How do I help my step daughter get over watching a horror movie?

Question

Last weekend my step daughter (8years old) watched a horror movie and now she is afraid to be alone when it is dark. Any suggestions to help her get over this would be great!!

Answer 1

Give her a night lite!

Answer 2

I feel her pain! I am 14 and when ever i see horror movies i still ge the willies! Something what works well for me is having my dog sleep in my room! It really helps because then you feel like you have some protection! Also may i suggest for future horror movie viewings let your step daughter watch a movie with a friend and then have a sleep over. This works well for me but there is a age difference and both of them might get scared and you might end up with 2 scared silly 8 year olds in your bed! I hope i was some help and tell your step daughter that scary movies are fun and not real!

Answer 3

ugh i still am afraid of horor movies.....although i am 13!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

i suggest you to explain to her how movies are made, and maybe she will understand that it is all fake and acting. Or maybe show her another movie with the same actor/character and she will realize that its not that scary afterall.

Maybe try switching the light on and off and tell her that no one is here and show her under the beds and all; she may be able to tell that there's really nothing to be afraid of and there is no one watching her ...

this is the best i cud answer.

hope this cud help,

♥ liyaxox ♥

Answer 4

It sounds like your step daughter is not able to cope with horror movies.  I was never able to cope with them as a child and now as an adult I still can't.  I would watch a movie and sometimes the fright from them would stay for months.  It literally took about 6 months for me to be able to go to the restroom by myself after watching the exorcist at 10 years old.  Sounds like your step daughter has a innate fear of things that are not good.  From experience I can tell you that the only thing that is going to help her get over this will be time...time for her to forget and not visualize whatever it is that is troubling her from the  movie.  This may be something that she will grow out of.  But, in the meantime you'll just have to be patient...walk her to the restroom, stay with her until she falls asleep, walk with her to her room, etc.  Do not force her to go alone or tell her that she is being a baby.  That only increases the fear.   Now that you see that horror movies bother her in this way it is time to not watch these kinds of movies with her and make sure that if she is staying at a friends over night that they understand that she is not to watch horror flicks.  Perhaps she will grow out of it. But, she may never.  I am 36 years old and still can not handle movies that deal in spirituality it is too frightening for me.  Movies that people find silly I find absolutely terrifying.  I tried to watch the ring and was bothered with visions of that little girl coming to get me for months.  I couldn't take a bath for about 3 months after watching 13 ghosts, I had to take only showers or the princess would get me lol.  Some people can not handle these types of visualizations.  Your step daughter may be one of them.  Stop exposing her to horror movies and come up with a ritual for bed time.  My oldest daughter gets terrified of movies that she watches.   Sometimes she would be scared of nothing at all...no movies, she was just afraid.  She is alot like me.  We came up with a ritual where we sang a song, and then told each other good night and lets dream about flowers and butterflies.  It worked for her.  Silly.  But it worked.  

Answer 5

When I was little I was terrified to sleep at night. I thought Freddy Krueger was going to suck me inside the mattress or something if I fell asleep. What helped me is watching the making of a horror movie. I watched the making of Nightmare on Elm Street and Poltergeist 3.It also helps to see one of the actors play a different role which proves that it's not real.  

Answer 6

you could tell her its all fake and there is no such things as ghost and tell her that darkness is nothing to be afraid off, although i was scared of darkness till 9 lol.

Answer 7

I hate horror movies (still scare me) I would try having her watch a ridiculas old one (I think there is one called like The Blob) But find and old one with horrible special affects and watch it with her. Then tell her well they are both fake and tey were meant to be scary.

Answer 8

Who on earth let her watch it? They need serious words.

Lots of reassurance, time and leaving the lights on to sleep.

Talk about how they make films. Make up and special effects etc.

Get her a dream catcher, it sometimes works.

If it's really bad, she will need proffesional help.

There is a couple of techniques which may help after trauma.

Emotional Freedom Technique, and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing.

EFT you can do with her. Try this site for starters:

http://www.healthandgoodness.com/Therapi...

A much more in depth PDF on EFT is free here if you don't mind reading it more detail.

http://www.emofree.com/downloadeftmanual...

EMDR needs a proffessional.

Answer 9

Eight years old is not old enough for most of the scary movies out. Hopefully, you both (mainly you) have learned a lesson. Unfortunately getting her over the horror movie will take considerable time. There is no quick fix. One suggestion would be, if it was a DVD movie, let her see the special effects (how they do it). That might help. Otherwise you are going to have to reassure her that it was all fake, and you'll have to comfort her be patient and deal with it until she gets past the images in her head. Keep a night light in her room, have her read animated books that are light reading before bed. Do whatever you can to make things has pleasant and up lifting before bed.  

Answer 10

theres nothing wrong with leting her see it just show it to her again and point out all the things that make it fake  

Answer 11

Assure your child that her fear of the dark is normal, and that many children have the same concerns. This will help her overcome her fear, once she understands that others share her anxieties.

Ask your child to talk to you about their specific fears and those things that make her afraid of the dark.

Comfort your child, and make sure she understands that she is safe, and that monsters aren't real, and therefore cannot hurt her.

Show your child the locks on the doors and windows, your home's alarm system, and any outdoor security lights, if she is afraid of the dark because she believes someone may try to break in and harm her.

Offer your child ideas to make her feel less afraid of the dark. Bring her a comforting toy or stuffed animal, or offer to stay with her for a few minutes while she falls back to sleep.

Discover if your child's fear of the dark stems from other concerns. She may fear that a loved one may die prematurely, or that her parents might divorce, and these fears may intensify when she's alone in the dark before going to sleep.

Purchase a nightlight and plug it into an outlet in your child's bedroom. You might also consider buying her a small lamp and placing it next to her bed, so she can turn it on when she becomes afraid. Ensure that your child is reading books and watching television shows and movies that are age-appropriate, and not frightening.Glance over your child's room, and remove from her view any stuffed animal or toy that throws a potentially scary shadow in the low light of her room at night.Do not check under the bed or inside drawers for monsters as a way to comfort your child who fears them. This only reinforces her idea that monsters actually do exist.Never tease your child about her fear of the dark, or talk about it with other people when she's in the room. This may only heighten her fears and make her self-conscious.

Answer 12

Aw, poor baby.  My heart goes out to her - and you!

My daughter went through through this when a friend insisted they watch Harry Potter.

First, give her a night light.  

Second, get her some relaxation CD's.  You can get them through amazon.  There are some made especially for kids.  Have her listen to them twice a day.

Third, fill her life with gentle stories and activities for a while.

She'll get over it.  It will just take time and patience.

All the best.

Answer 13

I was the same age when someone let me watch the exorcist.  I still have to close my eyes when I see Lida Blair.  The best way is to talk about God, and tell your step daughter that no matter what God is here, and that scary movie is make believe entertainment for adults.  The people in that movie had to rehearse just like a school play and they where paid do make people scared.  There are no such things as monsters, ghosts, etc. and whenever you do have that fear, change your mind,talk to God ask God to protect her and send her angel to lay next to her when she sleeps.  I actually made room for my angel to lay next to me in bed every night.  Good luck!  Dee

Answer 14

Tell her that none of it was real and it might help her if you show her a movie with the same actors that's not scary. Sometimes you have to give them time to get over it and also it might help if she had a night light.