I recently realized that I might have achluophobia. I used to have it when I was a kid, but I outgrew it in my early teens. I am fine if I am relativity close to another person, but if I am alone it's hard for me to sleep. I started realizing it when earlier this year I went on a camping trip with a few friends, and after hiking for hours we made camp in a very secluded area near a famous spot called Slot's Canyon. The canyon is surrounded by jagged mountains with many types of rocks making it a geological haven. Anyway we set up camp, brewed some tea, and then we hit the tent. I got up around 4 am and it was very dark. I couldn't go back to sleep (and if anyone slept in a tent before you know how uncomfortable they are), so I decided to light a fire and make some tea. The guys were out cold. I got up, prayed my dawn prayer, and afterwards put on my boots and went looking for some tinder. It was extremely windy and I had to walk a distance from the camp to find some tinder (desert area, quite sparse). As the wind swept through the canyon, it started making terrible howling noises, and each step I took away from the safety of the camp filled me with increasing dread. I started being very paranoid and the slightest sound made me jump. I began to imagine terrible things coming out of the darkness, but I kept telling myself it's unrealistic and I shouldn't worry. The climax is pretty much anticlimactic. I made it back to camp, made a fire, brewed some tea, and enjoyed the warmth of both beverage and fire. A few weeks ago I slept outside on a friend's porch, and the same feeling of dread hit me. I was alone and it was dark. It took me hours to finally sleep. but it was fitful and I kept waking up alert at the slightest sound. I googled treatments for this particular phobia, and one of the recommendations was exposure. I've been doing that and it's been helping, but not by much. So, has anyone of you guys ever feared darkness? Is it still a phobia, or have you overcome it? How did you do it? I outgrew it in my early teens, but I don't know why I am having it again.
Dunno if it was a phobia, but I've always had issues with stairs in the dark. There was always a vampire or zombie or something shambling up after me. I got passed it with visualisation. I basically said bring it and I'll mawashi your freaking head off, then concentrated on doing exactly that. In my head, obviously. Applied that to anything I imagined coming after me, and felt better about it. Here's the fun bit though: It's your imagination, so you can do whatever you like. I gave myself a roundhouse kick that makes Chuck Norris look like Peter Griffin, because it's my head and I make the rules. 'ventually you start to enjoy it. At some point you may start to imagine not one zombie coming up the stairs, but a horde, and you don't just kick the head off, you go into full Seagal mode and take them apart (I had a dream where that happened once actually, it was awesome ) Mine is general anxiety rather than a phobia, but visualisation at high enough intensity and frequency can count as exposure to your brain (I can't cite them but I've read various studies where visualisation has affected sporst performance and even muscle growth.) Of course, you could just be sensing the ninja that's stalking you, in which case you're probably screwed
If it is a Ninja stalking him then the best advice I can give is to ask the Ninja how to punch then run while he tries to come up with an answer.
I don't think there's anyone here who could say if you have a phobia or not, you're probably best seeking professional help in that regard. However if it is causing you problems in your day to day life over an extended period then it needs to be addressed either way. Exposure may be good but it's probably best if it is done in a guided fashion so that you don't re-enforce the negative aspects of your problem.
It's not causing me serious problems really. It might be anxiety come to think of it. I like that Hatamoto. I'll try it out! Thanks guys.
I basically came to the point blank and honest of it: If it's a zombie, vampire, psycho killer or creepy wood monster, I'm basically done for (as the movies will plainly illustrate - first guy 99 times out of 100 gets killed) so why fret? If this ISNT the scene where I die then they're just stalking me to creep me out and I frankly dont have time for that. It worked for me. Haven't been afraid of the dark or being alone since. I call it the "if you're gonna kill me than quit tippy toein about and get to it" philosophy. Basically, fear or anxiety is an inability to reconcile current situations with ongoing desires. IE I might get attacked by a creepy wood monster vs I dont WANT to get attacked by a creepy wood monster. Understanding that, at that moment, the attack isn't really up to you, and if it's coming, IT'S COMING, brings an odd sense of peace. Like when you realize there's no way to talk yourself out of a fight, there's a sense of resolution that comes from that. Control what you can control, accept what you cant and in the meantime just keep doing whatever you're doing on the chance you're just bonkers and nothings going to happen at all. "I'll worry when I have something to worry about until that happens my frozen **** is getting this firewood back to camp so monster killer thingy, you're either going to have to catch me or pitch in cause I just can't be bothered right now." Trivialize the thing that makes you afraid and its awful hard to be afraid of it.
If you want exposure without being physically there, play Slender I hear it'll scare you till you're so sick of being scared you won't be ever again lol
Thanks Mikey! I have had those moments, and they do bring a strange kind of peace. I'll have to remember to think like that more often. It comes from the acceptance that death can take us at any moment, whether it's dark or not. Hehe, maybe the wood monster is just a sexy wood nymph? :love: Oh man I hate/love that game! I can only manage to get 2 manuscripts before I see him and mess up. It's pretty awesome though.
