--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think of fear as a survival function…" description: "\"I think of fear as a survival function, and in the stories that I write, the only thing that I've tried to do is provide people with nightmares which a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17d/stephen-king-13_believe_i-think-of-fear-as-a-survival-function-a_710041.jpg" --- # I think of fear as a survival function, and in the stories… ![“I think of fear as a survival function, and in the stories that I write, the only thing that I've tried to do is provide people with nightmares which are really safe places to put those fears for a while because you can say afterwards that uh, that, that well it was all just make-believe anyway…” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17d/stephen-king-13_believe_i-think-of-fear-as-a-survival-function-a_710041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17d/stephen-king-13_believe_i-think-of-fear-as-a-survival-function-a_710041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/17d/stephen-king-13_believe_i-think-of-fear-as-a-survival-function-a_710041.jpg) > “I think of fear as a survival function, and in the stories that I write, the only thing that I've tried to do is provide people with nightmares which are really safe places to put those fears for a while because you can say afterwards that uh, that, that well it was all just make-believe anyway, so I just took my emotions for a walk.” [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. King sees fear as a tool, using imagined nightmares as safe spaces to confront and release emotions. **In simple terms:** He uses scary stories to help people face fears safely. Key Takeaway Use fiction to explore and ease personal anxieties. Themes fear creativity emotional processing storytelling psychology Mood introspective hopeful thoughtful Type advice inspirational psychological When to use this quote - writing workshops - therapy sessions - personal journaling - creative retreats Key Concepts catharsis psychological safety narrative therapy Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn personal fears into creative material? - What safe outlets help you process anxiety? A Different Perspective Fiction may not address deep-rooted trauma without professional help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Emotions Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-walk-4928903/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-survival-850501/) [Fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fears/) [Function](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/function/) [Make believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-believe/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Nightmares Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmares-really-4167762/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Safe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe/) [Safe places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/safe-places/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Think Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-fear/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“They program you to have no emotion – like if somebody sitting next to you gets killed you just have to carry on doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/they-program-you-to-have-no-emotion-like-if-somebody-sitting-next-to/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [I'm really obsessed with 'Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares.' 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The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. 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I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. 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Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? 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