The Student Room Group

I am 18, and scared of the dark-please help

So, ever since i can remember, i have always been scared of the dark which has impacted me a lot during my sleep. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself at this age.

At the moment i share a room with my sisters however, when i had my own room, i just could not sleep in it and would not like to switch off the light because i thought someone was coming to get me and the shadows of my wardrobes scared me to death.

Even now, although i share a room, i sleep with the light on and would not like to switch off the when i am by myself sleeping, but if otherwise, i can sleep with the lights off.

I don't know what to do.

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Reply 1
Original post by Anonymous
So, ever since i can remember, i have always been scared of the dark which has impacted me a lot during my sleep. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself at this age.

At the moment i share a room with my sisters however, when i had my own room, i just could not sleep in it and would not like to switch off the light because i thought someone was coming to get me and the shadows of my wardrobes scared me to death.

Even now, although i share a room, i sleep with the light on and would not like to switch off the when i am by myself sleeping, but if otherwise, i can sleep with the lights off.

I don't know what to do.


I would not worry too much.
If you are, you are.
The only way to defeat a fear is to confront it and beat it.
Reply 3
scared of greedy people, bless my cookies
I don't know what to say, but if that's what you are no can change you.
Try listening to music, documentaries or videos or whatever else to try and keep yourself from thinking about it?

Used to be fairly afraid of something at night, but I always have my laptop by my bedside, either falling asleep during a Skype call, watching something or listening to music!

Hope this helps!
Oh my gosh! PM ME! I'm 18 and scared on the dark :redface:

I know it's pathetic but I cannot sleep in complete darkness, it gives me anxiety, I also feel like the darkness is suffocating me. I certainly cannot go to the bathroom in the dark, I don't even like to get out of bed in the complete darkness. :redface: It's so embarrassing, I never grew out of this fear.

I remember going to France on a school trip a couple of years ago, the door was shut and locked and it was so dark I started to panic, luckily my friend brought her reading light and we stuck that near my window to calm me down.
Oh my gosh its's SOOO pathetic XDDDDD

I'm going to take a lamp with me to uni. :redface:
Original post by Anonymous
So, ever since i can remember, i have always been scared of the dark which has impacted me a lot during my sleep. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself at this age.

At the moment i share a room with my sisters however, when i had my own room, i just could not sleep in it and would not like to switch off the light because i thought someone was coming to get me and the shadows of my wardrobes scared me to death.

Even now, although i share a room, i sleep with the light on and would not like to switch off the when i am by myself sleeping, but if otherwise, i can sleep with the lights off.

I don't know what to do.


By a lamp with a variable switch. Start at a brightness that your comfortable with and keep lowering it. I don't like the dark either I usually watch a youtube podcast while in bed and drift to sleep. You should listen to a podcast or something like that to keep you distracted and help you keep your mind off the dark :smile:
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
Oh my gosh! PM ME! I'm 18 and scared on the dark :redface:

I know it's pathetic but I cannot sleep in complete darkness, it gives me anxiety, I also feel like the darkness is suffocating me. I certainly cannot go to the bathroom in the dark, I don't even like to get out of bed in the complete darkness. :redface: It's so embarrassing, I never grew out of this fear.

I remember going to France on a school trip a couple of years ago, the door was shut and locked and it was so dark I started to panic, luckily my friend brought her reading light and we stuck that near my window to calm me down.
Oh my gosh its's SOOO pathetic XDDDDD

I'm going to take a lamp with me to uni. :redface:


Aw that's kinda cute :redface:
Original post by Anonymous
So, ever since i can remember, i have always been scared of the dark which has impacted me a lot during my sleep. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself at this age.

At the moment i share a room with my sisters however, when i had my own room, i just could not sleep in it and would not like to switch off the light because i thought someone was coming to get me and the shadows of my wardrobes scared me to death.

Even now, although i share a room, i sleep with the light on and would not like to switch off the when i am by myself sleeping, but if otherwise, i can sleep with the lights off.

I don't know what to do.


You reminded me of this film. :tongue:

Become the darkness, become your fear.
Original post by Shiv Loves Life
Aw that's kinda cute :redface:


It's stupid, I feel like a child. Like what do I even think is going to happen? what if this fear never goes away?:frown: What if I'm 30 and still scared of the dark, oh my gosh that is just so embarrassing...how would i explain that to my husband? :o:o:o:o

"Hi, I'm a grown woman but I'm scared of the dark so can we just leave the outside light on please, and the curtains open and the whole door open so the light comes in so it doesn't really feel like the light is off at all". :redface:
what they all said. Night light plus you cna get the small lights that go in sockets. If you get the variable one, then you cna just reduce gradually over time.
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
Oh my gosh! PM ME! I'm 18 and scared on the dark :redface:

I know it's pathetic but I cannot sleep in complete darkness, it gives me anxiety, I also feel like the darkness is suffocating me. I certainly cannot go to the bathroom in the dark, I don't even like to get out of bed in the complete darkness. :redface: It's so embarrassing, I never grew out of this fear.

I remember going to France on a school trip a couple of years ago, the door was shut and locked and it was so dark I started to panic, luckily my friend brought her reading light and we stuck that near my window to calm me down.
Oh my gosh its's SOOO pathetic XDDDDD

I'm going to take a lamp with me to uni. :redface:


Why would you wake up in the middle of the night and walk around without turning the light on? :s-smilie:
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
It's stupid, I feel like a child. Like what do I even think is going to happen? what if this fear never goes away?:frown: What if I'm 30 and still scared of the dark, oh my gosh that is just so embarrassing...how would i explain that to my husband? :o:o:o:o

"Hi, I'm a grown woman but I'm scared of the dark so can we just leave the outside light on please, and the curtains open and the whole door open so the light comes in so it doesn't really feel like the light is off at all". :redface:


I do those things too tbh I don't like complete pitch black. I think the things you do are pretty reasonable and they'res nothing wrong with it. Everyone is scared of something
Original post by RezzBerry
Why would you wake up in the middle of the night and walk around without turning the light on? :s-smilie:


Well I don't like the journey from my bed to the switch because it's too dark :redface:


I should have gone on anon...oh well, too late now! :redface: :redface: :redface:
Just avoid the monster under your bed
Original post by Anonymous
So, ever since i can remember, i have always been scared of the dark which has impacted me a lot during my sleep. I can't even go to the bathroom by myself at this age.

At the moment i share a room with my sisters however, when i had my own room, i just could not sleep in it and would not like to switch off the light because i thought someone was coming to get me and the shadows of my wardrobes scared me to death.

Even now, although i share a room, i sleep with the light on and would not like to switch off the when i am by myself sleeping, but if otherwise, i can sleep with the lights off.

I don't know what to do.


That's completely normal! Being scared of the dark is just being scared of the unknown. To some degree, we're all scared of the unknown. Your fear is manifesting itself as fear of darkness. Try not to see it as taboo, or as a childish thing. It's normal!
Original post by I am not shiv
I do those things too tbh I don't like complete pitch black. I think the things you do are pretty reasonable and they'res nothing wrong with it. Everyone is scared of something


:frown: Promise? everyone tells me it's not normal.

atleast I don't sleep with the actual light on!!
Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes
Well I don't like the journey from my bed to the switch because it's too dark :redface:


I should have gone on anon...oh well, too late now! :redface: :redface: :redface:


When I'm the last person downstairs and I switch off the last light, I usually run up the stairs. :biggrin:

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