Fears and concerns - are emotions that are born in our subconscious. Fears are needed to protect us from possible dangers they once were "designed" by nature as the main priority for survival. Therefore, we can say that the feeling is given to us for our own good. The problem arises when fear becomes irrational, and the person begins to fear, even where it is not necessary at all.
Fear of the dark - it is called ahluofobiya - is one of those irrational fears. A person suffering from ahluofobii believes that some unknown evil can harm him as soon as he left in a dark place. This fear can influence him to such an extent that he not only would not be able to go into a dark room, but will not be able to sleep, even if the light is turned off in the bedroom. How to stop being afraid of the dark so people and whether it is possible to overcome ahluofobiyu?
How is fear of the dark
As we have said, it is an irrational fear ahluofobiya. Everyone ever so afraid to be in the dark. But usually it is caused by a specific cause, and after eliminating the fear of being in the dark passes. When fear always comes back again and again for no apparent reason, it is possible to talk about his irrationality. A person suffering from ahluofobii just running away from their fears, and that is why they remain and continue to pursue it. Agree - if you're afraid, but do not even try to change something in this situation and just start to avoid what causes emotional stress, the fear will never pass.
There are various methods of treatment of the most severe forms of sustainable and this phobia. One of them - exposure therapy, where the patient is under the supervision of experts again and again immersed in a situation that makes him fear, until you are sure that nothing threatens his life in it. If the patient is too scared to get in direct contact with his frightening situation, it can be used systematic desensitization - a method of treatment, which can help in the treatment of anxiety and phobias without involving direct exposure to the source of fear.
With systematic desensitization of the situation that you're afraid to be translated into several different level. For example, if the patient is afraid to stay in a dark room, he offered to stay in the dark, alone, and with someone. Then it remains in the same room alone, and the other person is in the next room, with the door left open. Then the patient is completely alone in a dark room with the door open, and then - at the closed and so on.
Once you share your fears on several levels, you should try to experience each of them, controlling their emotions. If you managed to pass a certain level, feeling relaxed, you have to go to the next; and so long as they will not be able to pass all.
Finally, to help you conquer your fear of the dark may be cognitive-behavioral therapy. Agree, every fear anticipates the thought "I am afraid! "And because our thoughts and emotions cause is in some sense our beliefs, it is a change of certain beliefs can prevent unwanted emotions that they evoke. This applies also to the fear of the dark. After you change your ideas about the dark you will not be afraid to stay in dark places.
How to cope with the fear of the dark
Darkness, resulting in the horror of many small children, no less horror and leads to some adults. While children usually outgrow their fears, about twenty-eight per cent of the adult population still has one or another anxiety disorder, including fear of darkness. To get rid of this fear, you can take simple measures. After reading these tips, you will know what to do to calm itself or to help relieve the suffering of a loved one who is afraid to be in the dark. Work on your mind should be carried out slowly and systematically, and then you will be able to cope with this irrational fear. Go to your goal step by step:
Determine the cause of your fear, and continue to try to avoid what was later able to cause you such a reaction. If, for example, anxiety exacerbated after watching scary movies, stop watching such films at all, so that your subconscious mind is not rooted images, provoking fantasy game, and then bouts of fear in the dark.
If you are afraid to go to sleep before going to sleep through pictures, which depicted some happy moments of your life - for example, a birthday celebration or a fun evening with friends. It pushed out of your head unpleasant thoughts.
Lying in bed, take a few large pillows and put them around him. You will have a feeling that next to you is someone big, soft and warm, and who want to hug, and you will not feel all alone in bed. On the contrary, you will have a sense of security.
Use the time when you're lying in bed but not yet asleep, for the exercise of your imagination. Think of some interesting scene from a book or a movie (but not scary!) And roll it in mind while making himself the protagonist. Imagine in great detail how you're dressed, combed and dyed like, what you say, how to move, how your presence affects the course of events. If you can not think of anything interesting, just to dream of something pleasant.
Do not go to bed with a head full of worries. You really can not go to sleep because you are afraid of monsters under his bed, and yet you can not sleep on what you think about the problems that you will have to decide tomorrow? If the cause of your anxiety has become yet another reason then proceed as follows: In the evening, make a list of tasks that need to be addressed in the next day, and then set it aside for the evening and forget about tomorrow's affairs. The fact that you made a plan of action for the coming day, calm you, because the range of problems ceases to be blurry and uncertain and it becomes clear how to solve them.
Listen to your favorite music before going to sleep, which would help you to calm down and relax. Very good sleep under the special music for relaxation, or the sounds of nature.
Include a night light with a subdued light, if you still can not relax in complete darkness. Better if it will be a special night light. Bright light will not give you the possibility to completely relax during sleep.
If you have a pet, then the fact of his presence will reassure you perfectly. It does not matter who it is - a cat that can sleep in the bed, clinging to your legs or warming your side, or a dog that every moment is ready to defend his beloved mistress; even the monotonous sound of the aquarium filter or the rustle of the spinning wheel in the house Hamster will relax and soothe you.
It would be better if you will close the door at night in her bedroom. If you like, so that it still remained open, then move the bed so that you could not see the dark corridor when you are lying in bed. You can even ignore this respect, but darkening for the door open a corridor may encourage your subconscious to send the body a signal: "Fear the dark space, there may lurk and attack the enemy! "- This is a very ancient subconscious reflex. Therefore it is better not to provoke your imagination and close the door. In an extreme case, you can install a second, and a nightlight in the hallway.
Try to talk with you when you begin to overcome fear. Convince yourself this eerie rustling - only the rustle of the leaves, which are moving under the blows warm breeze; all living beings are now asleep, comfortably ensconced in the soft beds or in warm burrows. When you are afraid of vague shadows, include logic and try to identify them and not imagine that it silhouettes of monsters or ghosts. If you still can not calm down, you put beside him a few books, or any other heavy objects. Convince yourself that in case of an attack on you, you can use these items for self-defense.
If you hear noise under obscure their windows, then, instead of thinking about the intruders, even then let free rein to their imagination, just think about something good! Imagine that this magical gnomes move on tiptoe around your house, trying to make you a surprise and decorate the walls with flowers and ribbons, or elves fly under the windows, protecting you and protecting your peace. They will never hurt you! And remember that any sound inside the house - such as creaking floorboards or cupboard doors opening on their own - it's just a result of expansion or contraction of wood due to changing temperature and humidity of the room.
Close your eyes when lying in bed. Most often it is the best way to prevent yourself to focus on the strange shadows falling on the wall of windows or objects, lighted nightlight. And if you interfere with the sounds of relax, you will be able to help you ear plugs that block the great external influences on hearing.
If you do not live in his house, and in the apartment, then worry about any sound and did not: they can come from other people who are also in this building. The creaking floorboards, muffled knock, and the like can be heard at night simply because someone from the neighbors can not sleep and they probably go around the room and do something. You can remind yourself when you suddenly become scared around you that a lot of people, and if something happens, they will hear and come to the rescue. Especially if you have a good relationship with the neighbors. In this case you can even negotiate with them conditional signal that they file a case in danger, so they can help you.
Sometimes she does not interfere with sleep darkness and sense of isolation at night. That's why some people sleep under the TV or radio is included, thereby creating the illusion of being around other people. But the dream can not be full and giving the brain needed rest. Try to put within the reach of your mobile phone - just for our conscience, so "just in case." It is possible to negotiate with someone from the family that you can call if you do not manage to fall asleep or wake up with fear, and that person will talk with you, so that you have calmed down. Only, of course, do not abuse other people's patience. Although it is unlikely you will need these night calls - often the very idea that you can make the call itself has a calming effect.
If you have particular difficulties in falling asleep, create for themselves a special ritual that you perform in the evening. It would be very nice if you include this ritual meditation, yoga, or special exercises that prepare you for a restful sleep. Even something as simple as a smooth and deep breathing while listening to relaxing music can help free your mind of all worry and anxiety. You must understand that the stress that accumulates during our daily activities can only increase problems with your imagination, so you must get rid of it through these relaxation techniques.
Use common sense. Remember, monsters, ghosts and demons - it's unreal! Do you know many reliable when it has been proven that people are faced with similar? If such stories and float, all of them are based only on assumptions and not on concrete facts. Most of these messages appear with only one purpose - to cause general interest and to receive from it any benefit. So why do you it could not happen in the imagination, but really ?! And yet - if you do not happen invasion of monsters or ghosts in all the previous night, when you were just scared, why would it have to happen today?
Talk about your fears with someone, who do you trust. Often the loved one who sincerely wants to help find a solution to the problem that you do not even occurred to me. Yes, and you will feel better by the fact that you have voiced their concerns. You will inevitably disappear sense of isolation that occurs when you have to hide from all his wealth and experience it alone.
If you frightening thoughts appear and are repeated constantly, the most sensible of you will consult a specialist. Doctor relevant specialty or psychologist will be able to correctly diagnose your condition, determine its severity and will provide you with an effective strategy that will help you get rid of the festering fear quickly and permanently.
One last tip. Keep a journal in which you could describe all the stages of its struggle with the fear of the dark. Write in your diary all observing their condition, what made you a new wave of panic, and that, on the contrary, cheer up and forced to escape from unpleasant and frightening thoughts. Systematizing these observations, you will be able to understand how to stop being afraid of the dark and tune in a more optimistic mood. To be able to quickly raise your mood, assemble Blog pictures, stories and quotes that once were able to cheer you, and watch them when you vzgrustnetsya.
The main thing that you need to remove from your life depressing phobia - is to begin a systematic struggle with it. Do not wait until the fear go away by itself, proceed against him focused. Believe in yourself, in your own strength, and this belief will help you cope with any fears!
We recommend that read: Persecution: treatment, symptoms
