Nyctophobia - fear of the dark - causes, symptoms and treatment

12/12/2018 · Author: Psychosomatic Psychologist · Comments: ·

You were probably afraid of the dark as a child. And if this condition is normal for a child, then problems begin in adulthood. Then we ask ourselves how to get rid of the fear of the dark. In this article we will talk about our psychological experience and how to cope with this.

The reasons almost always lie in childhood. They consist either in the received psychological trauma, or in the fear that we were unable to cope with while growing up. Both are amenable to psychological correction. But the work is complicated by the fact that a person’s root cause is often repressed.

In the mildest cases, the root cause may be a rather trivial situation: the child saw frightening characters in films or cartoons. It seems that it is this character who will attack him in the dark. A completely irrational fear. But it’s not so easy to explain this to the psyche.

Once established, this fear spreads. This is how the habit of fear arises.

Such clients are often impressionable, and watching various thrillers and horror films is not advisable for them. They usually say about them: “Weak nerves.”

Often the parents themselves are involved. “Don’t be capricious, otherwise Babayka will come.” The child has no idea what Babayka looks like, but she sounds threatening.

Threatening to life and health.

The deep reasons lie in the same fear of death, which is present in almost everyone.

It would seem that work with him, and others will follow. But in practice this is not easy to do. The survival instinct is one of the strongest in the body.

By the way, he himself is associated with uncertainty and the desire to control everything. And in the dark, a person cannot control everything, because he does not see much. I want to turn on the light. The excessive habit of controlling everything is characteristic of adults. And she talks about the manifestation of another emotion - anxiety .

What it is

Many people don't even know what the scientific name for fear of the dark is. It turns out she has several names:

nyctophobia is a pathological fear of the night (translated from ancient Greek “η νύχτα” - “night”, “φόβος” - “fear”);
scotophobia is a panicky fear of the dark (translated from the ancient Greek “σκοτος” - “darkness”).

Next to these concepts, two more are often used - achluophobia and ecluophobia, which are interpreted as fear of the dark. However, their origin is unknown. If, in order to find out, we delve into historical linguistics, they can go back to one source - the word “axla”, which meant creatures from the afterlife. They accompanied a person to the “field of peace” - to death or sleep. But this is only a version unconfirmed by science, although quite substantiated.

There is a very fine line when it comes to the question of what is the difference between achluophobia and nyctophobia or between scotophobia and nyctophobia. Nyctophobes are afraid of nightfall. It is at this time of day that they begin to have panic attacks and seizures. Scoto- and achluophobes fear the darkness itself. They can get scared even during the day when they enter a room without light.

Who or what is a person suffering from these phobias afraid of? They are not afraid of the darkness itself, but of what can happen in it or who is in it. They have such a developed imagination that their sensitive nature comes up with various scary stories that are about to happen and imagines creepy monsters.

Adviсe

If the phrase “I'm afraid to sleep in the dark” is familiar to you, then these tips will be very appropriate.

As night approaches, you need to calm down, use meditation or turn on soothing music, light scented candles, and take a bath with relaxing herbs. These methods will help reduce a panic attack.
Try switching. Turn on a good movie or chat with friends. Having a pet is also a great option.
If the fear of the dark is somehow connected with the fear of loneliness, then you need to be with friends or family at night, then it won’t be so scary.
Try not to disturb your night sleep, do not sleep during the day.
If you feel fear approaching, do breathing exercises.
Watch your diet. Eliminate junk food four hours before bed. At this time, it is permissible to drink milk or eat some fruit.
To make it easier to be in the dark, you can use some sound effects. These include instrumental sounds, the sound of the sea, birdsong, and the operation of a fan.
If you are afraid that someone is hiding in the dark, then make your home feel safe. To do this, put bars on the windows, hang curtains, you won’t be afraid that someone is looking at you, keep an object near your bed that, if something happens, you can protect yourself with (this is necessary for your peace of mind).
Ventilation of the room is of great importance. In a cool room, sleep is more restful and sound.
Before going to bed, you should only have positive thoughts; you can watch a comedy film.
If it seems that you are hearing some sounds, find a logical explanation for them, understand that it is from the neighbors or just the sound of the wind outside the window.

Causes

The most common causes of nyctophobia and scotophobia are:

childhood trauma associated with darkness or a room without light;
overdeveloped imagination;
increased emotionality, sensitivity, vulnerability;
prolonged stress;
existential fear of death;
heredity;
inert nervous system;
features of upbringing: overly strict parents, or permission to watch horror films from early childhood, or their increased anxiety and nervousness, which are passed on to the child.

Nyctophobia often occurs against the background of various mental disorders. For example, in schizophrenia. Although there are also frequent reciprocal cases when pathological fear leads to psychopathy, weakening the nervous system and keeping a person in constant tension.

Child's fear

Statistics show that nyctophobia most often develops in early childhood. Up to a year old, the baby is afraid of strangers and loud sounds. At 2-4 years old, a child is frightened by animals and darkness. From the point of view of the instinct of self-preservation, this is considered normal. In the future, parents themselves sometimes provoke the development of fear in children, scaring them for disobedience with various horror stories or allowing them to watch films with bloody scenes of fights and violence before bed.

Child's fear

Important! In order for children to sleep peacefully, the evening family holiday should be calm, filled with positive emotions.

At the ages of 10, 11, 12, 13 years old, children begin to be ashamed of their fear and hide it, fearing ridicule. Playing computer games every day for several hours in a row helps to weaken the fragile child’s psyche.

Teenage girls aged 14, 15 and 16 are more prone to fears than boys. But both of them are afraid of bullying and condemnation from their peers, and withdraw into themselves and their experiences. Unresolved children's problems and various conflicts aggravate the situation.

Tips and tricks for parents:

do not laugh at children under any circumstances;
do not make critical comments;
listen carefully to the child;
explain that all people are afraid;
tell your personal story of how to overcome fear;
discuss how to solve the problem.

Childhood fear

For a small child, you can leave a lamp with soft light on at night and allow him to sleep with his favorite toy. Children should be saturated with positive things: good cartoons, fairy tales, and quiet sleep will bring undoubted benefits to the fragile child’s psyche. It would be good to drink a glass of herbal tea or milk with honey. A constant evening ritual will have a calming effect, and the baby will begin to stop being afraid.

Important! Trusting relationships in the family will help overcome fear and rid children of phobias.

Attentive parents, having noticed the alarming behavior of their baby, should definitely consult a psychologist. Perhaps the child needs treatment, and children's fears are temporary and can be easily corrected. Experts use game techniques and creative tasks to help people forget about the causes of fear.

Childhood nyctophobia

In children 3-4 years old, fear of the dark is normal. But if it persists after 5 years, then it is considered a pathology that requires the intervention of a psychotherapist. First of all, you need to find out the reason.

Why does a child become afraid?

got very scared in the dark;
constantly hears from parents scary stories that happen at night;
read a creepy book, watched a horror movie, someone told a “horror story” - this makes a strong impression on the sensitive child’s psyche, and they begin to fear monsters in the dark;
often stays at home alone at night;
is experiencing severe stress (due to studies or parental divorce);
he has nightmares;

Never force children to overcome their fear (for example, do not lock them in a dark room). This will only make the situation worse. You can't make fun of them for being afraid of a monster that doesn't exist. Because of this, internal complexes and incorrect behavior patterns are formed.

Treatment

A fire victim is not always afraid of it. (Latin proverb)

In most cases, with age, children's night terrors dissipate, and nyctophobia remains a dim reflection of once strong experiences. There are people with very strong character and willpower who consciously and successfully fight the fear of the dark. Unfortunately, not every person, due to psychological characteristics, succeeds in such productive feats.

Psychologists warn: it is not safe to ignore obvious, intense and frequently occurring symptoms of nyctophobia. Due to various circumstances, this phobia, if an adequate course of therapy is not carried out in time, can lead to serious mental illness.

Therefore, if you notice the presence in the dark of not the usual discomfort and excitement, but an all-consuming horror, you must definitely consult a psychologist or psychotherapist. Timely and correct therapy is a reliable method to eliminate this phobia forever.

Signs of a phobia

The most pronounced sign of scotophobia/nyctophobia is a person persistently avoiding any darkness. Towards evening, he turns on the lights everywhere and leaves them on while he sleeps, does not go out late, does not go into rooms where it is twilight. Often justifies his actions to others. Talks about poltergeists, murders in alleys without streetlights and sleep apnea.

The sufferer's symptoms manifest themselves on two levels - mental and physiological.

Psychological:

non-recognition of one’s pathology (it is the nyctophobe who will claim: “I’m not afraid of the dark! I’m not sick! I don’t need help!”):
fear of being alone at home at night;
without light - a feeling of hopelessness, despair;
dark alleys, streets and parks are avoided even in company: a nycphobe will foam at the mouth to convince everyone of their danger;
TV or radio is on all night;
panic attacks when suddenly turning off the lights or entering a dark room;
at night the door to the bedroom does not close, the curtains do not close, some kind of dim light (night light) is constantly on;
searching for an explanation for your phobia;
talking to yourself out loud;
loss of self-control - inadequate, passionate desire for light;
irrational, inexplicable rituals performed to prevent imaginary threats from the darkness.

Physiological (manifest when entering darkness, at night):

a sharp rise in pressure;
rapid pulse;
tachycardia;
muscle weakness;
hysterics;
tremor, trembling, chills;
headache;
stunned;
loss of voice, stuttering;
increased sweating;
stale breath;
insomnia, sleep apnea, nightmares;
pain in the abdomen.

Stages of disease development:

To successfully treat nyctophobia, psychotherapists break the chain of development of the disease in the sensation-consolidation-feeling section.

Treatment and fight

Let's look at how to stop being afraid of the dark. First of all, if the phobia is just developing, you can try to overcome it on your own. Experts offer the following simple techniques:

Find an ally - a person who also has nyctophobia. Together it is much better and easier to cope with any problem, and the idea of healthy competition will enhance the result.
Understand the root cause of fear, understand what exactly terrifies you when you are in a dark room and try to find a rational explanation for this.
The most cheerful “medicine” – laughter – helps to overcome fear very well. Those suffering from nyctophobia are advised to watch funny cartoons or comedies about their “colleagues in misfortune.” Often, it is laughter that helps you reconsider your attitude towards the object of your phobia and stop being afraid of it.
Gradually reducing the brightness of night lighting will help improve the condition of those suffering from nyctophobia. To do this, you need to purchase a special night light with a toggle switch that allows you to adjust the brightness.

A set of self-hypnosis classes can be combined with taking homeopathic remedies, for example, valerian, stramonium, they will help you acquire healthy sleep and not wake up in a cold sweat due to the darkness surrounding you.

Normalizing your own daily routine will also help; you should include as many positive aspects as possible: going for a walk, having fun with friends, finding an exciting hobby. All this will help you switch, distract from irrational fear.

However, if these techniques do not help, do not hesitate to seek professional help, because the problem is indeed quite common in the modern world, but can be cured. Therefore, an appointment with a psychotherapist and a frank conversation with him is the first step into a fulfilling life .

Help for children

Let's figure out how to get rid of the fear of the dark in children. For a child of preschool and primary school age, a phobia can cause restless sleep and developmental delays, so parents should make every effort to protect their child. Experts offer several techniques. Before going to bed, you can tell your child a good fairy tale with a happy ending; it will be especially useful if parents show imagination and include victory over the darkness or night in its plot outline.

Next, soft toys that the child loves will become assistants in the fight against phobia. Don't discourage him from going to bed with his stuffed friend. If the baby sleeps in a separate room, you don’t have to close the door, so the child will feel the support of adults. But it’s better to avoid watching dynamic cartoons before bed. If the phobia only intensifies, despite all the efforts of the parents, they should get professional advice.

Fear of the dark is a serious phobia that not only complicates life, but also causes a lot of negative consequences, including deterioration of health and premature death. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of it - first on your own, and if unsuccessful - with the help of a specialist.

Fear of the dark test

1. Late evening. You are alone at home. Suddenly the lights went out throughout the entire street. Your actions?

a) Go to bed.
b) In a panic, you will start calling someone: the State Electrical Network or someone close to you. As an option, go to your neighbors. Just not to be alone!
c) Light candles and try to distract yourself: surf social networks on your phone, listen to your player.

You had to return home late at night. It's a 10 minute walk. How will you get there?

a) Call someone you know, wake them up and insist that they come for you.
b) By taxi.
c) You can get there on foot.

At night, do you open the bedroom door wide, leave the curtains open, and turn on the night light?

a) The door is open, but the curtains are drawn and there is no night light.
b) Yes it is.
c) The door is closed, all the lights, even dim ones, are turned off, the curtains are drawn.

Do you watch horror movies at night?

a) Yes.
b) No.
c) You try to watch during the day, but if a situation arises where the company is going to do it in the evening, you will not refuse.

What scares you in the dark?

a) You are afraid to even talk about it.
b) Absolutely nothing.
c) Sometimes you may be frightened by an incomprehensible rustling sound.

Does it take you long to fall asleep?

a) Not really.
b) Instantly.
c) For a very long time.

You woke up from a nightmare. Your actions?

a) It’s hard for you to imagine this because you’ve never woken up from a nightmare.
b) Try to fall asleep again.
c) Drink something calming to help you fall asleep again.

In the dark, do ordinary objects often seem scary and fantastic to you? For example, is the robe a ghost?

a) Every night.
b) Sometimes.
c) Never.

Calculate your points:

Interpretation of results:

0-5 points - you are a very brave person who has absolutely no fear of the dark, you have a strong nervous system;
6-11 points - you, like many people, are sometimes afraid of sharp sounds and inexplicable rustlings in the dark, but this fear does not go beyond the norm;
12-14 points - a state close to nyctophobia, it is worth taking measures to get rid of fear;
15-16 points - you suffer from nyctophobia and need to consult a specialist.

Only a psychotherapist can make a more accurate diagnosis.

Fear of the dark: psychology

There are a number of techniques and tips on how to “come out of the darkness into the light.” Some of them may be useful for nyctophobes:

Introspection. Write down on a piece of paper why the fear of the dark occurs, what is the reason for this phenomenon. Carefully study the list and evaluate that most fears are unfounded. Even knowing the reasons is the first step towards success.
Calm state. When evening comes, try not to get nervous. Meditate, listen to calm music, take a fragrant herbal bath. All these simple steps will help relieve panic.
Switching. Before going to bed, distract yourself with something positive: your favorite movie, conversation with a pleasant person, reading will help.
Having close people. It's good if you don't live alone. Knowing about your problems, a relative will help you overcome mental attacks by being nearby. If you are single, then get a pet. Having a cat or dog will give you the feeling of the presence of a living being.
A change of scenery. If some piece of furniture bothers you: a mirror reflecting a door, a hanger with clothes that looks like a monster, then swap the furniture. Arrange everything so that you feel comfortable in the room. Sometimes the lamp is left on all night.

Note: Try to look “fear in the eyes.” If you feel like someone terrible is hiding under the bed, then get up and look there. This is a radical method, but it will help you understand how to overcome the fear of the dark.

Healthy sleep. Try not to break the rhythm: day - night. Daytime naps or early morning naps will not help you get a good night's sleep. At night, sleep will be restless and turn into a complete nightmare. And without it, you will not be able to work normally and be in a good mood.
Breathing exercises. If you feel fear, try to breathe deeply and measuredly. On the count of 5, inhale and on the count of 5, exhale. This improves oxygen exchange, saturating the blood with oxygen. Do the exercise until a calm state occurs.
Nutrition. It is important not to consume coffee, fatty foods, or sweets 4 hours before bedtime. These foods enhance brain function and prevent you from falling asleep. If you really want to eat, you can drink milk or kefir, fruit, or eat a handful of nuts.
Noise impact. Against the background of some sounds, fears recede. The noise of a fan, quiet, calm music, melodic sounds of nature will remove negativity and help you fall asleep peacefully.
Safety. Your home is your fortress, where there is no place for fear. This is a safe place. Hang locks on the windows, close the curtains, place nearby something that (in your opinion) can help you gain protection.

Important: Any person is not afraid of the darkness, but of what is hidden behind its veil. Don't let panic rear its head, control your condition. Remember that rustles, creaks, sounds can be explained by real, not fictitious events.

The suggested tips will help you figure out how to overcome the fear of the dark in adults. And for children, the fairy tale therapy technique is very useful. Nyctophobe, together with a psychologist, creates a positive story where the main character overcomes his fears of darkness. In the course of creating a fairy tale, it becomes clear what thoughts overcome a person in the dark and the causes of nightmares. You can take Russian fairy tales as a basis, changing positive and negative characters and the direction of their actions, or create your own stories, inventing a storyline yourself.

How to get rid of it?

To clarify the diagnosis, you need to make an appointment with a psychotherapist. If it is confirmed, a strategy and tactics are developed on how and with what to treat nyctophobia. Of medications, only sedatives and sleeping pills are prescribed.

What psychotherapeutic methods are used to get rid of a phobia:

psychoanalysis;
Gestalt therapy (if the cause is childhood trauma);
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy;
art therapy;
play therapy;
hypnosis;
cognitive behavioral therapy.

The most effective way to rid children of nyctophobia and scotophobia is fairytale therapy. The psychotherapist tells instructive stories involving those monsters and fears that frighten a child in the dark. It could even be role-playing games. Gradually, the realization comes to him that this is all made up, which means it’s not scary at all.

The disorder can be overcome on your own if you use the following techniques and techniques.

Self-reflection

The technique is performed in the first half of the day. Ask yourself: “Why am I afraid of the dark?” On a separate sheet of paper, write down your fears. Re-read each point and evaluate how real and dangerous it is for you. You will see that most of the reasons are completely unfounded. Dispel the myths and convince yourself that nothing threatens you at night.

Evening rituals

Write down your evening in detail after dark. These should be clear, daily rituals that the body (brain, consciousness) will soon get used to and stop panicking when night falls. What actions are welcome: listen to calm, relaxing music; take an aroma bath with soothing herbs; drink a glass of warm milk; read something good and bright; play with your pet. All this relieves stress and prepares for a good, full sleep.

Switching

Develop a specific algorithm of actions for what to do when an unaccountable wave of fear begins to roll in. For example: turn on the lights everywhere; Drink a glass of warm water in slow sips; open the window to ventilate the room; call a friend (boyfriend) or go to the neighbors to distract yourself. Write down these step-by-step instructions on paper or on your phone and keep them within reach at all times.

Confidence

Tell someone that you suffer from scotophobia or nyctophobia. There's no shame in this. Let this be a person you trust, who will never reproach you for being sick, who will not mock you and who will not tell anyone about your problem. It's important to talk to someone.

"Kill the Monster"

What scares you most often in the dark? If there are rustles or sounds, find their source and try to eliminate it. Noise from the street - install soundproof windows. The cat wanders around the house - for the sake of your own peace of mind, give it to someone you know and keep some fish in the aquarium. The clock is ticking loudly - replace it with others. If, when night comes, monsters are seen in pieces of furniture (hangers, mirrors, ironing boards, curtains), remove these things so that they are not visible from the bed. Or arrange everything so that the lighting falls on them differently (sometimes it is precisely this that distorts the silhouettes beyond recognition).

Independent use of the techniques and methods described above is quite possible, but not always effective. Only a psychotherapist can professionally tell you how to get rid of nyctophobia and fear of the dark forever and in the shortest possible time.

Manifestation of nyctophobia

Nyctophobia can manifest itself for the first time at any age. Although most often it manifests itself in early childhood. Thus, a child, having experienced strong, sometimes imaginary, fear while in a dark room, eventually forgets about the situation that led to the fear, maintaining a fear of the dark for the rest of his life.

If a healthy person in a dark room or in an unlit area feels uncomfortable and insecure, experiencing natural excitement, then the nyctophobe’s reaction is different. Finding himself in such conditions, the individual experiences a strong feeling of fear, turning into horror and panic . The anxiety of a nyctophobe forces him to resort to destructive behavior: running away (and it doesn’t matter where, the main thing is from here), screaming with a request for help to get to the nearest source of light.

Many adults carefully hide their phobic fear from others, and explain their strange behavior by poor eyesight and the inability to navigate the area. Their arguments sound very convincing to non-professionals, which indicates the presence of demonstrative personality traits. However, suddenly finding themselves in a room without lighting, nyctophobes do not have time to “transform into actors” and their panic instantly betrays their fears.

As a rule, getting ready for bed for these people is associated with a traditional ritual: they carefully check the serviceability of electrical appliances, and in case of a power outage, place alternative light sources near the bed - flashlights, candles. And, turning on the lights throughout the apartment, the nyctophobes go to bed with one thought: “I wish I could live until dawn!”

Quite often, the fear of the dark is closely intertwined with the fear of death. And it is with the onset of darkness that the nyctophobe’s fear of death intensifies. Thanatophobia has both a hidden nature and a visible level of manifestation, including the fear of emptiness in a dark room. Quite often, individuals with a combination of these anxiety disorders cannot fall asleep if there are no other people in the room, or they create an illusory interlocutor for themselves by leaving the TV on at night.

Additional recommendations

What do psychotherapists recommend to nyctophobes in order to somehow reduce the level of anxiety and improve the quality of life:

Do not watch horror films, do not read creepy and dark works, do not listen to scary stories.
Don't look at your news feed in the afternoon.
Breathe more fresh air, exercise, eat right - lead a healthy lifestyle.
Communicate with pleasant, positive people.
Don't allow bad thoughts.
Do yoga, meditation, breathing exercises.
Arrange the interior of the apartment in light colors. All rooms should have good lighting.
Listen to pleasant music.
Before going to bed, give up gadgets.
Leave the night light on while you sleep.

Most often, a nycphobe is not able to cope with a scourge alone. He needs help and support from loved ones. Therefore, the latter also need to follow some recommendations of psychotherapists:

do not enter into arguments with a nyctophobe about the fact that his fears are stupid and unfounded;
do not ridicule his suffering;
do not focus on the phobia;
don’t force yourself to overcome your fear;
Don't treat him like a patient.

Treatment should be comprehensive: work with a psychotherapist + self-reflection + help from loved ones. As practice shows, 2-3 months of such collective work are enough for a complete recovery.

Nyctophobia in adults

The situation looks completely different when a child’s biased fear of the dark does not go away as a person develops, but on the contrary progresses over the years, haunting the person into adulthood, transforming into an anxiety disorder. According to statistics, the number of adults suffering from a phobia of darkness is about 10% of all humanity.

Many adults susceptible to this neurophobic disorder do not seek treatment from a specialist because they consider this disease “shameful,” childish, and undignified. In addition, many believe that they can cope with it on their own. However, if the fear of the dark has become a mental disorder, then it will be quite difficult to cope with it yourself. The help of a qualified specialist is required.

In addition, postponing this problem for later can lead to a critical situation. And the quality of life of an adult suffering from nyctophobia is significantly reduced. He has to avoid many life events and constantly experience inconvenience.