Dark phobia or nyctophobia is a psychological disorder in which a person has an excessive fear of the dark. People who have this disorder can feel panic or anxiety disorders when they are in a dimly lit place, even in their own bedroom.
Fear is an emotion that arises in a person's mind when facing a situation that is considered to be dangerous for his safety. However, under normal conditions, this feeling of fear can be controlled. When the emergence of fear in a person's mind can not be controlled, then it is called a phobia.
A phobia is an exaggerated and irrational fear reaction. If you have a phobia, you may experience intense fear or panic when you encounter something or think about the thing that is the source of your fear.
There are many types of phobias, for example, a phobia of certain objects, such as blood or sharp objects, a phobia of certain animals, a phobia of the sea or the fear of drowning, a phobia of flying in an airplane, to a phobia of the dark.
Causes and Symptoms of Dark Phobia
Fear of the dark is often experienced by children aged 2-8 years. However, it is possible that adults or teenagers also have it. So far, the cause of the emergence of dark phobia is not known with certainty.
However, some studies show that people who have a phobia of darkness may have experienced traumatic events in dark places, so that they feel intense fear of returning to dark places.
There are also those who state that the emergence of this fear is caused by excessive worry because they cannot recognize and see their surroundings properly due to darkness.
When in a dark place, such as in a movie theater, in a room with no light, or in a dark forest at night, people with dark phobia may experience several physical symptoms, such as:
- Hard to breath
- Cold sweat
- Increased heart rate or palpitations
- Chest feels tight and hurts
- Shaky
- tingling
- Dizzy
- Stomach ache
- Faint
Dark phobia can cause sufferers to experience the following symptoms:
- Fear of traveling at night.
- Feeling anxious, panicked, and nervous when in dark places.
- Can only sleep in a bright room.
- Always wanting to escape or get out of a dark place.
- Angry for no apparent reason when in low light.
In contrast to ordinary fear, people who have a phobia of the dark can experience disturbances in carrying out daily activities because of an unbearable fear of the dark.
Excessive fear of the dark can make people with dark phobia feel depressed and uncomfortable. Furthermore, dark phobia can even cause a person to experience insomnia.
How to Overcome Dark Phobia
If you have a phobia of darkness, here are some things you can do to overcome your phobia of the dark, including:
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can help people who have a dark phobia to identify feelings of anxiety and replace them with more positive thoughts when dealing with the originator of the phobia.
One of the psychotherapy techniques that is often used to help overcome dark phobia is cognitive behavioral therapy.
With this psychotherapy technique, a psychologist or psychiatrist will train you to think calmly and instill the understanding that being in a dark place is not always dangerous.
Exposure therapy (exposure)
Exposure therapy aims to help fight your phobia, so you can control your fears and anxiety. This method is done gradually by exposing or confronting you with the phobia you have.
When you're ready, a psychologist or psychiatrist will guide you to a dark place and train you not to be afraid of that place again.
Relaxation therapy
Relaxation therapies, such as breathing techniques and yoga, can help you calm down and deal with your fears. In addition, this type of therapy also helps you control stress and the physical symptoms that arise from dark phobia.
If your dark phobia doesn't improve with psychotherapy or exposure therapy, your doctor may prescribe sedatives to make you feel calmer. However, the use of these drugs is usually only for the short term.
Everyone has their own fears or phobias. If the dark phobia or other phobias that you feel have made it difficult for you to move or have been feeling for more than 6 months, then this condition needs to be consulted by a psychiatrist.
After undergoing a psychiatric examination, the doctor will determine the appropriate treatment steps according to the severity of your dark phobia.