are you scared of the dark?

@stacyv81 (5903)
United States
June 24, 2007 11:23am CST
I know this sounds crazy, I am 23 and still afraid of the dark...I get nervous and anxious in the dark. If I am home alone, the tv has to be on and lights in everyroom I can see. Does anyone else have this problem or am I just crazy?
6 people like this
28 responses
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
24 Jun 07
No not crazy at all, I know of a few people that are afraid of the dark. I don't mind the dark at all and only prefer to have one light on at night before I go to be for my son just incase he needs to use the bathroon in the middle of the night. I don't mind being alone at home either :)
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
24 Jun 07
Oh now with thunderstorms it gets very scarey!!
1 person likes this
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
that is good. I wish I could be that way. I dont really mind being home alone, I just hate it if it is dark, Like one night, I was home alone and the kids were sleeping and it was a horrible thunderstorm and all the lights went out, I was freaking out! =)
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
24 Jun 07
I get a little nervous in the dark. I don't turn every light on but I usually keep the tv on. I haven't been home alone at night in awhile though, I used to leave more lights on. So, you aren't crazy :) (atleast not from that lol)
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
=) Good to hear that! I dont bother with it when my guy is home, but when it is just me and the kids, I have to it freaks me out. I am just so paranoid in the dark, I dont know why.
1 person likes this
14 Apr 10
Am just really glad to be able to speak about my fear of the dark in this website . I am 42 years old with 2 kids i have suffered fear of darkness for over 20 years ,Were i was born its is a taboo just to even speak about it,Because guys will think yor crazy and need to grow up. It even gets worse when my kids go away to the dads at weekend i really suffer i move around from room to room,i get nervous and i hear any little movements or sounds happening around the house and just get really tired i always fall asleep when the sun comes out. I have had this problem for so long but have never mentioned to any of my family or friends am too ashamed I find it strange if there are guests or my kids sleeping in the house i feel safe. but i still find it difficult to sleep alone in a room in the Dark. This is been going on now for over 20 years, i just want to find out if anyone can help with any kind of advice or remedies and any support that might be ther for me hanks Essy10
@raenie (705)
• Philippines
24 Jun 07
I do think that being afraid of the dark doesn't make you crazy, so don't worry! =)I think that it differs from person to person... As for me, I actually am ok with the dark, preferring lights out when I sleep.
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
yes, I like the lights out when I sleep as long as my guy is there, but any other time, if I am alone, I dont like it =)
1 person likes this
@mgmagana (3618)
• United States
24 Jun 07
no it's not crazy i'm afraid too, and i know plenty of women that still r. i'm 25, my friend is 25, and my lil sis is 19, we all still sleep with night lights. i'm the same way if i'm alone, i have to have the t.v. on and someone on call. even if it's hot i have to have the windows all locked. trust me u're not crazy it is scary i can't even have a mirror facing me, b 4 i enter the restroom at night i have to turn on my light first.
1 person likes this
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
25 Jun 07
Yes, I am like that as well. When my daughter was first born I was not like that because she had colic and I would just pass out anywhere anytime given the chance (once she was sleeping). But before that and now, I am like that. It is difficult to deal with sometimes =)
@naty1941 (2336)
• United States
24 Jun 07
You are not crazy. When I was your age I did the same thing, however, as I got older, I got braver.
1 person likes this
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
yea, I am getting better as my kids get older and I have to try to hide it in front of them and teach them there is nothing to be a fraid of. =)
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Jun 07
Your not alone! I am 34 yrs. old and I am scared of the dark too and have to have a light on also. When we have bad storms I have candles beside me to light up if the power goes out. My mom always kept the bathroom light on for me when I was growing up so I could see at night if I woke up.
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
my mom did too, sometimes when I was little I would sleep with the light on, If I am home alone, I usually fall asleep with the tv on...I got caught off guard on night when the power went out and it was pitch black and I was scared, and I finally found some candles, I will have to rememeber to put a candle and a lighter beside me when it storms =)
1 person likes this
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
24 Jun 07
Being a wolf I actually prefer the dark, when I'm at home watching a movie, I always turn the lights off, I far prefer to drive at night than daytime. It sounds weird I know but I much prefer the night, I am a night owl and will prefer to stay out real late and get up real late. Oh and no you are not crazy!
1 person likes this
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
It is weird, because I too prefer nightime, Id rather be up late and sleep late as well, but the dark freaks me out, I'd rather be home with the lights on. If I am with someone else, I dont mind being outside at night, but just not if I am alone =)
1 person likes this
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
24 Jun 07
I like to have lights on to when I go to bed. I can't stand it to be completly dark. I guess because if I wake up in the middle of the night I want to be sure I can see. I have gotten scared a few times when i was by myself but i got use to it.
1 person likes this
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
I can sleep with the lights off as long as I am under covers and such, but if I am up I cant stand to not have the lights on, unless my guy is home.
1 person likes this
• Canada
24 Jun 07
nope luv the darkness
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
24 Jun 07
really? what to you like about it?
1 person likes this
• Canada
24 Jun 07
What not to lov about it you fell totally envolped in it and depending one the time of year adn the weather has a diffferent feel to it
• United States
25 Jun 07
I also love the darkness I feel that if someone comes in you can see them before they see you. I can't sleep with the lights.
1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
10 Apr 08
I am happy for my bedroom to be dark at night. However sometimes in situations outside my home the dark can scare me like when I cycled home the streets were lit in the city but then the roads were completely dark until I reached the village that I used to live in. It was surprisingly dark and my bicycle light only gave enough light for me to see the ground in front of me. If a car went past I saw its powerful and bright lights, then as it passed into the distance I was back into the total darkness. It was quiet and nobody was about so it made me a bit nervous and I felt glad to reach the lights in the village and go up the road where my cottage was. I moved into my cottage in 1991 and around that time power cuts happened quite often. It was scary to be in complete darkness if I couldn't find a torch. These days my locality has street lights and I have only had one power cut since I moved here in 2005.
• China
24 Jun 07
first thing is tht u are not crazy..... secondly yes many ppl are afraid of the dark... i am usually fine in the dark as long as i am in familiar surroundings such as my dormitory or my house... but one thing tht puts the fear in me is being alone in the dark...i am even afraid of the dark sumtimes even wen there r other ppl around but this only happens after watchin a horror movie or sumthin of tht sort...
1 person likes this
• Trinidad And Tobago
10 Apr 08
You're definitely not crazy ok. Trust me it's not just you being afraid of the dark it's you seering the things on tv that happens in the dark,i'm close to your age and i'm still afraid of the dark it's a natural thing and is nothing to be scared you won't believe 85% of human beings are afraid of the dark and i'm one of them even you, so if you think it's something embarussing just think about all the other people out tere who are scared of the dark and remember that your not alone on this one for sure,not trying to scare you more but it's part of life ok,try sleeping with a nightlight for a change,it may help you feel better i know it helped me for a while and now i don't need it, even very old people fear darkness just mainly because of what they think might happen. try not to let your imagination run too wild in the dark, i think that's one of the biggest problems when someone hears of the dark. Be Strong Girl i know you are you sound like a really strong perrson.
• Trinidad And Tobago
10 Apr 08
People need to be more open minde3d about things and not let the little things in life freak you out. think big,positve and strong.
• Indonesia
14 Apr 10
i same with you.. i 18 years old... but i still afraid of the dark... i didn't understand why... you are same like me yeah? ^^
@bubuth (1815)
• Philippines
28 Feb 13
I think its just normal. There are some people who are not afraid of darkness and there are some who are afraid. Im also afraid in darkness also specially when in home alone. My husband always go to work four in the morning so it is still dark when he leave me in the room so I always ask him to open the light before he go. I feel that something will appear in the dark when im alone.
@lols189 (4742)
22 Aug 07
i am not afraid of the dark no. your are not crazy to be afraid of the dark it is just something that happens
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
29 Jun 07
If you're crazy then I am too! LOL I'm almost 32 years old and I still get afraid of the dark now and then when I'm home alone at night (I'm not counting the kids being with me :P). Lucky for me, that is rare.
@uiwwitch (892)
• United States
22 Aug 07
I still get scared every now and then, but generally I enjoy being in the dark. I like the feeling of darkness embracing me. That sound weird? I used to be really scared when I was very young, I have memorized our stairs because I usually navigate it with my eyes closed for fear of "seeing" something in the dark. Eventually I have outgrown that fear.
@teleios (737)
• Philippines
25 Jun 07
hmm i think for you to be able to get over this fear you should exmaine why and when this started. i dont fear the dark personally, especially if its someplace that i'm familiar with. now if i was alone in a dark, abandoned house purported to be haunted, that's another story!
@tredale (1309)
• Australia
25 Jun 07
Hi stacyv81 no I actually love the dark but Im afraid I actually cant see in the dark because my pupils wont dialate. So I need light at all times. I get very confused in the dark all my sences are off. But if I have a torch in my hand I actually love the dark. I just wish I could see in it.lol
@dimaks (786)
• Japan
24 Aug 07
yes i do when i was a kid. bit i have overcome it when i got matured enough. although now a days, it is not sound to walk by the dark, given the chances that there might be some thieves and burglars lurking around, waiting to ambush.