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Intense fear of the dark


harp

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I've had this on/off fear of the dark since I was a child and recently it's gotten extreme. I forced myself to sleep with the lights out last night and for the whole time I was scared that when i opened my eyes I was going to start seeing ghosts or even worse, demons. I've been trying to force myself to overcome this phobia by sleeping with no lights on, but it's so difficult. I'm so afraid and stressed out in the dark and it's a double whammy because if there are lights on they irritate my eyes too much to get to sleep but if it's dark I'm too afraid to go to sleep. I'm basically just stuck on what to do how am I supposed to get over this?

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Hi Harp,

When you say you sleep with the lights on, are you talking about a lamp or overhead lightening in your room being on? If you are than why not use a night light? They don't give off much light but give minimal soft lightening. That way the brightness from the main lighting won't have to be on to keep you from falling or staying asleep. With a night light you would easily be able to recognize the surroundings and that you are safe in your bedroom. Ghosts, monsters etc would quickly be fleshed out because you wouldn't be in complete disorienting darkness.

If it's hard to sleep even with a night light on maybe putting it in an outlet on the opposite side of the room or immediately outside the room would be better. That way again it would give you some light but be even less of an impedance to sleeping. I can understand wanting to confront a fear to attempt to get over it however, putting yourself through the ringer is only upsetting you more.

Wishing you well.

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Guest ASchwartz

Hi Harp,

You are describing what might be an anxiety disorder, yes, like a phobia. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a good treatment for this. You need to find a clinical psychologist or mental health center that uses this method of treatment. That should be no problem. Its better to get started now because fears can spread.

Allan

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Well, if I remember correctly, harp, you have had occasions where you saw ghosts or demons, right?

I guess if that were the case for me, I'd be scared of seeing them again, too. So I guess my first question is, have you addressed the visions themselves? Again, I seem to remember that you had medication, at some point. Is that continuing? Do you still see things that can't be explained?

I guess there isn't much information on which to advise you, at the moment. I know it must be pretty unsettling, expecting to see horrible things when you sleep.

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I'm with Hotspot. I'm a firm proponent of night lights. Used them with my kids, used them for myself. They give off a very soothing glow which helps me somehow when I feel freaked out and alone in the dark. Place it on the floor if it's too bright to sleep with at eye-level.

Of course getting to grip with the fears is something to do, too, but fear tends to feed on itself and removing some of the anxiety with a night light, may help you to handle the rest of the fear in another way, without it being as overwhelming. A two-pronged approach.

What do you think?

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Well, if I remember correctly, harp, you have had occasions where you saw ghosts or demons, right?

I guess if that were the case for me, I'd be scared of seeing them again, too. So I guess my first question is, have you addressed the visions themselves? Again, I seem to remember that you had medication, at some point. Is that continuing? Do you still see things that can't be explained?

I guess there isn't much information on which to advise you, at the moment. I know it must be pretty unsettling, expecting to see horrible things when you sleep.

Yes, I've seen a demon before, but that was the only time I saw something related to the paranormal or have seen something I'd be afraid of seeing in a dark room all alone. The reasons I'm scared of seeing ghosts and the reason I'm scared of seeing demons in the dark are very different, I'm scared of seeing ghosts because they're related to the paranormal and I can't help but be afraid of them because of that, and I'm scared of demons because of their association with evil. I remember I told someone about the demon I saw a long time ago and they told me it was coming to collect me(I was planning to kill myself that night). I've though of sketching a picture of the demon but I haven't started on that yet. I remember I looked up demon encounters a while ago to see what other people who've seen demons before's experiences were like, but when I think about that night I saw it it still really Freightens me.
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Hi,

If i can share with you a little story from a while ago when i was afraid of the dark..

One night i watched this program on tv about UFOs, i watched it alone and it interested me but scared me at the same time, people talked about being abducted etc.. I was completly scared that night and everytime i looked towards my window i had visions of a light coming through and waking up in a spaceship etc...

I looked them up on the internet the following night and kept having the weird feeling of something being behind me when nothing ever was... I went to sleep again scared of being 'abducted'.. I woke up in the morning and i was paralized with that 'sinking feeling' inside me, i had the horrible thought that UFOs were coming after me, it lasted about 30 seconds and i couldn't move, talk, scream i couldn't do anything but panic inside my head. I finally regained movement and rushed down the stairs switching all lights on and paniced.

It didn't happen again after that night because i didn't look them up again..

My point being, i think what made the problem worse was my fear, when you fear something, suddenly everything seems worse than it is, if you fear ghosts, you think every shadow is a ghost etc..

Maybe doing something that is supposed to stop ghosts from entering that might work..

I do have plenty of paranormal stories myself from my house (which i think was haunted) but i won't tell them because they would worry you, i did find that most ghosts or spirits will respond very well to a simple "please don't disturb me tonight". If anything it seems to change the atmosphere. If you don't want ghosts around and you ask them to go away, they should listen. I doubt demons would be present unless you are doing things to attract them such as messing with rituals etc.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I can relate to this. I at one time saw shadowy figures around my room when I was in the dark. I was terrified. I still sometimes shake in the dark. My therapist acted like it was nothing.

The way I got over it was I sat in the dark for a few hours with a friend. I don't know if that would work for you though.

Good luck.

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