why are children afraid of the dark

When your child is afraid -- whether at age 5 or 15 -- remember to approach the fears with respect. Kindergartners are less fearful than threes and fours are, but they continue to fear the unknown, such as thunder and lightning. Bedtime fears – the dark, monsters under the bed, and sleeping alone – are all common at this age. The fear of the dark often starts during childhood and it is considered a normal process in a child’s growth. In order to understand why this is happening now and what you can do, consider the following factors. Even some people carry it with them into adulthood and regardless of how you feel about the dark itself chances are you’re always going to be a bit apprehensive about what might be lurking in it. Also, if a child watches a movie or series where bad things happen to people in the dark, they will absorb that information and categorize the dark as scary and bad. This in many ways is a good thing because we need to be aware of things like that, right? Why Are You Afraid Of The Dark? As Goldilocks might say: not too much light, not too little light, just right (night) light. A. This results in longer time to sleep onset. When and why are children afraid of the dark? The reality is, it doesn’t necessarily have to be something seen or a negative event that causes fear of the dark… A: Fear of the dark is quite common, especially at this age. Children are most often afraid of the dark starting at around the age of about 2 through the preschool years, although it can appear in older children as well. Fear of the dark is also common at this age-a time when many children develop nightmares. As children, we all end up being afraid of the dark at one point or another. Being afraid of the dark often starts in childhood and is viewed as a normal part of development. By 2 ½, most children are very engaged in the world of pretend and imagination, and they don’t fully understand the difference between fantasy and reality. New Study Explores How Yoga Reduces Stress, Why Cleanliness Is Not Always Next To Godliness, How to Make Your Child's Bedroom Very Safe, The Concerning Truth About Kids and Sleep, Helping Your Anxious Child Overcome Bedtime Fears. One of the main reasons this happens is that, as demonstrated in clinical studies, light directly affects the brain's inner clock, and delays sleep onset. Fear of darkness, which in extreme forms is known as nyctophobia or achluophobia, falls into that latter category. And then it hit me… the reason the fear set in. “There is not much known about what causes this particular phobia. The dark is a mystery and so is why we’re afraid of it. Stress in general, like divorce, the death of a pet, or the birth of a baby, can throw anyone off kilter and increase the risk for anxiety, even kids. Others can point to a specific event, such as hearing a scary story, watching something scary on TV or living through a difficult experience, which started the problem. However, most people who have nyctophobia are young children or people who are very anxious already. Changes (a move to a new home, the arrival of a new sibling) can also cause a child to feel insecure and afraid. Instead of falling asleep, they become very alert, hearing goblins every time the house creaks, or burglars with each gust of wind outdoors. . Many parents try to help their child overcome her fear of the dark by leaving the child's bedroom lights on, or the hall light on and the bedroom door open (often leading to the light shining right in the child's eyes), only to find that it still takes over an hour for her to finally fall asleep. https://riseandshine.childrensnational.org/how-to-help-a-child-who-is-afraid-of-the-dark/#:~:text=Some%20children%20develop%20a%20fear,experience%2C%20which%20started%20the%20problem. Sigmund Freud believed that the fear of darkness is linked to separation anxiety from the absence of our mothers. So, if you or a child in your life is afraid of the dark, remember that at one time it was a vital survival trait that kept our collective ancestors alive. First of all, it is very important to understand and identify the underlying issues keeping the child from falling asleep. How Should I Deal With My Child's Night Wakings. Why are infants afraid of slithering reptiles they’ve never before encountered? The fear of the dark itself is known as nyctophobia and it’s more common than you might think. It’s because the dark is scary, and monsters do exist. According to one study, 43% of children between ages 6 and 12 had many fears and concerns. Don't Ignore It. Some children develop a fear of the dark without any specific reason. What can you … Children who are subject to such movies or TV shows begin to ‘learn’ that darkness is a thing to be feared. When a young child already has the genetic predisposition to develop mental illness, then it may only take a couple of traumatizing experiences in the dark for them to develop nyctophobia.”. Furthermore, it doesn't always last long, since it can go away within weeks. Why Kids Are Afraid of the Dark—and How We Can Ease Their Fears Let kids know they’re safe. Generally, this fear is common among children and they tend to grow out of fear as time goes by. Most children experience nighttime fears at some point during childhood. When does a fear of the dark typically start and end? And it wasn’t that the room was too dark… it was the transition from light to dark that made mt toddler afraid of the dark. Some children are afraid of fires, high places or thunderstorms. is a popular song by Children 18:3 | Create your own TikTok videos with the Why Are You Afraid Of The Dark? It’s not because of horror films. Read: The Crucial Elements of … They tend to start around age 2 and may last until age 8 or 9. Chances are you too can recall something of this sort but don’t feel bad if you can’t, not everyone can. Generally, this fear is common among children and they tend to grow out of fear as time goes by. However, never lock a deadlock while people are inside the house, as it may block escape in a fire or other emergency. While a newborn baby is not afraid of the dark because he is accustomed to being in his mother's womb, at about 6 months a baby starts to perceive himself and the world around him. The brain interprets the presence of light as a sign that it is still daytime, and therefore much too early for sleep. The Best Way to Handle Someone Who Puts You Down, How to Change Your Attachment Style and Your Relationships, 3 Ways to Manage an Emotionally Abusive Adult Child, Psychology Today © 2021 Sussex Publishers, LLC. Learn how to help your child get a great night’s sleep with my new book: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Successful Sleep Strategies for Kids: Helping Your Child Sleep Well and Wake Up With a Smile! It doesn’t make you a chicken, it just makes your body more attuned for threats and, therefore, more fit to survive. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. Help them take control. Too much light during sleep can affect your children’s sleep cycle. In order to understand why this is happening now and what you can do, consider where your child is developmentally. Much like how we as adults feel the unknown that could be lurking in the dark is much scarier than the dark itself. If your child is afraid of the dark because of the possibility of intruders, it may help to show them the security measures around the house, such as locks. It wasn’t that the night light didn’t make any light. Being afraid of the dark can affect all children. Others may suddenly develop a fear of the dark for no apparent reason nor can they explain or justify the fear. Fear of the dark is quite common. Some of us from an early age are scared of what might be in the dark and well the rest of us pick up on the concept of monsters and things of the sort through stories, movies, and so forth. Stage by Stage: 5 to 6. Those who seem well adjusted during the waking hours may seem inexplicably afraid at night. An added benefit to turning off the hall light is that the bedroom door can be kept fully open, which can then increase the child's comfort level by understanding that there are no barriers between her and her parents sleeping in the next room. When a Couple Stops Having Sex, Whose Choice Is It? A dim nightlight can cause more shadows and make your children’s fears increase. With time and your positive support, these fears will … The reason: It’s not the darkness itself that’s frightening. This might bring on a fear of the dark or being alone at night. How you, as parents and/or guardians, address your child's fears and offer reassurance will affect his or her ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Sure, most people who fear the dark do-so in a mild form but some people face it on extreme levels, and to them, it can be truly crippling. Kids are hardwired to be afraid of the dark … Some fears are acquired based on specific life experiences; others are more universal and innate. Dennis Rosen, M.D., is a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep specialist who practices at Boston Children's Hospital. Young children that are already pre-disposed to anxiety or feeling more cautious in various situations are likely to show disturbance in the dark. Is Deep Brain Stimulation an Effective Treatment for Severe OCD? Howard Liu, M.D., UNMC College of Medicine Why are children afraid of the dark? This week I was asked what the best strategy is for helping a child who is afraid of the dark fall asleep at night. Why Studies of Insect Vision Will Change Your Life, This Should Be Labeled a Universal Principle of Influence. Some children REALLY don't like being left alone in the dark, and become anxious when the lights are turned off in their room. A fear of darkness, particularly being left alone in the dark, is one of the most common fears in this age group. Surprisingly, the fear does not root from the dark environment. Some children REALLY don't like being left alone in the dark, and become anxious when the lights are turned off in their room. Studies focused on this phobia have shown that … A low intensity night light gives off a lot less light than the overhead bedroom light, or the light from the hall coming in through the cracked bedroom door. I hope your son has overcome his fears! Here is an explanation to why children tend to fear the dark: Fear of darkness or night is indeed a process of growth and would start occurring in children between the ages of 3-6 years old. |     Legal     DMCA     Privacy. If it turns out that the child has a non-specific fear of the dark, using a low intensity night light (7 watts) positioned in a way so that it does not shine directly in the child's face can be a really good solution. However, children might also suddenly become afraid of the dark when they are a bit older than that as well, so it is important that parents keep an open mind towards this kind of thing. The truth is there is more to this than we tend to realize. The children feared the beast at night when it was dark, when they couldn't go looking for it because of the dark. It’s not because their friends have told them tales of ghouls and ghosts; not because one particular society pushes a certain brand of fear. People fear trouble when it's too late, too. Your children are afraid of the dark, and they are certain that monsters live under their beds. These are the years when your child's powers of imagination are exploding, which means that now he can imagine new and scary things to be afraid of. Fear of the dark, monsters in the closet, or simply anxiety about going to bed – these are all relatively common in young children at some point during their childhood. Chansky suggests following these basic guidelines: Don't try to talk your child out of being afraid. I remember from a very young age becoming afraid of the dark after watching the movie ‘Night Of The Living Dead.’ While I was far too young to watch the movie I begged my mother until she gave in and at a rough 5 or 6 years old the dark became something I never wanted to get caught alone in. Thomas Ollendick a professor of psychology told LiveScience as follows on the topic of children and their fear of the dark: That all having been said, when it comes to the true causes of nyctophobia overall we’re still on the fence, PsychTimes wrote as follows on the topic. So is a fear of animals, such as large barking dogs. The fear of the dark often starts during childhood and it is considered a normal process in a child’s growth. So you're not a "10" in every which way. But you're probably pretty spectacular in some way, and definitely good enough in most areas of life. Being afraid of the dark is an ancestral fear that generally occurs in preschool age and is a normal part of growing up. At what stage of children’s brain development do they become afraid of the dark? This is a critical first step, because when children feel unsafe they can’t think clearly. Ask your child for suggestions on what would make them feel more secure. It is the fear of what will happen in … It is normal for young children to have fears of the dark and going to bed at night. So how does one succeed in not making a child even more fearful while at the same time not waking up his brain with bright light when trying to get him to fall asleep? Sure, we as adults don’t think of monsters as much as we did as children, but we still consider whether some creep could be lurking in a dark alley to try and do us harm. This condition can develop in young children largely due to the frightening portrayals of darkness in horror films. I used to be afraid too, I guess it started with the dark when I was around 3–4 but then mainly of what I used to see in the dark. This week I was asked what the best strategy is for helping a child who is afraid of the dark fall asleep at night. So keeping your children’s main light on is not ideal. This topic may be a bit old but children will always be afraid of the dark so for current readers this might be helpful. In order to understand why … A fear of the dark usually lasts for a few weeks to a few months. If ever there were a time to stop beating yourself up for being human, it is now. him start feeling fear. This makes a lot of sense. To learn more about why we are afraid of the dark when we’re young and sometimes when we’re adults take a look at the video below. If the neighbor's house was broken into three weeks earlier, being concerned about burglars is not unreasonable, and talking about it with the child and finding ways of making him feel safe are crucial. “What always amazes us are the thoughts or beliefs that kids have,”, “Kids believe everything imaginable, that in the dark robbers might come or they could get kidnapped, or someone might come and take their toys away.”, “Essentially, their fears stem from ‘the unexpected,”. Does fear come from nature or nurture? Fear of the dark is highest among children between 4 and 6 years old, and begins to decline at around 9 years old. song and explore 0 videos made by new and popular creators. Not enough light can cause your children to panic and can keep them up all night. Even more, what kind of encounters can be considered scary for kids. When a young child already has the genetic predisposition to develop mental illness, then it may only take a couple of traumatizing experiences in the dark for them to develop nyctophobia.” Here’s why: At this age, kids can struggle a little to separate fantasy from reality. Children who are subject to such movies or TV shows begin to ‘learn’ that darkness is a thing to be feared. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/nyctophobia#overcoming-it, https://www.livescience.com/13434-phobias-fears-acrophobia-heights-agoraphobia-arachnophobia.html, https://psychtimes.com/nyctophobia-fear-of-the-dark/, https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/01/health/colorscope-black-fear-of-darkness/index.html, Awareness Act © 2020 All Rights Reserved. But psychologists believe it comes from children's highly active imagination. . At 4 years old, many children are afraid that if a grandparent or a pet dies, they will die, too. Are inside the house, as it may block escape in a fire or other emergency childhood and ’... To separate fantasy from reality dark fall asleep at night to understand why this is happening now and you... Dark often starts during childhood and is a popular song by children 18:3 | your. Dark or being alone at night on is not much known about what causes this phobia! 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