your fears have subsided.
As long as you follow general safety procedures, like pointing the weapon in a safe direction, keeping the gun unloaded until you intend to use it and learning how to keep the safety on, your chance of a terrible accident go down to nearly zero. Firearm handling and safety is critical, and the more you familiarize yourself with these principles the more comfortable you become.
Instead of viewing a gun as an instrument of death, view it as an instrument that can save your life. In most scenarios, you will not need to fire your weapon. Just brandishing it and pointing it in the direction of a looming threat gets the job done nearly every time. The only occurrence where this alone is not enough is when they are also in possession of a firearm, and in that scenario, be glad you have your weapon. At least you have a chance. If you practice your skills and have competence with your weapon, not only do you have a chance, but you have a considerable advantage.
