Fear of the unknown is probably the only phobia that affects every single person on the planet. There are many irrational fears peppered through the psyche of the everyday man (or woman) on the street but most are borne of unpleasant past experiences. What has enabled human beings to rise to an unsurpassed intellectual plane is the capacity of the brain. The gift of imagination has granted us the ability to invent ground breaking technology and to surpass nearly every hurdle that mankind has faced. However, this talent has a flipside. The power of imagination is so potent that it is capable of destroying lives and reducing the strongest of men to gibbering wrecks. These terrifying thoughts generally need a catalyst, and the most commonly responsible is the dark.
From an early age, fear of the dark has plagued young children. Sleepless nights wondering what monsters await under the bed or what manner of aberrations reside inside the closet are common place. As a youngster, I myself refused to sleep with a limb hanging off the bed due to an irrational fear of having it bitten off by a fanged menace loitering in the shadows under my mattress. Even noises that are heard during the daylight hours and ignored are transformed by darkness into the ominous footsteps of objects of our own fear. The human world is so dictated by its ability to see and analyze what is seen, that when that sense is removed, the true power of the brain is unleashed. And such monumental creative power is hard to control. Let’s not forget that fear of the dark has its roots from early man when we were perceived as prey by all manner of fearsome beasts that roamed through the shadows of night. The discovery of fire was hugely influential in primitive engineering circles but perhaps more than anything, it gifted man the ability to overcome darkness and keep perceived and very real dangers at bay.
The bush is home to some of the most feared land predators in the world today. The power and reputation of the lion, the speed and guile of the leopard and the sinister hyena all ply their trade under the cloak of darkness. Viewed during the day, the cats especially are often construed as large kittens and many a guest has wanted to rub the belly of a sleeping lion as it dozes through the daylight hours. However, once darkness begins to envelop the land, these nocturnal nemeses come to life and undergo a transformation as extreme as that of a caterpillar to a butterfly, perceptually at least. The inky shroud that drapes itself across the landscape transforms these slumbering felines into efficient killing machines. Blackness is their ally. Their behaviour changes, their demeanor changes, our perception of them changes.
When we view cats at night, that primal fear is once again resurrected by the Cimmerian shade overwhelming us and these magnificent creatures come into their own. The comfort and warmth offered by the Sun has deserted us and instead, the brain starts to recall all the horror movies it has witnessed, adrenaline levels rise and the infinite power of their imagination is released. The darkness seems to invade every pore in our skin and systematically undo all our common sense and principles. It is the feeling of hopelessness and helplessness that the absence of light brings. The knowledge that their eyes are able to penetrate the gloom with consummate ease; that these predators must kill to survive and that we ourselves could become prey lend itself to a very different experience.
At Sabi Sabi we are blessed with wonderful levels of habituation and when a 200kg male lion stalks past the open Land Rover only a few metres away, the inhabitants hold their breath as one. Men, women and children alike shift slightly in their seats to put distance between themselves and the superior specimen. When it makes eye contact with you, even though the spotlight is illuminating its visage, the feeling of insignificance is hard to shake. The uncomfortable knowledge that you are being evaluated by a killing machine whose eyes seem to look right through your skin and into your very soul is a profound experience. Your conscience struggles to balance the feelings of wonder and respect with that of ancient fear and the primordial instinct to survive.
The ability to slink through the shadows without a sound, yet seeing everything, has enabled these great predators to thrive. The psychological advantage that they possess over their quarry is as old as life itself. Darkness always has and always will carry with it the stigma of danger. Throughout history and every religion in the world, darkness is seen as a bad omen. The lack of depth perception, the inability to evaluate a situation in relation to its surroundings and the feeling of cold isolation, all play a part in amplifying the power of darkness. Surviving a day in the bush is a far different prospect to that of surviving the night. The playing field flips and all of the senses and skills that enable us to flourish under the comforting companionship of the sun are removed and those that relish the darkness come to the fore.
Just because the majority of organisms on Earth need the sun to prosper, it does not mean that those who crave the sanctuary of darkness should be seen as evil. Everything in nature has its balance. Without some species being able to flourish in darkness, a perfectly good ecological niche would be wasted and the balance would be upset. One cannot exist without the other. To paraphrase the great Chinese philosopher Laozi, nothing exists in isolation. For life to exist there must be balance. This implies the harmonic existence of two things or what philosophers call ‘duality’. Man has woman, heat has cold, good has bad and light has darkness.
by: Ben Coley (Bush Lodge Ranger)
While being afraid of the dark may be a part of normal development in young children, that is not the case for older children and adults. Nyctophobia is an age-inappropriate fear of darkness that can prompt someone to limit their activities, avoid certain circumstances, and experience anxiety in anticipation of there being no light. It is when the concern crosses over from being an inborn protective mechanism to being a clinical issue that it is designated a phobia.
Causes
Nyctophobia, also referred to as scotophobia, achluophobia, and lygophobia, may be evolutionary in nature as many predators hunt at night. The fear may not be related to darkness itself but unknown dangers hidden in the darkness (which is why horror and suspense movies often use darkness as a way to scare viewers). Lack of security and confidence can play into this as well, especially if you tend to be afraid of the dark more often while alone.
Some psychoanalytic writers believe that fear of the dark may be related to separation anxiety from a primary attachment figure, a phenomenon that is detailed further in a 2014 analysis on attachment and fear arousal published in the journal Psychoanalytic Dialogues.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of nyctophobia vary from person to person and according to the severity of a particular case. In general, symptoms of nyctophobia include:
- Becoming nervous in any darkened environment
- Need to sleep with a night light
- Being reluctant to go out at night
- Experiencing physiological symptoms including an increased heart rate, sweating, visible shaking, and even feeling ill (nausea, headaches, and diarrhea are common) when forced to spend time in the dark
Symptoms of more severe cases of nyctophobia include:
- Attempting to run away from dark rooms
- Compulsively staying indoors at night
- Becoming angry or defensive if anyone tries to encourage you to spend time in the dark
Nyctophobia has some diagnostic criteria that are common to all phobias, which distinguishes them from simple fears.
Treatment for Nyctophobia
The goal of therapy is to challenge fearful beliefs about the dark by replacing negative self-talk with more positive messages.
The rate of successful treatment for specific phobias like nyctophobia is about 90 percent and often accomplished through techniques drawn from the cognitive-behavioral school of therapy.
The treatment plan your therapist suggests for you or your child may include:
- Exposure to the dark in small, incremental, non-threatening doses in a process called desensitization
- One-on-one talk therapy, family therapy, or group therapy
- Learning relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing
- Anti-anxiety and antidepressant medication
- Davis TE, Ollendick TH, Öst L-G. Intensive Treatment of Specific Phobias in Children and Adolescents. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. 2009;16(3):294-303. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2008.12.008.
- Slade, A. Imagining Fear: Attachment, Threat, and Psychic Experience. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 2014, 24(3), 253–266. doi:10.1080/10481885.2014.911608
- American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed). Washington DC: Author; 2013.
Popular Right Now
Fear Of The Dark By Trevor Baxendale
Writers & Publishers
from the album Best Of The Beast 路Copyright: Writer(s): Stephen Percy Harris Lyrics Terms of Use
Tour Stop: Kacey Musgraves, The Magpie Salute, Thursday
highlight lyrics to add meaning..I am a man who walks alone
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark
And when I'm walking a dark road
At night or strolling through the park
When the light begins to change
I sometimes feel a little strange
A little anxious when it's dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Have you run your fingers down the wall
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you're searching for the light?
Sometimes when you're scared to take a look
At the corner of the room
You've sensed that somethings watching you
And have you felt your neck skin crawl
When you're searching for the light?
Sometimes when you're scared to take a look
At the corner of the room
You've sensed that somethings watching you
Related
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there Ssl certificate for subdomain.
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there Ssl certificate for subdomain.
Have you ever been alone at night
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no one's there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's someone there
Thought you heard footsteps behind
And turned around and no one's there?
And as you quicken up your pace
You find it hard to look again
Because you're sure there's someone there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
Photos
Watching horror films the night before
Debating witches and folklores
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense, and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind
Debating witches and folklores
The unknown troubles on your mind
Maybe your mind is playing tricks
You sense, and suddenly eyes fix
On dancing shadows from behind
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
When I'm walking a dark road
I am a man who walks alone
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a constant fear that somethings always near
Fear of the dark, fear of the dark
I have a phobia that someone's always there
When I'm walking a dark road
I am a man who walks alone
Quickbooks point of sale desktop 12.0 license key. .50% off the list price of QuickBooks Desktop Point of Sale 18.0 and free EMV Ingenico iPP350 PIN Pad (value $350): Offer is valid for customers who sign up and are approved for a new QuickBooks Payments account by calling Intuit at 877 282-0782.
Nyctophobia Board Game
Song Discussions is protected by U.S. Patent 9401941. Other patents pending.
Nightlights such as this one may be used to counteract fear of the dark.
Fear of the dark is a common fear or phobia among children and, to a varying degree, adults. A fear of the dark does not always concern darkness itself; it can also be a fear of possible or imagined dangers concealed by darkness.[1] Some degree of fear of the dark is natural, especially as a phase of child development.[2] Most observers report that fear of the dark seldom appears before the age of 2 years.[3] When fear of the dark reaches a degree that is severe enough to be considered pathological, it is sometimes called scotophobia (from σκότος – 'darkness'), or lygophobia (from λυγή – 'twilight').
Some researchers, beginning with Sigmund Freud, consider the fear of the dark to be a manifestation of separation anxiety disorder.[4]
An alternate theory was posited in the 1960s, when scientists conducted experiments in a search for molecules responsible for memory. In one experiment, rats, normally nocturnal animals, were conditioned to fear the dark and a substance called 'scotophobin' was supposedly extracted from the rats' brains; this substance was claimed to be responsible for remembering this fear. These findings were subsequently debunked.[5]
Nyctophobia[edit]
Nyctophobia is a phobia characterized by a severe fear of the dark. It is triggered by the brain's disfigured perception of what would, or could happen when in a dark environment. It can also be temporarily triggered if the mind is unsteady or scared about recent events or ideas, or a partaking in content the brain considers a threat (examples could include indulging in horror content, witnessing vulgar actions, or having linked dark environments to prior events or ideas that disturb the mind). Normally, since humans are not nocturnal by nature, humans are usually a bit more cautious or alert at night than in the day, since the dark is a vastly different environment. Nyctophobia produces symptoms beyond the normal instinctive parameters, such as breathlessness, excessive sweating, nausea, dry mouth, feeling sick, shaking, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly or sensation of detachment from reality and death. Nyctophobia can be severely detrimental physically and mentally if these symptoms are not resolved. There are many types of therapies to help manage Nyctophobia. Exposure therapy can be very effective when exposing the person to darkness. With this method a therapist can help with relaxation strategies such as meditation. Another form of therapy is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Therapists can help guide patients with behavior routines that are performed daily and nightly to reduce the symptoms associated with Nyctophobia. In severe cases anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication drugs can be effective to those dealing with symptoms that may not be manageable if therapy could not reduce the symptoms of Nyctophobia.
Despite its pervasive nature, there has been a lack of etiological research on the subject. Nyctophobia is generally observed in children but, according to J. Adrian Williams' article 'Indirect Hypnotic Therapy of Nyctophobia: A Case Report', many clinics with pediatric patients have a great chance of having adults who have nyctophobia. The same article states that 'the phobia has been known to be extremely disruptive to adult patients and… incapacitating'.[6]
The word nyctophobia comes from the Greek νυκτός, nyktos, genitive of νύξ, nyx, 'night'[7] and φόβος, phobos, 'fear'.[8] The fear of darkness or night has several non-clinical terminologies--lygophobia, scotophobia and achluophobia.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^William Lyons (1985). Emotion. p. 75. ISBN0521316391.
- ^Adele Pillitteri (1995). Maternal and Child Health Nursing. ISBN0397551134.
- ^Jersild, Arthur T. (2007). Children's Fears. Read Books. p. 173. ISBN1406758272. Retrieved 5 July 2017.]
- ^Sigmund Freud (1916). Vorlesungen zur Einführung in die Psychoanalyse [Introduction to Psychoanalysis].
I once heard a child who was afraid of the darkness call out: 'Auntie, talk to me, I'm frightened.' 'But what good will that do? You can't see me?' To which the child replied: 'If someone talks, it gets lighter.'
- ^Irwin, Louis Neal (October 2006). Scotophobin: Darkness at the Dawn of the Search for Memory Molecules(paperback). Hamilton Books. ISBN0761835806. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^Mikulas, William L. 'Behavioral Bibliotherapy and Games for Treating Fear of the Dark.' Child & Family Behavior Therapy 7.3 (1985): 1-7.
- ^νύξ, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
- ^φόβος, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fear_of_the_dark&oldid=898706218'