FEAR THESAURUS

BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF



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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, avoiding people and situations they associate with this fear. 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:
A character with this fear may worry about potential situations where they might be taken advantage or exploited. These could be serious crimes, such as sexual abuse and identity theft or a simpler occurrence, like being used by a friend for some larger gain. 

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE:
Questioning people's motives
Believing that other people can't be trusted
Valuing privacy
Not volunteering information
Being very independent 
Living self-sufficiently
Doing extensive research (to avoid scams, find out if someone is reliable, etc.)
Avoiding vulnerable situations, such as walking at night or being alone with someone
Setting boundaries that keep others at a distance
Living below their means on purpose
Avoiding situations where the character has been burned in the past, such as dating, shopping online, or sharing their creative work with others
Not trusting certain types of people (politicians, salespeople, women, etc.)
Pulling away when people try to get too close
Seeing exploitation where there is none
Taking careful security measures (locking up documents, changing passwords frequently, giving a false name, etc.
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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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