Irrational fear of the dark and scary movies?

Question

I have an irrational fear when it comes to scary movies. I'm watching Amityville Horror right now, and I know that when I try to go bed when it's over, I won't be able to walk upstairs without keeping my back to a wall at all times. Even when I don't watch scary movies, I can't look into dark spaces when I walk upstairs to go to bed. I'm 17 years old. I shouldn't still be afraid of the dark. At night, I have to shield my eyes from any rooms with doors open. I'm not sure why I'm so scared, could someone please help me? I am terrified.

Answer 1

I'm terrified of the dark too.  And a particular room in my house.  I recently forced myself to spend the night in there to try to cure myself.  I guess all I can tell you is turn on a light?

Answer 2

sometimes, the blackest nights are the best friends to you if you know how to use it to your advanatge.  Being afraid a dark places may be caused from you were a small child, and left in a dark room by your parents, perhaps you were crying a lot and no matter what they did to help you feel comfortable and stop crying didn't work, so as the last resort, they placed you in your crib, turned out all the lights in the room and closed the door, thinking that you'll stop crying when you see that it isn't getting you what you want, and then you would fall asleep.  Parents often do this with very small children, cause if they ran to the child every single time the child cried, then the child would soon realize that anytime they wanted attention, all they would have to do is start balling and the mother would come running to them and hold them.

You shouldn't be afraid of the dark, especially in your own home, you might try leaving several lights on throughout the house, especially in areas that you travel often, even after watching something that scares the h**l out of you on TV, that way, you wouldn't feel so helpless in your home, there would be plenty of lights on so that if something was lurking behind the door, ready to spring out and grab you, you could see it far in advance and high tail it to safety.  Why not carry a baseball bat with you, ballbats make great equalizers, even for those cookie monsters that are lurking behind every door, hidden in the deep black shadows, just waiting for a victim to come along.  I am only kidding you about the cookie monster, I don't want to scare you, besides, your a young lady that has a sincere minor problem and perhaps my answer will be of some comfort to you.