On fear, that evil, corroding thread...
Fear is the path to the dark side.
Fear leads to anger.
Anger leads to hate.
Hate leads to suffering.
Fear of the Unknown
Those brakes are provided by your fear of the unknown.
You are clinging to the past and you are afraid to move into the unknown.
You are clinging to the known, the acquainted.
It may be painful, it may be ugly, but at least you know it.
You have grown a certain kind of friendship with it.
You will be surprised, but this is my experience of thousands of people: they cling to their misery for the simple reason that they have grown a certain kind of friendship with misery. They have lived with it so long that now to leave it will almost be like a divorce.