Young children are mostly afraid of the dark, and this is easily explained from the standpoint of adapting to the environment. Even distant ancestors were afraid of the dark because of the unknown and the threat to security emanating from it. When a feeling of fear manifests itself in adults, it is advisable to solve these problems so as not to trigger the situation.
About the fear of the dark
In the scientific literature, the fear of the dark or night is called ahluophobia, eluophobia, nytophobia or scotophobia. The symptoms of the manifestation of this fear do not depend on the name.
It is not the darkness itself that scares a person, but what can be hidden in it. And a big role in this is played by the human imagination, which can be fueled by shots of horror films, stories of horror stories and various urban legends. If possible, especially impressionable people are better off minimizing the impact of such frightening things.
Anyone can be frightened by some incomprehensible noise or squeak in the dark - this is quite normal. It is important for him to find out the cause of these sounds and stop panic. But if a person even during the day has panicky thoughts about the upcoming night, nightmares or sleep disturbances occur, heart rate increases and breathing becomes difficult at nightfall, the problem must be solved before it brings him to a mental deviation.
help yourself
To get rid of the fear of the dark, you need a serious deep work on yourself. However, it is worth remembering about your safety from a rational point of view. Walking around the city outskirts at night, overcoming fear, is still not worth it. And here it is not some irrational things that should be frightening, but malicious hooligans with bats, who usually gather in "packs". They will definitely be able to add unpleasant minutes, even though these are not ghosts or drums.
First, a positive attitude is very important. Special affirmations-affirmations that can be uttered in your free time will help to find it: “I feel comfortable in the dark,” “Darkness gives me a feeling of security,” etc. You need not to panic when night falls, but to say these magic words to yourself.
Secondly, it is important to approach the moment of falling asleep in full readiness: relaxed, with an "empty" head, free from all extraneous thoughts. If a person is worried about something, then the process of falling asleep will be difficult, and at night without sleep, the fear of the dark will not forget to visit him. You need to plan in advance for the upcoming day so as not to think about it lying down, preventing the body from relaxing and falling asleep.
Thirdly, if sleeping in the dark is completely unacceptable for a person, you can purchase a lamp or night light with a dim light. Doctors do not recommend sleeping with bright light, but you can afford a little support in this regard. You can also leave the light in the next room or in the corridor so that some area in the apartment or house is illuminated.
Additionally, you can "use" your loved ones and relatives. It's good if next to a person his other half sleeps, which is not afraid of the dark, otherwise both of them come up with something that even Stephen King never dreamed of. As children ask to put them next to their parents, so adults can sometimes ask for support from loving people for these purposes. And pets in such a situation can be allowed to sleep side by side on the bed or on the rug next to it. Peaceful snoring of a pet nearby can quickly calm the owner down.
With frightening sounds or visions, you need to try to understand the reason that causes them. When there is a logical explanation for what is happening, you can not be afraid. So, creaking floorboards, a suddenly closed door or a spot that flashed somewhere can be explained by the vital activity of neighbors, the action of the wind or a shadow from a tree outside the window. Coming up with monsters, ghosts and other evil spirits is a departure from reality. There is no confirmation from science about such things, you just need to reason logically. Another thing is that it is difficult to reason logically in a situation of the strongest phobia or panic attacks, and it is already worth contacting specialists with this problem.
Work of specialists
Specialists (psychologists, psychotherapists or hypnologists) will help to understand the deep causes of fear, and, accordingly, by eliminating or working out the cause, get rid of it. There are several methods for this. The most difficult but effective method for the patient is called exposure therapy. It involves the constant immersion of a person in a frightening situation, until he himself understands that there is nothing terrible in it.
The opposite method - systematic desensitization - does not involve immediately exploiting the source of fear. At first, the specialist tries to divide the client's fear into several levels, and then gradually place him in situations corresponding to different levels. So, if you are afraid to be alone in a dark room, you can first leave a person in a room with someone, then leave him alone, but turn on the light, then turn off the light, but leave the light source in the next room. This should be continued until the client finds himself in a situation that initially frightens him. At the same time, the person describes his emotions, the possibility of self-control, and the specialist varies the conditions so that the client goes all this long way without emotional stress. This option for getting rid of a phobia involves several sessions.
Also, specialists in especially severe cases can use trance techniques, put a person into hypnosis and change his beliefs in relation to frightening conditions, identify the causes and reasons from childhood memories that cause fear, and work with them.
It should be noted that a person will never feel comfortable without light. Human vision is not initially adapted to this, and therefore some discomfort in the dark is the norm even for adults. It is only important not to inflate the elephant from a fly and not to perceive darkness as an enemy.
