Scotophobia, or nyctophobia, is an anxiety disorder that causes a persistent fear of the dark, making it difficult for patients to navigate dark environments and engage in regular activities. Treatment, including psychotherapy and medication, can help patients lead a more normal life. Systematic desensitization may also benefit some patients.
Scotophobia is a persistent fear of the dark that extends beyond the normal developmental anxiety experienced by many young children. Also known as nyctophobia, this anxiety disorder can make it difficult for patients to navigate dark environments and can create feelings of dread that make it difficult to engage in regular activities. A chef, for example, may be afraid to enter a walk-in refrigerator due to low-light conditions, or an orderly may not be able to enter an unlit building. Treatment is available to address scotophobia and help the patient lead a more normal life.
Many children experience a certain fear of the dark while growing up. This is an example of a normal developmental fear that should fade over time as children learn that the dark isn’t dangerous. In some children, teasing can increase a fear of the dark and could develop into a phobia, in part because the child may become anxious about being laughed at. Some people develop phobias because they experience traumatic experiences in the dark or hear about shocking events that took place in dark environments. Intense media coverage of a brutal murder, for example, could have an effect on viewers.
In people with scotophobia, being in dark places can be intolerable. They may develop a rapid heartbeat, cold sweat, nausea, and other symptoms of extreme anxiety. Additionally, they may also be anxious because of their scotophobia, which can mean that they worry during dark conversations or in situations where the lights might be off. For example, if a professor plans to use slides in class, a student might get upset at the thought of a dark classroom.
Psychotherapy can help people with scotophobia. A mental health care provider can explore the phobia with the patient in a safe environment to determine why it started, which can sometimes help deal with the fear. Treatments such as regular talk therapy and medications help some patients deal with their underlying fears. A child might have developed a fear of the dark due to transference after a parent died, for example, and working through this might solve the problem.
Systematic desensitization is another approach to phobia therapy that may benefit some patients. In this treatment, the healthcare professional works with the patient in a controlled environment. They might start by talking about the dark, watching videos of dark environments, and working in an increasingly dark room. Over the course of multiple sessions, the patient may eventually be able to feel comfortable in the dark with the therapist, which may lead to increased trust in real-world situations.
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