[Explorelife]

Hi, I am wondering if this is normal. I have been afraid of the dark since I was a kid. Basically most of my life except when I used to take medication. Sometimes I think that watching horror movies as a kid must’ve messed me up. I hate that genre now.

I don’t like to be in the dark, and especially alone in the dark. I sometimes feel like there is someone else with me, when there isn’t any lights on. And shapes of things in my room looks like someone is there. Sometimes it looks like someone is standing there in my room. Or I also worry someone might grab me next to my bed. Sometimes it looks like someone is hiding besides my bed, if it’s dark.

I also often can see what looks like someone sitting in a chair. I think it looks like a man sleeping, or drugged out, or just being very still and it makes me nervous to walk next to it when I need to walk to my kitchen or living room. It does remind me of someone I used to know, now that I think about it.

Also, I don’t take drugs only a low dose of anxiety medication and I’m in therapy but it’s not related to this stuff.

I guess I am just wondering what this could be. Like if this is me seeing things, or just imagining things. I am very jumpy in the darkness and have always had a small dim lamp on throughout the night. I would just rather not be in the total darkness, and if there’s light coming from outside it’s enough to make shapes look like people hiding in my room with me.

It really does look like people to me in the dark, and it is very scary for me. I don’t like looking directly into a dark area either so I like doors to be shut closed. I definitely feel like someone will come out of that dark room, when I am looking into a dark area of my home.

I don’t talk about this with people they just think I’m scared of the dark.

[healingme4me]

I'd mention it to your doctor and/or therapist. Have them rule out any chances that there's some type of neurological condition before settling in on a phobia. If it is a phobia ask your therapist about special therapies, such as CBT, that could help you to work through this.

[mote.of.soul]

Sorry you're going through that Explorelife, it's obviously very awful for you. You are, as you said, afraid of the dark, and the causes of which probably do stem back to the past, yes. But I personally believe it's the hyper-vigilance caused by fear that is responsible for creating the human shapes and figures you keep seeing. They're not there in reality, obviously. It's quite similar to a common phenomenon known as pareidolia where a person sees faces in say the clouds or the trees, when in fact no face exists. If you can begin to trust yourself more and more, your sense of reason, your inner conviction that it's only the mind making these things seem real, then these fears might start to diminish over time, little by little, and eventually may disappear all together, as fear of the dark tends to do in a lot of people. It would be something good to work through with a therapist too, yes, so eventually the day will come [the night actually] when you can finally have a very peaceful nights sleep.

[Thunder Bow]

I like the dark night. It means no one can see you, thus they can not hurt you. Out of sight out of mind. Think the night as your protector.

[Explorelife]

Originally Posted by healingme4me

I'd mention it to your doctor and/or therapist. Have them rule out any chances that there's some type of neurological condition before settling in on a phobia. If it is a phobia ask your therapist about special therapies, such as CBT, that could help you to work through this.

Hi thank you for your answer. I do see a neurologist but not for this, only for nerve pain. I was not aware neurological conditions can cause these types of experiences. Thank you for your answer.

[Explorelife]

Originally Posted by mote.of.soul

Sorry you're going through that Explorelife, it's obviously very awful for you. You are, as you said, afraid of the dark, and the causes of which probably do stem back to the past, yes. But I personally believe it's the hyper-vigilance caused by fear that is responsible for creating the human shapes and figures you keep seeing. They're not there in reality, obviously. It's quite similar to a common phenomenon known as pareidolia where a person sees faces in say the clouds or the trees, when in fact no face exists. If you can begin to trust yourself more and more, your sense of reason, your inner conviction that it's only the mind making these things seem real, then these fears might start to diminish over time, little by little, and eventually may disappear all together, as fear of the dark tends to do in a lot of people. It would be something good to work through with a therapist too, yes, so eventually the day will come [the night actually] when you can finally have a very peaceful nights sleep.

Thank you for telling me about this phenomenon, this was interesting to read.

[Explorelife]

Originally Posted by Thunder Bow

I like the dark night. It means no one can see you, thus they can not hurt you. Out of sight out of mind. Think the night as your protector.

This is not relevant to my question.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by Explorelife

Hi thank you for your answer. I do see a neurologist but not for this, only for nerve pain. I was not aware neurological conditions can cause these types of experiences. Thank you for your answer.

You're welcome. It was one of those interesting things that I learned upon being diagnosed with ms. I had had some bizarre moments of sensing my name called up a flight of stairs or thinking that I had seen shadows move accross the room. Apparently an "injury" on the brain, such as a lesion can create an environment(within the brain) that can lead to auditory/visual(even olfactory) hallucinations. It was written somewhere that good sleep health can reduce symptoms, among other things. I learned of this so long ago that off the top of my head I wouldn't be able to find links or anything.
Do you ever reach out on Neurotalk, seeing that you have neuropathic pain? Sometimes being amongst both sides of the conversation so to speak can give all around needed support.

[goldiemom]

The thyroid can cause these symptoms. Its very common and annoying. Its an easy blood test to check it. The post above about patterns and seeing faces in clouds etc is really the key. I am a pattern thinker and my mind constantly wants to find order in chaos to make something of nothing. And i used to like to scare myself at nothing. Doing any type of puzzle or brainwork before bed can help. Doing more puzzles or intellectual things or crafts during the day help you sleep better at night. Also calming things help. Your fear center is being overstimulated instead of your higher intellect. Using your higher intellect and avoid fear center triggers helps me alot. Tv can be really bad. Ads work by triggering fear.