To still believe in monsters?

[GarlicBreadStan]

I'm 27 and very gullible.

When I was in year 7, someone told me that the Paranormal Activity films were real footage. I believed them.

From the age of 12 until about the age of 25, I had an intense fear of zombies and I was convinced that COVID was going to turn into a zombie virus. I rarely left my house because of how convinced of this I was.

I can't sleep without my bedroom light on. Night lights don't work to reduce my fear. If I have my bedroom door open, I can cope with sleeping with the landing light on.

I don't know why I'm so convinced that monsters are real, but last night I tried sleeping with my light off and nearly had an anxiety attack because I swear I saw shadows near my door.

I feel absolutely ridiculous for still being scared of monsters and for still believing in them, and I feel unreasonable because I'm 27 and surely I should be over this by now?

Please don't be mean, I already feel stupid enough for still having these fears 😅

I get it, In the day I am rational. At night, not so much. I don’t think I’m quite as extreme but I can’t sleep in total darkness, leave the landing night on.

It's really hard because when I went to sleepovers as a kid, I'd just cry all night while laying in the dark instead of going to sleep, while all my friends were sleeping.

I get it, if its late & dark outside and I need to go downstairs I run & grab what I need without loooni g through the windows/doors. Freaks me out 😂

This will probably make you feel worse, but, it’s not monsters or aliens you need to be scared of, it’s humans. Male humans.

I agree with the person above who said in the day they’re rational, but in the night, when it’s dark your imagination runs wild. But I’m never paranoid about monsters or the paranormal - it’s men breaking in and burgling me, or worse.

Thank you 😭 I've had so many people laugh at me when I've told them that I don't tell anyone anymore (apart from Mumsnet, apparently, lol). If it's dark outside I can't even wear headphones in case a zombie runs up behind me and I don't hear it. My fear of zombies isn't anywhere near as bad as it used to be (due to exposure therapy) but it took me until this year to Google if a zombie virus would ever be possible

It's weird, my anxiety with real life things is never really bad. It's the unlikely things or things that have never happened that scare me

I'm 56 and cannot sleep without the landing light on. If I'm in a hotel I always leave the toilet light on. Can't sleep without it otherwise

The mirrors in my house belong to the previous owner. Who died here. Theyre beautiful. The house only has nice vibes. But at night Im scared of the one by the front door. I quickly check door is locked and run away.

Yup, this is absolutely accurate and something I worry about a lot more than monsters.

Well I vote yabu, but in a kind way - honestly if you face the fear there are only so many nights you can lie awake crying. Eventually your brain will catch up with reality. You need to use ‘cry it out’ method on yourself!

And I think the poster who is afraid of men is BU, too. Obviously, there are some bad people, and violent men, out there. But I refuse to live my life in fear. I walk alone down dark streets and leave my door unlocked if I want to. Sod them. My life is my own. If somebody decides to take it from me, there’s nothing I can do really. But I refuse to be afraid.

That's understandable, thank you for explaining why I'm being unreasonable 😊 and I don't mean that sarcastically either. I just find it really hard because I have a really active imagination

I still sleep with either a small lamp on or the landing light, usually the latter. It’s not because I’m scared of the dark or monsters, it’s just my preference.

I don’t live my life afraid of men at all. I love men, I’m married, great relationship with Dad, brothers, colleagues etc. But I was merely pointing out that if something bad or scary happens at night, or down a dark alley, I can guarantee it won’t be a zombie, monster or an alien or anything paranormal that’s the perpetrator- it will be man.

I don’t think you’re gullible, you have a kind of anxiety disorder- you’re afraid of the dark. The brain throws up a whole load of possibilities to make you be super cautious- it can’t see very well so it gets all hyper vigilant about what might be there, your cortisol goes up, and you start to panic.

Stop thinking you are gullible. Start recognising you have a specific, very common, fear and address it.

I am inclined the same way. You have to focus on your breathing, calm your mind, and refuse to let your imagination run away! I used to sing when I had to walk home in the dark. Singing is good for calming anxiety. Deliberately walk in the dark with a kind reliable friend. Look at the sky, look at the trees, the moon.

Practice, in little doses, until you build up tolerance.

But mainly, reframe what’s happening.

I understand what you're saying, and I definitely do have anxiety around a lot of things, but the reason I say I'm gullible is because if someone says something, whether joking or not, I will take it literally and if they're convincing enough, I'll believe them.

It took until I was about 20 to realise I'm not part French because you can see the coast of France from Dover (where my mum's from) 😅

Girl same I’m afraid of the dark for same reason. I’m 41

The only monsters are the human ones who walk amongst us. Protect yourself from them.

I'd also ask yourself to look online at the origins of belief in zombies, because it isn't the UK.

EtA It is from somewhere very far from Nether Wapping or wherever you are and came about in a specific place for a a specific set of reasons.

I need the dark to sleep but that doesn't stop me from thinking there are bad things lurking there. DH was away when the last series of Uncanny was on and I made a huge mistake in watching it on my own and scared myself shitless. I'm much more worried about the paranormal than about real men breaking in. But I read on here (so it must be true!) that ND people are more likely to imagine this stuff.

Oh I know the origins of zombies, but the reason I'm scared of them (though less so now) is because I watched Zombieland when I was 12. It's moreso the fact that I get scared over unlikely things or impossible things that bothers me

I don't believe in fictional creatures especially when there are so many evil people walking amongst us.

I watch far too much crime/ horror fiction and real life documentaries, it's probably not healthy for me to choose that as a hobby tbh.

My thing was nuclear war. It started at school, with the cold war still raging and information films we were shown about 'what would happen if...'

It carried on for years. If we'd had somewhere to put it, I'd have seriously thought about investing in a bunker. I used to panic about hearing the four minute warning and having nowhere to go.

Eventually it did subside,and I think yours will, too. I do understand mine was a little more rooted in an actual possibility, but there are similarities. It might help to think like this:

1). If it happens, what can I realistically do about it? In my case, if the four minute warning went off, since I had nowhere I could get to in four minutes, lying awake every night wouldn't change it. In your case, lying awake worrying isn't going to stop a Zombie attack, so you might as well get some sleep.

2. There is nothing wrong with keeping the light on. If it's your mental talisman against the night, it doesn't matter how old you are, it's not hurting anyone and it's helping you. Find other things that help as well. I found watching something pleasant, gentle and cheery on TV helped push the four minute warning further back in my mind.

3. Don't dwell on feeling foolish, that just adds another layer of misery. You have a fear that is real. It doesn't matter that it's a fear of something that isn't real. It's no different to people being afraid of insects that can't harm them, etc. So treat it as a real fear, and do some research on techniques to help overcome fears.

Millions of people have fears and phobias that can be crippling. I feel for you. I hope it helps in a small way to know you aren't alone.

I think you could do with some counselling or psychiatric treatment.

Thank you 😭 this comment has really helped to put it into perspective. When my fear of zombies was really bad, I always used to tell people that if an apocalypse were to happen, to immediately kill me because I would rather be dead than potentially have to live through a zombie apocalypse. I'm still not comfortable with the thought of an apocalypse happening, but I can watch films and TV shows or game play-throughs about zombies and generally not freak out.

I do watch ASMR or scam baiting videos to fall asleep which definitely helps

I'm in my 50s now, and hardly ever think about the FMW any more, even with what's going on in the world, and it sounds like you are moving in the right direction.

Half the battle is knowing that it is possible that this will fade, that you don't have to live with it forever.

I am glad to think my experience might have helped you and I wish you well.

Even if zombies existed, they would not last very long. Meat decays quickly once there is no blood pumping through it.