Nicophobia is the most common phobia among humans. Phobias, especially specific phobias, are a type of anxiety disorder. It is a persistent fear of a particular situation, object or activity and is usually uncontrollable and irrational. These phobias can often overwhelm the person experiencing them and cause the person to go to extremes to avoid these irrational fears. When confronted with these fears, panic attacks can occur. These attacks are sudden and intense fears that can last for several minutes. Left untreated, panic attacks and phobias can affect quality of life.
The fear of being in the dark (nyctophobia) is sometimes called scotophobia or ligophobia. Nyctophobia itself derives from the Greek word for night. As the name suggests, people with nictophobia are afraid of the dark. It is a common phobia, especially in children. Up to 45% of children experience phobias and nictophobia is one of the most common, especially in children between the ages of 6 and 12. Many children outgrow nyctophobia, but some do not.
Nyctophobia is more than just a fear of the dark. Nyctophobia can be exacerbated by sounds that can be heard in the dark without a visual cause. Nyctophobia can vary in severity. Some children are so afraid of the dark that they do not want to sleep in the dark or ask their parents to stay with them. Some children may be afraid of things that hide in the dark.
What are the Symptoms of Nichtophobia?
Phobias can occur in childhood and adulthood, but are most common between the ages of 15 and 20. Many phobias are known. According to research, about 19 million people worldwide suffer from one or more phobias, ranging from mild to severe. Phobias can range from fear of bacteria to fear of people, animals, heights, flying, cars and more. A common phobia among people is nictophobia.
A person with noctophobia may experience extreme anxiety when entering dark places, lying down, the sun going down, thinking about the dark, or watching a TV show or movie with night scenes. A person may also experience excessive sweating, fear, panic attacks, intense emotions, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, non-cardiac chest pain or heart palpitations. Other symptoms of Nyctophobia include
- Difficulty swallowing
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
What Causes Nichtophobia?
Phobia of the dark can affect people of all ages, but is most common in children. People who have had traumatic experiences in the dark are more prone to developing nictophobia. For example, if another person physically harmed someone in the dark, they may associate the darkness with that memory.
When nichtophobia is the result of a traumatic experience, it is often associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Another common cause of nicophobia is after watching a horror movie or hearing a sad story.
People with certain conditions may be at increased risk of developing nichtophobia, including
- Depression
- Substance abuse disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Mental health problems
- Panic disorders or attacks
- Family history of phobias
Nichtophobia Treatment
Nyctophobia can be treated by doctors and therapists. Nyctophobia can cause insomnia. Panic attacks and depression can be treated with medication that can be prescribed by a doctor. If nichtophobia is caused by a traumatic experience, the doctor may recommend that you see a therapist or counselor. The therapist has specific treatment plans, including the following
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Exposure therapy
- Psychotherapy
- Mindfulness exercises
These, together with positive thoughts, prevent the phobia from progressing. The reaction to the phobia can vary. For example, you can think that the darkness is not harmful and be confident.
How can parents help?
There should be a treatment plan for children with phobias. First of all, parents should help their children to face their phobia. For this treatment to work, it is recommended that parents bring their children face to face with their fears. However, expert support is also important here. The specialist and the parents should cooperate in this process.
To make this treatment effective, it is important to practice coping methods such as deep breathing with your child and repeating positive affirmations. These affirmations can be phrases such as "I am brave, I am safe". When your child is practicing deep breathing, you should ensure that they follow these steps;
- Breathe slowly and deeply through the nose.
- Feel your belly fill with air as you inhale.
- Hold your breath and count slowly to five.
- Use your mouth to exhale slowly, as if blowing out a candle.
- As you exhale, count to five again.
Another way for parents to help their child with nictophobia is to use night lights or leave the door open when the hallway light is on. This can even help adults with nictophobia.