Nyctophobia
I am 33 years old, and I am afraid of the dark. I have been, for as long as I can remember. It's the one truly childish personality trait that I can't seem to shake. I've always had a night light. I can't stand for there to be a partially open closet door leading into darkness. I don't like haunted houses.
But, the parameters of my phobia have shifted slightly. Now that I'm married, so long as I'm not ALONE in the dark, I seem to be OK. And now that I'm a mom, I seem to temporarily forget all fears of the dark when I stumble down the unlit hallway in the middle of the night in answer to my daughter's cries. What is it about being with my husband or daughter that chases away the fear?
On the rare occassions that I'm home alone, I either leave on a hall light, or the bathroom light. Sometimes I put the TV on sleep mode and let the dancing colored lights of the television lull me to sleep. I've learned not to watch scary or gory movies any time after noon. For the most part, I just forego them altogether. And I used to LOVE scary movies. Over the past few years, I've gotten to the point where scary movies give me night terrors, so it's just not worth it.
Being afraid of the dark is the one trait from childhood that I wish I could ditch. There are other traits I wish I could reacquire, like believing in myself and being convinced that I could do anything if I tried hard enough.
Do you have any lingering childhood habits? Good or bad ones?
But, the parameters of my phobia have shifted slightly. Now that I'm married, so long as I'm not ALONE in the dark, I seem to be OK. And now that I'm a mom, I seem to temporarily forget all fears of the dark when I stumble down the unlit hallway in the middle of the night in answer to my daughter's cries. What is it about being with my husband or daughter that chases away the fear?
On the rare occassions that I'm home alone, I either leave on a hall light, or the bathroom light. Sometimes I put the TV on sleep mode and let the dancing colored lights of the television lull me to sleep. I've learned not to watch scary or gory movies any time after noon. For the most part, I just forego them altogether. And I used to LOVE scary movies. Over the past few years, I've gotten to the point where scary movies give me night terrors, so it's just not worth it.
Being afraid of the dark is the one trait from childhood that I wish I could ditch. There are other traits I wish I could reacquire, like believing in myself and being convinced that I could do anything if I tried hard enough.
Do you have any lingering childhood habits? Good or bad ones?
posted by Tacey at
9:39 PM
2 Comments:
WOW. You totally just described me. I am to the point, that I am so afraid it is hindering me. I constantly look over my shoulder, I am deathly afraid of the dark (and the basement). My mind is cluttered so much of the time with being afraid of scary evil images. Things logically I know aren't real. I can't shake it and I don't know why. It brings me to tears. I have little kids and when they are scared I tell them "there is nothing to be scared of, you are fine, etc, etc. BUt how can I say that when I am more afraid than they are? I have been this way forever, but it definitely peaks at times...like now. What the hell is wriong with me? I feel like I am going to go insane!
By
Anonymous, at 11/07/2005 10:56 PM
I suffer this same phobia. I don't know whether its technically a phobia, but it is beginning to affect my lifestyle, forcing me to stay up all night for fear of turning of the light and trying to sleep. Sometimes I'm forced to stay the night at a friend's house because I can't bear the thought of having to return to my house alone in the dark. I feel childish, and I wonder why it is getting worse with age instead of better. So my question is, what can we do? Do you talk to someone about it? Take medecine? I'm really done letting an irrational fear take over my night-life...
By
Anonymous, at 12/29/2005 10:57 AM
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