I grew up in California and never shot a gun until 5 years ago when my son took me out to New River to shoot when I turned 55. I was terrified of handguns until then. Since then, we’ve acquired 2 handguns, a shotgun, and a rifle, which we unfortunately lost in a “tragic boating accident” recently. My point is....with education and exposure, this irrational fear can be overcome.
It was not that I was ever scared of the gun itself. I was more afraid of me with the gun, if that makes sense.
But you really just need to take all that anti-gun propaganda in your mind out and replace it with gun rules, respect for the gun as a tool (deadly tool), muscle memory etc.