21/Female. Terrified of the dark and can't sleep. Is this silly?

[starcrossed]

Im a female, 21 years old. I have always had a very overactive imagination growing up and had trouble with "spacing off" and paying attention. I have always had bad dreams, very vivid nightmares. very disturbing. I'll often imagine things (whether I like it or not) as I'm falling asleep that cause my heart to race and my chest to get all choked up and pounding... like zombies (always ghosts) in my closet or under my bed or waiting to appear at the foot of my bed (which is why I ALWAYS SLEEP WITH MY HEAD UNDER MY COVERS even now). It gets to the point where I am SO strung about it and am terrified of sleeping overnight in a place alone. My mind goes crazy with sounds, thoughts, etc. Open blinds are terrible... I will imagine faces of the dead up against the windows trying to spot me.

 

I am concerned with my health as it is interfering with my sleep and causes me a lot of abnormally high stresses at night.

 

I know, see a doctor. I will, but until then.. what?

 

Is this silly and abnormal?

[greywolf]

If you're from the States, yes it's a little weird. But there are some cultures where this is normal for someone your age.

[333]

i know i am afraid of the dark and often if i think about things too much as i'm trying to sleep, paranoia gets the best of me and my imagination runs wild. Though this only happens sometimes..

 

I think, though it may sound silly, that you should visit a doctor and talk about this, they have specialists who can study sleep habits and may be able to diagnose you and treat this so you can sleep soundly.

[dont_know_what_2_say]

ohh I used to get like that sometimes!

its like my mind starts thinking all these bad things that make me scared

and think of all the horror movies i've seen and the parts that scared me the most

and then i picture how the people from those movies might appear

no no no

and yeah its usually ghosts and demons

think "exorcist"

anyways it usually happens out of nowhere, and when i see the thoughts creeping in, i usually think of my family or something nice

like if i like a cute guy i would try to think of him and focus on that

(it usually worked)

if i didnt like anyone then i dont know, just think of my family like i said or my little brother or w/e.

you can also try singing a happy song in your head or counting numbers

or think of the things u have to do the next day, and try to push the thoughts away.

just like you my heart starts racing and i get all freaked out

if the thinking of other things doesn't work, i usually turn the lights on and watch some t.v. (look for something funny thats on) until I'm SOOO tired that i have no energy to think of anything.

its been a while since it's happened, and it usually does if i saw some kind of ghost story on t.v. and I'm reminded of it.

 

i recommend you don't watch any horror movies with ghosts or anything like that.

i haven't watched one in a LONG time, and I'm gonna remain that way, because no no no getting freaked out is not great..

[greywolf]

My sister used to have to sleep in my room after seeing a scary movie.

[dont_know_what_2_say]

yeah once.. im not proud of it ( i was 19, or something..) after i saw the exorcism of emily rose, OH MY GOODNESS!

i couldn't sleep thinking how it was based on a true story, and then when it got to 3am, i had to knock on my mom's door and sleep with her because I was freaked out!

for some reason i thought I was gonna get possessed or something who knows..

but yeah if you're weird, then I'm weird too ..

[MythicDusk]

This is quite abnormal, and it's quite obvious as it causes you such a burden.

 

You should see a doctor to help you better understand what is happening.

You do also need to tell yourself that it's just your imagination acting up and there aren't really zombie's under your bed.

 

My sister is turning 25 and is terrified of the dark and spiders. She has been all her life. She has a light or the tv on when she falls asleep and if someone mentions spiders she gets paranoid and will put towels under the door and such. She goes to extremes to protect herself too, but it doesn't happen as often, so it doesn't inconvenience her all that much day to day.

 

I wish you luck my friend.

Peace

[starcrossed]

Thanks all for the wonderful advice! I plan on seeing a doctor about it... I just work 50+ hours a week and get so distracted and so busy!

 

I too saw the Exorcism of Emily Rose movie... the funny thing is, I wake up at 3:00 am every morning now terrified (that time has significant meaning in the movie) and have to calm myself back down before I can get back to sleep.

 

I used to watch a LOT of scary movies when I was younger (12 yrs - 16 yrs)... a LOT of them. And even though I swore them off two years ago when my issues began... they have stayed in my mind... feeding my already overactive imagination. Oi.

 

=(

[dont_know_what_2_say]

i know i used to watch a lot of horror movies too, i guess thats the culprit!

i havent had that kind of 'freaking out" or whatever you might call it in a LONG time

like i said its been a while since i've watched these types of movies..

but yeah what worked for me is to concentrate on other things

if you work 50+ hours a week I'm sure you can start thinking of all the things you have to do the next day (when those thoughts start coming out) and concentrate on that...

[greywolf]

Thanks all for the wonderful advice! I plan on seeing a doctor about it... I just work 50+ hours a week and get so distracted and so busy!

 

I too saw the Exorcism of Emily Rose movie... the funny thing is, I wake up at 3:00 am every morning now terrified (that time has significant meaning in the movie) and have to calm myself back down before I can get back to sleep.

 

I used to watch a LOT of scary movies when I was younger (12 yrs - 16 yrs)... a LOT of them. And even though I swore them off two years ago when my issues began... they have stayed in my mind... feeding my already overactive imagination. Oi.

 

=(

 

Unfortunately, I think watching many scary movies has a lot to do with how you perceive your world. I don't like watching scary movies. Many people like commenting on that and think I'm a big chicken for not liking them. Maybe so, but I've seen these people afraid to be left out at night when it's pitch black.

[Vonnegut42]

Hey Starcrossed,

 

Maybe it's a bit late for my two cents, but meh ... I went through a period where I was terrified to go to sleep. It wasn't that I was afraid of the dark, it was that I knew what I was waiting for me in my dreams. After about five months of the same series of nightmares I was doing a pretty good impression of an insomniac. Anyway, as for my advice, while yes, seeing a doctor is your best option (not one that I myself chose, as I really hate doctors ...), what eventually worked for me was to find music that really calms you - something that really makes you feel at peace. Listen to it during the day, I mean really just sit there and listen to it - meditate on it, if you will, and just let yourself associate the music with all of the calmness, all of the thoughts of peace ... all those things completely detached from your night-time world. Start it playing in the evening before you get ready for bed, keep in on repeat, and just listen to it.

 

Now, I'm not advocating drinking to solve a problem here, but for the first few nights it helps if you have a little to drink (a nice stiff scotch does wonders ... just enough so that your body relaxes and that your mind is more prone to wander and really attach itself to the music, and not to your typical thoughts. Obviously, you shouldn't make a habit of this part.

 

Anyway, that's my bit. Hope it helps! As for music, two things I'd recommend would be The Lover and the Beloved by Donna de Lory, and Two Years in April by Tamas Wells. It's all up to what you feel comfortable with though, so experiment.

 

A night-light might work also work ... I dunno, I don't think anyone suggested that yet. That solution is just far too boring though.

 

Peace.

[Roasted Carrots]

Again, may be a little too late to chime in, but....

 

I also have an overactive immagination and am scared of the dark (I am 19). The BEST thing that I ever did was get a dog and let her sleep in my room. It's no secret that animals have that "extra sense", so I figure that my dog will let me know if that shadow is just a shadow or something more. So far she has never let me down and when I'm scared I can just reach down and pet her or hug her. This has helped more than anything.

[Amateur]

i am EXACTLY THE SAME AS U! and thats why im here writing this in the middle of the night! cuz i jus scared the crap out of myself with my overactive imagination and cant sleep now! anyhow! ive gone to the doctor and all... and ive tried sleeping pills and relaxation pills and ive tried lots of things! BUT IT JUS DOESNT WORK! so if uve found any please share cuz im dying every nite of an over active imagination!

[drewciouS281]

Your not weird at all! I too have had the same experiances growing up till now that im 27. Theres more of an explanation than you know. Took me years to finally figure it out. If your interested shoot me a message because im not about to share it with the world. Its only for a select few. Your just opening your mind more to what everyone else does not notice. Its scary but once you figure it out it becomes interesting and intrigueing.

[chasey]

the exorcism of emily rose

 

I didn't even make it through that whole movie

[chasey]

I've always had a HUGE problem with the dark too and to this day cannot sleep alone in the dark - I always have to have a light on. It is weird cuz if I'm not alone (my SO is home) the lights can be out but if I get up in the middle of the night sometimes still get a major panicky can't breathe run back to bed feeling.

 

If I'm having trouble falling asleep is usually read until I basically fall asleep with the book open.