Darkness

Having a fear of the dark for as long as I remember, I'd like to talk about the one thing that really freaks me out to death.

At night, if there's some light, you can vaguely make out objects, right? Vaguely is the key word. If I look into the dark, I start to see shapes forming (all black of course). I see things like tentacles whipping around, objects becoming large, etc.. What REALLY freaks me out is that it doesn't happen in one motion, it seems to happen in half second intervals. So I would see two "tentacles" coming out, half a second later they're closer and there's more, and so on. Also, the longer I look the more the light disappears. Blinking doesn't help...

Does anyone know if there's a specific word to describe this, or am I alone?

A holy cross for demons and zombies, garlic for vampires, silver for werewolves.

Just fill your room with those


I used to make sure no light at all entered my room at night, but when there's no shadows to make out weird shapes, there's always still some weird sounds you don't quite trust....

It's perfectly normal to see things in the dark. I do it every night.

I live next to a busy street and my room's windows face the street, so the cars' headlights always make all sorts of shadows into my room. It's fun.

But more back to topic, I've seen things in the dark before, and when I was younger I used to be much more scared of it. This one time I saw this silhouette of what appeared to be a gargoyle, shaped like a vicious demon sitting atop this tall desk. I slowly walked over to the light switch to see what it was, never taking my eyes off this figure.

It was just a stack of old books.

I have terrible vision in the dark, so I get extra paranoid when I'm trying to wander around a dark room at night.
It also doesn't help that there's common speculation that the building I live in (built in 1927) is haunted. The slightest movement or sound and my heart is racing.

I used to have a big fear of the dark, but it eventually vanished. Now I don't feel anything while in the dark. I wonder if that's a healthy thing - the lack of a reaction to the dark.

I like the dark. I can't sleep unless it's dark. Even if my door is closed, if the light in the hall is on, it will bother me. I lost my fear of the dark a long time ago.

I like the dark in some cases (like when there's some light) and am afraid of it in others (when there's virtually no light).

Fortunately, I have excellent nighttime vision.

the dark doesn't bother me. though i'm cautious outside in the dark as i'm more likely to be mugged

I used to be soooo deeply AFRAID of the dark back when I was like...10 or so. Nowadays, darkness is not that big of a deal anymore. Since I can barely see a thing without my glasses on, I tend to see a lot of things in the dark as I'm lying in bed. It's actually...kinda interesting, but I think nothing of it since I know it's just my bad vision.

Yeah, I used to see stuff in the dark all the time.

Then I turned twelve.

That age was the turn for me too In my early years I was always really afraid. Then I turned twelwe. And later I started to read horror, and sometimes I fear again XD So I soon stopped reading such things
I think fear of the dark alwasy will exist. Maybe it's instinctive, we can't see well, and our natural enemies attacked us in the dark, so we need precaution. Oh, evolution is such az amazing thing ^^
But I can't sleep unless it's dark, like zeldask8r =)

I never understood the fear of darkness. It just doesn't make any sense.

I used to make sure no light at all entered my room at night, but when there's no shadows to make out weird shapes, there's always still some weird sounds you don't quite trust....

I still do this, luckily, my room is usually quiet, or any strange sounds are blocked out by the sound of my ceiling fan.

If i had no glasses i would be legally blind so not being able to see is something im very very accustomed to...i can make my way around most places i know in the pitch dark with no problem...i dont have an issue with the dark..actually i usually have low light in my room(s) anyway

Originally Posted by sea

Yeah, I used to see stuff in the dark all the time.

Then I turned twelve.

^^^ This.

I still have a phobia of the dark. Even at the age of 18, I still see monsterous shapes that freak me out, even though I know they are not real.

Bah.

I'm always scared a zombie will jump out. ;__; Damn watching someone play L4D that one time. Before that I thought all zombies were slow as snails.

i embrace the darkness within my own soul, so i do not fear the darkness of the night.

The other day the power went out. It was kind of scary. I don't really care. I mean, I much rather prefer it being lit up. But I've sat in a darkened room and its not so bad. I sleep in one too.

Originally Posted by Pani

..Before that I thought all zombies were slow as snails.

Wait. You mean, they're not? They're faster. D:

--

Well, when I look into the dark, it's normally my eyes adjusting or whatever, and then I can see silhouettes of things, or whatever. It's all good. No biggy.

Although being in big spaces when its pitch black scares me. Also, pitch black silences scare me. Unless I'm with someone. But I'm just alone in the dark, and there's no sound.. I get a little freaked out.

I could be that you're merely afraid of the unknown rather than darkness itself -- which is perfectly normally.