Fear of the dark

Trisha XxX

Does anyone else fear the dark? Im 24 and im still afraid of the dark dont know if that means im just childish or what. But I get anxious when walking at night alone and I cant be in a dark room by myself.

mashedbanana

I'm a mum of 3...and married. I'm scared of the dark. Some nights it's gets so bad, I can only sleep with my bed side light on. We do have a hall light left on all night (for the kids) there is a glass panel over the master bedroom...so the light off the hall shines in. But it's not enough for me. some days himself gives out to me, for keeping him awake half the night. maybe i should get a lower wattage bulb for my lamp. (I'm in my early 30's btw! ... sad isn't it? lol)

Trisha XxX

I dont think its sad but then i understand cause im the same i sleep with the door open so the light comes into my room and my sister and I share a room and shes gone to Canada for 10 months so i slept with the light on last night lol. Sometimes i feel stupid but it is a real fear thank god im not alone lol.

star-pants

Far from alone!
I too get scared in the dark, always have. I wear glasses full time and don't have very good night vision so sometimes when it's dark enough I genuinely can't see (where others might be able to).
If I think about it too much I'll freak myself out in the dark too.

(one of my favourite books as a child was 'The Owl who was afraid of the Dark' though I'm still scared ha)

Trisha XxX

Aw sounds like a nice book. Well thank god cause other people dont think its a real fear and slag me they're joking they mean no harm but sometimes i thought maybe it was just in my head and I should grow up but the fear is there.

star-pants

It's a real fear for you, so that's all that matters.

Obviously if there's ways to help with that fear, even if it means you having a 'bit of light' with you in the dark then that's a help because you might feel a bit safer and a bit more relaxed.
It can be something you could work on.

Trisha XxX

Yeah i do have a little bit of light at night from the hall. Sounds stupid but when i was with my boyfriend i slept in the dark no light but i guess i felt safe with him for some reason. Like i share a room at home but i still need a light lol.

mashedbanana

star-pants wrote: »

Far from alone!
I too get scared in the dark, always have. I wear glasses full time and don't have very good night vision so sometimes when it's dark enough I genuinely can't see (where others might be able to).
If I think about it too much I'll freak myself out in the dark too.

(one of my favourite books as a child was 'The Owl who was afraid of the Dark' though I'm still scared ha)

I'm the same, I wear contacts/glasses. What might be coat hanging on the back of the door to someone else...would be something sinister to me! My night vision is also crap! I have a problem with my eyes, and they are hoping the lenses might correct it. can't for the life of the remember the name of it now!

Capillatus

I am 21 and am/was afraid of the dark. For me, this "fear" is really oscillating. Sometimes I can sleep in pure darkness and sometimes I cant fall asleep without the light on.
I read an article once, that with some people, this fear is connected to their mental state. If you are in an overall good mood, positive and you have something to look forward too, the fear can be minimized, since your focus is on other things. The fear intensifies as your mental state goes more to the negative side, because of some problems, worries and so on.
And it was also said (quite a thing to say) that when we are in an overall negative state and with a lot of worries, we are drifting back to our childhood. This was of course meant in a way, that in our subconscious we wish we would be children again with no worries and when life was much easier (at least for some). So trough that "window", childhood fears can be amplified. I guess that is why my fear is oscillating.

Best regards

oisindoyle

a fear is a fear and all fears are learnt .In other words we are not born with fears.
I know someone who went to hypnotherapy for a particular fear and they havent looked back .
Its worth a shot at least

Trisha XxX

oisindoyle wrote: »

a fear is a fear and all fears are learnt .In other words we are not born with fears.
I know someone who went to hypnotherapy for a particular fear and they havent looked back .
Its worth a shot at least

funny you posted this because just today i was thinking is there a way i could get over this. Because i am really bad and i cant sleep in a room alone in the dark so i want to try get over it.

Leadamp

The only time I'm afraid of the dark is if I have recently seen or thought about spiders.