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Anyone else afraid of the dark?

captainballs

captainballs

Bluelighter
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
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I have a problem with the dark at night when I am attempting to go to sleep. I am afraid of ghosts, tbh. It's pretty serious, actually. Whenever I leave the lights off for too long, and I start getting into that place between being asleep and being awake, I will have a panic attack and make out figures in the darkness. Usually, I run to the door of the apartment and turn the light on and open the door and walk outside. A few times I've had really terrible episodes where I couldn't find the lights fast enough and just flipped out and I can't forget how bad it felt. I know this is probably because I'm going insane, but does anyone else still have this at age 20+?
 
that sounds pretty horrible...
I'm 21 and I can relate to an extent. I lived in an apartment alone for the last few years (just recently living with my boyfriend) and I used to not like sleeping in the complete dark either. I don't think my problem actually was the dark though it was mainly the silence, every time I heard a strange noise I would freak out. It used to help me to leave the tv on as I went to sleep, which I set on timer mode to turn off in an hour. Something about hearing voices and stuff really helped ease my nerves. Maybe that would help you? ...Although it may just make more shadows around the room and stuff :\
Does it only happen in the dark? Maybe you could just sleep with a small lamp/night light on? Or at least put a bright lamp next to your bed so you don't have to get up and run in the dark to the light switch? I'm sure you've probably already thought of that though.

Hope you find something that works for you!<3
 
captainballs - when you are normally awake do you believe in ghosts? Do they scare you normally (i.e. if you were awake in an allegedly haunted house for example) or is it just something that plays on your mind when half asleep and trying to be fully asleep?

I ask because i know how silly things you know are silly can keep you awake at night (my experience, although not ghost based) but if you really believe in ghosts whilst actually awake then you are even more fucked. When you consider how many people have lived on this planet before the current generation and who are now dead, the odds are wherever you live it will be chock full of ghosts. If you don't believe in such rubbish then thinking rationally about it can improve matters. If you do believe in ghosts then the more you think about it, the more you'd logically have to fear.

Personally i overcame this particular fear when i was about 6 years old, partly because i really didn't believe in ghosts, partly because i hadnt been allowed to watch any of the scarier horror movies on this theme until old enough to not be badly affected by them and partly because it was funny not to be scared of the dark when my sisters still were. Although i'm not saying this to make you feel bad because as i've said i know how silly thoughts can keep a person awake regardless of how silly you know them to be.

My summery - if you want to put your mind at rest, if you don't believe in ghosts rationally speaking but the thoughts trouble you then maybe thinking about it more would actually help - if you can convince your subconscious mind to align with your conscious mind on this issue you'll be better off. Maybe spend a night in a haunted house or watch some documentaries where they debunk the paranormal until you hammer the message home.

If you do believe in ghosts then i'd recomend an exorcism. I am sure the placebo effect will help if you believe in this stuff and can get a sufficiently convincing priest.

Any lingering fear of the dark was destroyed in my mind by numerous mushroom trips walking along a path through a forest in pitch black conditions. I never encountered anything harmful, with the possible exception of walking into a few trees and almost being savaged by some posh ladies dog one time.
 
Only when I'm on MDPV or tweaked out of my mind. But then I'm terrified to step out my front door no matter where the sun is shining.

Otherwise I love it. It allows me to lurk hardcore.
 
I went through a phase at about age 6, lasted a couple of months. I didn't care much either way until the military and now love the dark, its my best friend as the saying goes, a dark rainy night, best time for me.
 
after realistic hallucinations of ghosts, and other hypnogogic stuff while being awake in a room on daylight... yes.
i still have got some jwh hppd, therefore it is anxiety ridden anyway, hope i ll be able to sleep in the dark again soon.

but for now it s to frightening because i m alone.
 
captainballs said:
I have a problem with the dark at night when I am attempting to go to sleep. I am afraid of ghosts, tbh. It's pretty serious, actually. Whenever I leave the lights off for too long, and I start getting into that place between being asleep and being awake, I will have a panic attack and make out figures in the darkness. Usually, I run to the door of the apartment and turn the light on and open the door and walk outside. A few times I've had really terrible episodes where I couldn't find the lights fast enough and just flipped out and I can't forget how bad it felt. I know this is probably because I'm going insane, but does anyone else still have this at age 20+?
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Yep, in fact I'm going to PM you to discuss this further :)
 
I use to have night terror's as a child, not that i can remember them they were too traumatic.

I believe this was the cause of me sleeping with the light on for many years of my childhood, up until i was around 10 or 11. As i got older i adjusted to sleeping in the dark, but it was short-lived when i began to experience intense sleep paralysis frequently.. the first few times terrified me but now it's reached a point where it's just irritating. I still sleep in the dark with ease despite this.. it's just every-now and then i'll wake-up seeing someone in my room or feeling them in my bed, but it's just as easy for me to ignore it and go back to sleep as im now familair with the onest of sleep paralysis and how i can deal with it.

Some people have no problem experiencing sleep paralysis, but mine are always 'dark' even demonic to a degree.. so i choose not to experience any part of it.
 
imho, the mind manifests urgency as a result of some evolutionary tick. if you've ever been out in the wilderness on a moonless night, you'll know what i mean. there ARE animals creeping around out there and without being able to visually identify them the ol survival mode kicks in and decides it's better to think of a squirrel's footfalls as a tiger's than run the risk of finding out the situation is the other way around.

i haven't been afraid of the dark for years but younger i was so terrified that i couldn't even go into the basement out of the fear that some evil entity will consume me if i step too far into the depths of the darkness. one day i locked myself in the basement for half an hour and i was probably whimpering the whole time but as soon as i realized no ghosts could spare the time to come and eat or possess me the anxiety about the dark went away forever.

having said that, my fear of the dark was based on a wholly irrational fear. people in their 20s are generally pretty rational so if you're still afraid of the dark this late in life it really begs the question of what trauma you endured that triggers your mind to think of the dark as intrinsically dangerous. repressed memories have a tremendous impact on the psyche which could bar you from getting past the fear without digging up those repressed memories and dealing with them first.
 
thujone said:
imho, the mind manifests urgency as a result of some evolutionary tick. if you've ever been out in the wilderness on a moonless night, you'll know what i mean. there ARE animals creeping around out there and without being able to visually identify them the ol survival mode kicks in and decides it's better to think of a squirrel's footfalls as a tiger's than run the risk of finding out the situation is the other way around.
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I really like this concept :)

thujone said:
i haven't been afraid of the dark for years but younger i was so terrified that i couldn't even go into the basement out of the fear that some evil entity will consume me if i step too far into the depths of the darkness. one day i locked myself in the basement for half an hour and i was probably whimpering the whole time but as soon as i realized no ghosts could spare the time to come and eat or possess me the anxiety about the dark went away forever.
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I was the same as a kid. I lived on a farm and the only way I could ever bring myself to go up to the shed at night (for whatever reason) was to absolutely piss-bolt sprint from the front door through about 50 metres of pure darkness up to the shed :D To do so nearly brought me to a state of sheer panic every time.

thujone said:
having said that, my fear of the dark was based on a wholly irrational fear. people in their 20s are generally pretty rational so if you're still afraid of the dark this late in life it really begs the question of what trauma you endured that triggers your mind to think of the dark as intrinsically dangerous. repressed memories have a tremendous impact on the psyche which could bar you from getting past the fear without digging up those repressed memories and dealing with them first.
Click to expand...

While I agree with you that for some people, a fear of the dark may be attributed to some previous trauma or repressed memories. But certainly in my instance, there is no history of any such trauma or bad memories from childhood or anything like that. I'm just scared of the dark. I'm a rational and intelligent person and I KNOW that there is actually nothing to be afraid of, but I still am. It's like any other type of anxiety. You KNOW that there's no reason to be feeling anxious, yet you can't help it. Fear of the dark is like any other phobia/irrational fear :)
 
n3ophy7e said:
While I agree with you that for some people, a fear of the dark may be attributed to some previous trauma or repressed memories. But certainly in my instance, there is no history of any such trauma or bad memories from childhood or anything like that. I'm just scared of the dark. I'm a rational and intelligent person and I KNOW that there is actually nothing to be afraid of, but I still am. It's like any other type of anxiety. You KNOW that there's no reason to be feeling anxious, yet you can't help it. Fear of the dark is like any other phobia/irrational fear :)
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Well in a sense, actually, I would think of being scared of the dark as a perfectly rational fear. Maybe blown out of proportion a bit but but still based upon rational thinking. Think of it like this: In the day *or* the night, there exist things to be scared of. In the day, though, the most dominant of your senses – vision – is active and fully operational. If you see a predator of any kind, for example, you can hopefully see it from a distance and plan your escape. In the night, your vision falls behind your other senses, and you can no longer rely on it. The dangers are basically the same dangers that may cross paths with you in the day, only now you are without your most relied upon sense, vision. So you have to kind of 'guess' where these things might be by only using sounds / smells / touch (hopefully touch would be your last option ;) ). Anyways thats just how I see it.
 
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I never noticed being afraid of the dark until I went two weeks without my g/f and was in the apartment alone. Once I turned out the lights I had this panic mode that set in and I had to turn on the tv just to fall asleep. Sure enough when she got back my anxiety was reduced and I slept like baby....maybe it is because I have never lived alone before.
 
^^ Yep, I think that's possibly more attributed to separation anxiety though, rather than pure fear of the dark. It's still awful though!


ektamine, very good point! :)
 
in some places, my imagination runs wild when i turn off the light and walk through the darkness to another room. i don't see things, but i get a sense of being watched/followed that can be really intense. i used to get that at my last place and at my parent's place, but i don't get it at all where i am now.
 
If entities want to attack you they will do it regardless of whether the lights are on or off... trust me.

I'm not scared of the dark myself. I do like to leave nightlights on in the night but it's just to prevent me falling and injuring myself on the way to the bathroom. Lots of steps and levels at our house. :)
 
I'm 27 and still have this fear as well. It isn't like it used to be. I can usually sleep in darkness if i have to, but it isn't comfortable and i take melatonin every night just so i can sleep at all - always been an insomniac

Maybe it does have something to do with living/being alone. I'm an only child and spent most of my childhood by myself. I'm sure watching porn and horror flicks as a kid didn't help either
 
i've worked 7pm-7am a lot so i got used to sleeping whenever. i have a few nightlights throughout the house so i don't fall over the dogs or walk into a closed door.
i was having some sleep paralysis problems for awhile. i rearranged my bedroom and, for some reason, the sleep paralysis stopped which was a welcome surprise.
when i was about 6 yrs old a bat got in my room. when the light was off the damn thing would fly and i'd scream bloody murder. my mother would flip on the light, it would hide in the drapes, and she'd say i was just dreaming. after a few nights of my screaming she finally saw it and whacked it to death with a broom. problem solved.
i rarely, if ever, feel afraid of anything at my house. if a ghost floated in i'd invite him to stay awhile and get him a chair cuz i have a whole lot of questions ;)
-izzy
 
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