Nyctophobia (Fear of the dark or night)

[HeadFace]

I think this could be completely seperate to my SA, depression, and other disorders that I have.
But it does relate to my terrible sleeping disorder (unknown... I think I might have insomnia but I'll look into that later)
I don't want to leave my room or let alone bed to do anything at night. I HATE the dark. I always imagine... Something... coming out of nowhere... And you know... It ****s my mind. REALLY freaks me out at night. I have to have like two lights on at night just to navigate around the house. It even keeps getting worse.
It's even during the day too.. I won't go in a dark closet... bathroom... Garage... anything without a light on. It keeps me from sleeping, too. I have to keep sitting up with a flashlight to check if anythings there, till I dont have the energy to do anything any more and eventually fall asleep. If I even try to navigate around a dark room, my breathing will get heavier, I'll sweat, my heartbeat will go up by a bajillion, and the shadow of EVERYTHING freaks the **** out of me to make me shakey and run to any sort of light source.

Now that I look at all of it... My phobia leads to my lack of sleep, which could even be causing my SA to be getting worse? Idk.. But I just want this fear gone...

 

[Sinar_Matahari]

Would you be willing to try exposure therapy? I have scoleciphobia (fear of worms), but I don't think it's necessary to overcome this particular fear as I'm not planning on owning a worm farm at any point in the future.

 

[HeadFace]

Would you be willing to try exposure therapy? I have scoleciphobia (fear of worms), but I don't think it's necessary to overcome this particular fear as I'm not planning on owning a worm farm at any point in the future.

What's exposure therapy?

 

[Ignace]

What's exposure therapy?

With exposure therapy you expose yourself to it. You face the fear. So she means you could walk around in the house without lights etc.

 

[Aussie_Lad]

Was there an incident that brought this fear on, or has it always been with you?

 

[Waybuloo]

I have an extreme fear of the dark, when I goto the loo at night, I run back to my bed, sometimes I scream a bit cause I have this feeling of someone behind me. It certainly interferes with healthy sleep because I'm usually too awake after an episode. I can't watch any sort of movies or tv shows that are scary or andrenaline-inducing either. I just think that I have a particularly low threshold for anxiety.

 

[Helmaninquiel]

I was afraid of the dark when I was little but I got over it.
How old are you if you don't mind me asking?

 

[HeadFace]

I was afraid of the dark when I was little but I got over it.
How old are you if you don't mind me asking?

16.. When I tried asking a friend for comfort when the electricity was out she just said it was cute. :c

I have an extreme fear of the dark, when I goto the loo at night, I run back to my bed, sometimes I scream a bit cause I have this feeling of someone behind me. It certainly interferes with healthy sleep because I'm usually too awake after an episode. I can't watch any sort of movies or tv shows that are scary or andrenaline-inducing either. I just think that I have a particularly low threshold for anxiety.

We're the same then... I will not watch any horror movies. Hell; Even I Am Legend freaked me out for a while... You know, those zombie things diagnosed with that one deadly disease?

Was there an incident that brought this fear on, or has it always been with you?

I cant recall an exact incident... But when I was younger I wasnt scared at all. As in... About 14 or 13 and younger the dark didnt affect me?

With exposure therapy you expose yourself to it. You face the fear. So she means you could walk around in the house without lights etc.

Ergh... I've thought about that. I've thought about going in my closet with no lights so its pitch black and staying in there for a while to get it out of me. But the thought of doing that scares me ****less..


But to go into more detail... I always feel like there's someone standing behind me, or aside me in the dark. As in when I turn to look there'll be a greasy, dirty, pale figure standing there... With black void circles for eyes. And their clothes tattered and ripped, with blood splattered on it. The figures keep evolving in my head whenever I think about it.
Or when I see any sort of shadow I freak out until I know exactly what it is.

 

[GhoulsNightOut]

Have you tried playing some music to help you sleep? That helped me a lot with my insomnia back in high school when my brain wouldn't shut up.

 

[HeadFace]

Have you tried playing some music to help you sleep? That helped me a lot with my insomnia back in high school when my brain wouldn't shut up.

Yeah. I play my iPod until the music gets annoying/old. It doesn't help at all. Though it's entertaining

 

[Dronee]

Yeah. I play my iPod until the music gets annoying/old. It doesn't help at all. Though it's entertaining

Are you a gamer? As in.. do you play computer or console games very often? If yes, what kinds of games do you play? Some games like Alone in the Dark and Resident Evil can be very scary.

 

[HeadFace]

Are you a gamer? As in.. do you play computer or console games very often? If yes, what kinds of games do you play? Some games like Alone in the Dark and Resident Evil can be very scary.

If you couldnt tell by my avvy, yes I am. But I don't own a single horror game. The 'scariest' game I have is probably like... Twilight Princess? xD
I've never been scared by a game. Even when I've watched others play games like Resident Evil. And even that wasn't really scary at all.

 

[Psychedelicious]

Help me, I'm in love.

Man, we would could never live together. I have like a fear of light. I am always in the dark, never turn the lights on, ever. The only light in here right now is the computer screen. I have to watch Tv in complete darkness or else I can't watch it all. I'll just sit in the complete darkness sometimes, it makes me feel better. Let me just tell you that there's nothing scary in it. I think that the light is 100 times scarier than the dark.

The only way for you to get over, or manage this fear, is like said - exposure therapy. I have terrible insomnia as well ( just never feel tired? ). I think the darkness might help you sleep though. What's standing behind you is going to be there either way, dark or not. If someone is actually moving you are going to be able to hear it. I really think you should try and see how it goes. It won't be easy, but you can do it. Lights are stupid!!!!

This thread is kinda old, but whatevs.

 

[Dronee]

Usually with exposure therapy, it's a more gradual step as opposed to confronting your fear head on... So in your case, it may be spending time in low level lighting, then gradually dimming the lights... etc... You'll probably have someone with you on your first few tries.

Do try to solve it though as it'll likely interfere with your ability to sleep as you mentioned yourself.

 

[lunaticbinge]

I like to walk through the woods in the middle of the night. Relaxing. Until you hear rustling in the bushes!

 

[HeadFace]

I like to walk through the woods in the middle of the night. Relaxing. Until you hear rustling in the bushes!

Funny thing... I'm fine, outside. Even if it is pitch black outside at night. I'll feel alright. It's just when I'm in a building of any kind (house, office, etc)

Usually with exposure therapy, it's a more gradual step as opposed to confronting your fear head on... So in your case, it may be spending time in low level lighting, then gradually dimming the lights... etc... You'll probably have someone with you on your first few tries.

Do try to solve it though as it'll likely interfere with your ability to sleep as you mentioned yourself.

Yeah... I have no one to do this with though. So maybe I'll try tackling it by myself - gradually. It's kind of been getting better too. I've been letting in less and less light each night.

Man, we would could never live together. I have like a fear of light. I am always in the dark, never turn the lights on, ever. The only light in here right now is the computer screen. I have to watch Tv in complete darkness or else I can't watch it all. I'll just sit in the complete darkness sometimes, it makes me feel better. Let me just tell you that there's nothing scary in it. I think that the light is 100 times scarier than the dark.

The only way for you to get over, or manage this fear, is like said - exposure therapy. I have terrible insomnia as well ( just never feel tired? ). I think the darkness might help you sleep though. What's standing behind you is going to be there either way, dark or not. If someone is actually moving you are going to be able to hear it. I really think you should try and see how it goes. It won't be easy, but you can do it. Lights are stupid!!!!

This thread is kinda old, but whatevs.

Eh, after thinking about it some more, I don't think it's my nyctophobia that's not letting me sleep. I have insomnia as well, and have had it for a while.
Also I don't mind if this is 'old' I want all the help I can get. And I like hearing people's thoughts and whatnot on things like this

 

[RelentlessHamster]

I have the opposite of that, I don't like daylight because everyone can see me ;D