Phobia of the dark?

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I have an extreme phobia of the dark, and must sleep with a light. Is this common in ASD?

I don't have to sleep with a light on (i do need a tv, though), but i am petrified of the dark. for me, it's the not knowing for sure what is or isn't there. I don't know if I should chalk it up to my AS or my GAD, though...

I can sleep with the TV instead of the light too. I just need enough light to see. Its about not being able to see what is and isn't there for me too.

You mention that you have GAD, so do I. Wonder if that is part of it too.


Hope this doesn't sound bad, but it is good to see other people with the same issues as me. That I am not alone with these things.

I actually can't sleep with the light on unless I stay up so late I crash with it on, but I am very much afraid of the dark anywhere aside from my own bedroom. I can't be alone at night, because I have panic attacks and can't sleep, and if I do sleep, I have horrifying nightmares...all because I'm wondering what's lurking in the dark. If I leave my room at night when everyone is asleep, I have to run and flip every light on that's in my path.

When I was little, I was convinced that if I walked down a dark hallway, that something would be following behind me. Unfortunately, I still feel this way.

I don't have GAD in particular, but I do have a diagnosed anxiety disorder.

I have a fear of the dark too - although not as yet diagnosed with anything. As a child I couldn't even go into a dark room to switch a light on - doing a little better with it now but it sure doesn't feel good. As a child I would go to sleep with a light on and a parent or sibling would later turn it off. I now sleep with the light off but have a lamp within reach. I also sleep with my partner and am sure that helps. On the rare occasions he's been away for the night I've had a lot of trouble with anxiety and needed all the lights on or didn't go to bed until the sun came up. I also have that feeling like there could be something following me in the dark - its the absolute worst when in a 2 storey house I have to turn lights off downstairs and then come upstairs with all that dark behind me. Also, if I miss too much sleep I have those shadow people lurking around every corner and standing behind me when I brush my teeth... creepy!

The dark used to scare me too, I knew it was illogical, I did not know why it scared me. Then my physio noticed that I couldnt balance without any visual cues, so I had no/little sense of balance in the dark. Once we improved my ability to balance without visual cues, my dislike of the dark lessened heaps. I mention this incase maybe there are factors contributing to your fear of the dark?

I'm 36 and I sleep with the light on.

I haven't got a phobia of the dark, never have.

I always thought it was all the monster movies I saw as a kid. I have a flashlight I carry on my belt, im never without it. And I'm not afraid of sleeping in the dark since my wife is with me.

I have a phobia of the light.

Light = too bright

Darkness is comforting to me.

Nope not of the dark, did when I was young, thought someone was in the room. I would say its common for manufactures to go out of they way to create night lights.

I did the light thing until I got married. My ex wife used to whine about it, so I just replaced it with a TV set on.

I've had to face many of my fears. I used to be afraid of spiders and stuff so I bought myself an enormous Emperor Scorpion. Problem solved (sort of haha).

I love spiders. I love how they work and the cool things about them, but I don't like being surprised by them

I've always been scared of the dark and I still am. I have 3 LED night lights on at night.

I am 29 years of age; I have always needed to have a lamp on while going to bed.

If the lights are off, I cannot go to sleep.

This is partly due to seeing things in the dark when I was very young.

I still remember such images and it scares me to this day, even though I am convinced they're not real.