Why are some people afraid to be left alone in a dark room?

Question

Isn't this irrational? Isn't this a sign that a person might be unstable psychologically?

Answer 1

It's a product of evolution. We have evolved to rely on our sense of sight more than any other to warn us of danger, and when we don't have that, we become anxious and focus on our hearing. That's why when it is dark, every little sound makes us jump.

Answer 2

Well done. Pull of 'A Chair' and have a PhD, or something.

Yup, it's irrational (plain stuuuupid, if you ask me), and a sure sign the the individual MIGHT JUST BE, un-stable, in the psychological sense.

But then is that not what makes psychology so fascinating, where we get to play detective and unscramble the mysteries of Why people behave the way that people do! No?

So, why do you 'think' that SOME people are afraid of the dark?

Go on, have a guess.

A clue. When (if) you enter a dark room, how do you know that you are alone in there ....or not?

You may 'believe that you are,' but it's a dark, dark room, with dark corners. And, how do you know that there is NOT someone in one of those dark corners? How do you know that this person, who may, or may not be there, is not watching you ....and getting ready to may a 'sudden appearance' in your life ?

And, if that should, I do say 'should,' mark you, if it should happen, then how would you know if your nerves and, you very heart, could stand the sudden ''SHOCK'' of it.

Now, that could possibly have some thing to do with why some people are afraid of darken rooms.

....because they Do Not Know
....what lurks there, in the daaaaark.

Sash.

Answer 3

NO! don't be stupid, its common for people to be afraid of what might be there but they cant see it, especially after all the horror films we see, its easy for us to have an over active imagination where we start expecting something to jump out or that something is watching us.
some people do have fears of being alone in the dark cos of bad things that happened to them in the past like abuse but that's not irrational or even unstable, just a fear that's been put in them, which make you afraid in vulnerable situations such as this, and can be overcome with time.

Answer 4

Some people have an overactive imagination. When they do, they tend to hear things that aren't there in the dark. Like if you just watch a scary movie, any scary noises that are heard in the movie could now be heard in the darkness of your room. Or as others have said, something could have happened to you in the dark or even to you period. And being that you can't see in the dark, you'd be scared that it was happening again. There is also an actually fear or phobia of darkness or its also called Achluophobia: Fear of darkness.
Achluophobia: Fear of the dark or of night

Other phobias may cause you to be scared of the dark, but that's just because of the noise or something that has to do with it.

Answer 5

I was afraid of the dark until I was 12. Being afraid of the dark doesn't mean ur crazy or w/e, it just means that it takes u time to get used to new things. I think its absolutely normal.

Answer 6

I'm not afraid of that, unless something smells funny, like a bad type of smell or something else is there that shouldn't be. It's pretty unlikely though....

I love the dark!

Answer 7

maybe something happened to them as a child or someone told them that there was a monster or something that could get to them when they were young. some of it happens to do with scary movies and things like that. you know nothings there but you are cautious anyway.

Answer 8

you can't see bad things coming in the dark

Answer 9

It's fear of the unknow and unexpected. You are deprived of your most important sense: sight.

Answer 10

no, you never know what lies in the dark, and what you dont know CAN kill you.