Please don't laugh

[sorry4namechange]

...but I'm scared of the dark and don't know what to do. Think it started when ds was born and didn't sleep very well, where in the day I could go out and get some peace but at night I was alone and stuck with him. Now more and more I'm getting really panicky at night and feel claustrophobic if I wake up and its dark, like I'm being suffocated. It doesn't really affect my sleep, after about 20 minutes of panic I drift off to sleep and don't wake up in the night much.

I'm nearly 30, what do I do? I'm not depressed and I feel fine about everything else.

[kittypants]

im scared of dark too.if its not waking you etc then surely its not a problem.

[cylonbabe]

get a nightlight.
or just sleep with the light on.

[grouchyoscar]

I have no problem with the dark but I find it difficult to deal with the 'silence' at night. I seek out noise and it can get foolish I need to keep Radio5's Up All Night on or World Service and on really bad nights I end up watching one of the Discovery Channels.

I need to be surrounded by noise really. I find stillness scary and opressive.

So sympathies AND IT'S NOT SILLY

[sorry4namechange]

phew, I thought it was only me. I don't feel anything heavy on me, I feel like I can't breathe in deep enough, like I've just been running or something. Its not really affecting my sleep but I hate feeling so scared and panicky every night. I have started leaving a little light on but feel silly having to sleep with the light on.

[Chirpygirl]

I didn't realise how much I need to have a light until I went to stay at my mums last weekend. We have a streetlight right outside our window, so even with blackout blinds it is still never dark in our room. My mum, however, lives by the sea and has no lights outside, I was in my little bro's room and had to get up in the night and put the dimmer light on really low before I could sleep.

For me it's more a safety thing, I get really frightened that there is someone in the room and I can't see them and I freeze and can't move (not sleep paralysis, just pure fright!). I may be a grown up, but if I need a light, I'm having a light!

[sniff]

grouchy you have just described me

sfnc I dont think your being silly I dont like the night time I worry about the kids all the time at night