Being afraid of the dark is a common childhood condition. As early as two years old children can develop a fear of being in the darkness that can seemingly surface out of the blue. Experts tell us that this is because somewhere between the ages of two and six a child’s imagination grows in leaps and bounds. While this is on the whole a good thing, it can also mean that once the lights go out a child can fill the void with all number of creations, which makes them anxious. Being afraid of the dark is more closely associated with children, however, fear of darkness or nyctophobiam is actually quite common in adults too.
Time to grow up
A survey by Go Glow found that 40% of adults admitted to being anxious in the dark and a further one in 10 owned up to being too afraid to go to the toilet at night because of the darkness. The reality is that the dark on its own is completely harmless, after all darkness is just the absence of light. However, being unable to see, and feeling vulnerable as a consequence, is a very valid and real cause for anxiety.
Things that go bump in the night
While this fear may seem irrational and be frustrating on some levels it isn’t completely surprising. We are wired to fear things that can cause us harm as a method of self-preservation. If something can hurt us, we are afraid of it so that we avoid whatever it is, rather than risking the danger. While the dark itself can’t hurt or damage us, it can conceal things that would be a threat or pose a risk.
Let there be light
Light a candle instead of cursing the darkness. – Eleanor Roosevelt
It’s true that fear plays a part in warning us of danger and keeping us alive, but living is a state of fear is never a good thing. The bible says that God, our Creator, didn’t intend for us to leave in fear but to know love, boldness and to have a sound of mind. We may be fearful of the unknown that is veiled in the darkness but Jesus said that He is light and came to dispel the dark.
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