Fear of the Dark

July 8, 2010 in Phobia by Noel

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Fear of the dark is technically termed ‘nyctophobia’ Nyctophobia creates an irrational fear of the dark in otherwise normal persons. Phobias can take many different forms and are extremely common. A phobia is always an irrational fear. A phobia can start out as a rational response to a scary event. Over time the fear becomes more irrational and generalized.

A phobia can stay focused on a single trigger like fear of the dark, fear of spiders, fear of driving, etc, or it will develop into a deeper problem. Phobias will easily develop into panic disorders without treatment. Panic can be triggered by very subtle stimuli. Symptoms of panic attack include:

• Extreme fear.
• Fear of losing sanity.
• Anxiety about being trapped.
• Racing heartbeat.
• Trouble catching breath.
• Tightness and pain within the chest.
• Indigestion, nausea.
• Feeling confused or dizzy.
• Feeling disconnected.
• Numbness and tingling.
• Blushing.

People dealing with panic attacks usually end up in emergency rooms. Panic attacks look so much like heart attacks they’ll even fool doctors. Being tested again and again for heart disease can get expensive. Accurate diagnosis of panic disorder can take a very long time.

Fear of the dark that progresses to regular panic attacks has grown into a panic disorder. Panic disorder can worsen if treatment is not sought. Fear of the next attack becomes as crippling as the attacks themselves. Regular activities might be avoided out of fear of triggering new attacks.

Fear of the dark can be effectively managed and cured. Full recovery is normal. Recovery progresses quickly when treatment is started early on in the phobia. Results are good even when fear of the dark has been a problem for several years.

Treatment begins with teaching the phobic person new ways of perceiving the world that lessen fear. One popular short-term treatment that works this way is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. CBT is results-oriented and cost-effective.

Phobias and panic disorder also respond well to self-help programs. Self-help methods usually start out by teaching folks how not to be afraid of the future attacks. Worry of the next attack actually brings it on by increasing anxiety levels.

Self-help is a good choice when CBT or medication is not affordable. Privacy and convenience are also big advantages of self-help programs. Hypnosis, self-hypnosis, and antidepressant drugs or anti-anxiety medications are all popular choices which will also be quite effective.

This article was originally published on www.HypnotherapyClinic.info by Consultant Clinical Hypnotherapist & Pyschotherapist Noel Bradford –

As a professional therapist Noel help people with everything that you would expect including giving up smoking, controlling their weight, dealing with fears and phobias. However his services go far beyond this and encompass things that affect everyone at some time in their life, such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, stress, and low self esteem.