Scared of the dark as an adult - anyone else?

[Mummy2022FT]

I'm genuinely interested. And this isn't a joke

If you were to get a glass of water in the middle of the night for example, would you be able to just walk in darkness? (Obviously provided u can just about see where you're going lol) I personally have to turn on every light that comes my way.

I think what made my problem worse was doing night feeds when DS was newborn. (He's 9months now & sleeps through the night luckily) but being up as a single mum at like 2/3am was a bit... eery.

I definitely think some horror films that i watched when I was younger have stayed with me.

If I hear a noise from downstairs in the night I freak. In the day time i wouldn't even think twice about it.

And what reminded me to make this post is it's dark now at 22:45 and you guessed it... I'm freaked out!

Used to be as a kid, but for some reason it stopped almost the instant I moved out and was alone or would be outside at night.

It took a while but I finally realised that because my mother always had lights on 24/7 and wouldn't have curtains that closed - they were thin strips of fabric dangling at the edge of the recess, I'd never experienced my eyes adapting to the dark before.

DP says I clearly echolocate at night because I go all over the house in the dark without my glasses (well, I don't need them, do I?) without the slightest trouble. A little bit of ambient, moon or starlight and I'm perfectly fine - add some brighter than ten thousand suns security lights halfway down the street and I'm partially sighted again.

I wander around in the dark all the time and HATE having a chink of light in the bedroom... currently investigating blackout blinds to go under blackout curtains, the slightest bit of light annoys me. Never put lights on to go to the loo at night and our bathroom is downstairs!

I’m on the fence with this and would say yes and no.

When I lived at home I was always scared of the dark (or what is in it), I also have always had a huge phobia of mirrors, and would always cover my bedroom mirrors at night / when not in use and especially when home alone.

At 18 I moved out, the house I moved into was definitely haunted and I frequently felt watched. There was a mirror that completely covered the wall in the dining room attached to the kitchen and I always had to look away as I walked through if it was dark or I was home alone. I hated being in that house alone especially after dark.

I then moved short term into a flat, and never was all that bothered there, only mirror was in the bathroom.

I then moved again and that house didn’t bother me too much either, still couldn’t bring myself to have anything but a small mirror in the bathroom though.

When I later moved into another house that iffy feeling definitely did come back somewhat and I started having nightmares which I think made it even worse.

Forward onto my current house (was around 27 when I moved in) and its definitely the most relaxed I’ve ever felt, I will not only will happily walk around in the dark but I now have quite a few mirrors too!! I just don’t get that vibe here at all that there is anything to be fearful of.

Maybe I’ve just suddenly grown up and got a grip, maybe some houses just have weird vibes and maybe some really do have something lurking and that fear is intuition!!!? Who knows but I have definitely suffered fear of the dark as an adult but don’t have that issue right now.

The dark has never bothered me. When I was a child I used to shut my bedroom door at night as my brother wanted the hallways light on.

When I watch tv on a evening I sit in the dark so it’s just the light of the Tv. I thought this was normal and everyone did it! Apparently it’s not according to my friend😂

I never turn on the lights during the night to go a wee and I’d be really annoyed if my other half did or kids. 😅 I’m a light sleeper so it would wake me up everytime.
No lights allowed in the bedroom at night too, including phone screen light 🤣

My daughter used to have a nightlight but even she sleeps in the dark now.

I can watch any horror film at night, in the dark and then go straight to bed and it doesn’t faze me. All mirrors stay up and dark windows are fine too.

@BamBamBambi

Horror film in the dark.. and then you can just go to bed??? I don't know how you can do that lol!

I don’t think I’m scared of the dark but I do prefer all lights on in the house. Not sure if the cost is that big but lights are on all night

Iv always liked horrors, even as a teen. My daughter has also started getting into them now and Iv let her watch a couple of tame ones.

I just know it’s not real I guess….no creepy doll is going to get me or im not going to wake up on a planet attacked by anything 😂

Theres no Halloween murderer walking around etc 😂

I also would go and walk the dog at 10pm too sometimes and she’s only 2.5kg so no chance of protecting me.

I'm not scared of the dark as such but sometimes I find it easier to fall asleep with a little nightlight on in the bedroom. There is something quite comforting about it. (I can sleep in the dark if I need to though!)

Why don't you get Hue lightbulbs or smart plugs for downstairs lamps and then you can turn them off using your phone or Alexa once you're tucked up in bed?

I'm 66 and I've been married for 44 years. I've always been scared of the dark and what it hides - not ghosts, but real people. For the last 5 years my husband has gone away to a course for a week every year, leaving me on my own at home. During the day it's fine, but at night I hate it! I am supersensitive to any noises, and hardly sleep at all. He's away right now and won't be back until Sunday so just 2 more nights to do.
I leave all the lights on and put some boring audiobook on my phone when I want to get to sleep. I still wake up frequently. Recently I read that I should tell myself that the noises are "there but not important" and practice mindfulness. That did help a bit but I still get a surge of adrenalin when I hear a creak or swish.
It feels really embarrassing to be this stage in life and still be so pathetic.
But I'm a bit reassured to read so many people here who are the same.. Maybe it's not so weird as I thought.

I've ridden 20 miles through the moors in pitch black, no sun to speak of. And I'm Gucci. It's all in the mind.

I was scared of the dark my whole life

I would freeze in fear and could not move in it

Then I had DS then DD

I no longer fear the dark

It was mind over matter I had to overcome it so I just did

Ohhhh yes, all lights everywhere when I'm doing night feeds/ going to the loo/ getting water. Landing light stays on all night, I even have a light for my budgies in case they are also scared of the dark 🤣 husband used to sleep in complete darkness and he gets so annoying having all these lights while he's trying to sleep, he calls it Blackpool illuminations 🤣

My trick for dealing with the dark is to close my eyes -- even if I am walking, even on the stairs. Somehow that way it's not the dark, it's my choice.

Yes, I too will confess to being scared of the dark in my own home.

However I’m not quite as scared to live in a bungalow as a house with stairs.

Also scared to nip out to the back garden (to get something from the shed eg) after dark.

On a more practical note, if you have small children, you could accidentally tread on a (Lego brick?) toy…. obvs that wouldn’t be awful, but still not great.

Also, come the autumn months, wasps 🐝 get sluggish, and I’ll often see one on the hall carpet (between my bedroom door and bathroom) so for me it makes sense to pu a light on to ensure I don’t get stung.

worse than being scared of the dark (or anything), is to be made to feel bad that you are affected that way.

No. Sometimes I don’t even put my glasses on and I have terrible eyesight. Funny, I was scared as a kid and had to sleep with the light on.

i wouldn't do it, that's what lights are for.

I'm downstairs right now and all I'm thinking is, shit, I've got to turn all the lights off and run upstairs in...the....dark...

you need multiple switches so you can turn one on before you turn another off

I lived in the countryside as a teen - used to walk home in the early hours. Most of the time eyes adjusted to the dark and there was enough light to see the verge etc. Though occasionally it was pitch and I’d walk into things.
it was either walk in the dark or not go out!
A torch would pinpoint me for any nefarious individuals so didn’t use one.
Just don’t dwell on ghosts or mad axemen.

I sleep in darkness as dh is here and will go to ensuite in dark. But if I was alone or leaving the room a light would be on

I walk about in pitch black darkness.

no such thing as ghosts/monsters and my dog would have alerted me to anyone in the house who shouldn’t be.

The only thing I get slightly worried about is that I might be walking in close proximity to spiders and I wouldn’t have a clue

Yes, I always have a night light on in my room, and if I have to go elsewhere at night, I shut my door and then turn the top lights on. I'm quite capable of walking safely at night due to years of doing night shifts, but in my own home I just can't do it. I think it's because of years of having night lights for my kids, and I got used to it. I find it reassuring to be able to open my eyes and immediately see everything in my bedroom.

In my early 20's I was as bold as brass, go running at night (farm, safe area) wander around in the dark, Husband was FIFO. Then I watched Blair Witch... Absolutely terrified me. I remember nearly crying in pain, pregnant and needing a wee but too scared to walk past the hall window to the lavvy.

Birds need the dark. You could potentially be stressing them by ensuring they don't sleep as well as they should be able to.

@NeverDropYourMooncup sorry I should have been more clear, they are in the dark but they have a small blue nightlight so they aren't in complete darkness. It's a light especially for budgies so as not to disrupt their sleep. They are all 10+ years old so sometimes fall from their perch and need a bit of light to get back