Ever since the age of seven, I have been extremely afraid of the dark. Being alone in the dark gave me anxiety. Even if I was in my bedroom which is a place I am comfortable I was always afraid. As soon as I noticed this fear, I started sleeping with a  light on. I run up the stairs after I turn the lights off, I make my mom stand in the hall watching me until get into my room, sometimes I may even make my brother turn the lights off for me. I make them do all this unnecessary work just because I can’t get over being scared of the dark. Why is the dark so frightening to me?

Why am I so afraid of the dark? Why can’t I lay in my bed, not protected by my sheets, blankets, and pillows in the darkest dark to be in and relax my muscles, and fall into a deep sleep? How can I learn to not fear the dark? Who can teach me? Will it be hard to learn how to let the dark drift off into the morning light? Can I grow out of this fear? I ask all these questions, but will I ever find the answer?

The dark is a weird thing that can’t be explained but I have found multiple ways to explain how it makes me feel. I tell my stories, I share my thoughts and I speak the truth but the dark still remains unexplainable. I now think that over the years I have found the true meaning of being afraid of the dark. I found out how it affects different people differently and why it has shaped me as a person.  

Being afraid of the dark is not being afraid of the blackness of the air that lingers around you, but being afraid of what it masks. It’s being afraid of not being able to see the ceiling fan hanging above you or your other surroundings. It’s being afraid of not knowing if you’re alone and not knowing how to protect yourself from the creatures that stare at you through the dark fog. Darkness is like a person. He taunts you and wants you to feel scared and weak so that you aren’t prepared for what’s coming. He makes you feel like a scared child, as his shadow demons run around your room messing with your head.

Some nights I have scary experiences in the dark. A few years ago around the time I was about ten years old , I was ready to go to bed. As I laid in my bed, about to fall asleep, out of nowhere I heard a noise that sounded like something fell. Being only ten years old a lot of things ran through my mind as I tried to figure out what it could be that was in my living room or kitchen. Just a few moments later I heard another noise, at this point, I was scared that whatever was in my living room would find a way to open my door and pull me under the bed. Another experience I had was not that long ago, I was getting a late-night snack, trying not to wake my family up I went to the kitchen in the dark. As I was about to reach for the cabinet, I saw a dark shadowy figure sprint across the room and out of view towards the front door. At that moment I panicked and ran to my mom’s room, and without hesitation, I shut the door and turned on the light. 

Being afraid of the dark is like a characteristic. Without being afraid of the dark, I don’t think I would be myself. I wouldn’t be the girl that gets scared easily and then laughs about it later with my friends. I wouldn’t be cautious and ready to react. I wouldn’t be the girl who likes to scare other people but hates to be scared. How can I tame my fear?

Are there others that are afraid of the dark? Are their reasons similar to mine? Have I been around people that are afraid of the dark? Are any of my family members afraid of the dark? Why do we become afraid of the dark? Why is it so easy to fear something without any effort?

We all have major fears that may change our lives and some of us may need help conquering them. I am afraid of the dark and I haven’t gotten over this fear, but at some point, I will. A lot of people may think I have no true reasons to fear the dark but that isn’t up to them.  They may think I’m too old to be afraid of the dark, and that having that fear is childish but that is me and I wouldn't be me without it. Whatever your fear may be, don’t let it control you, but let it be an example of who you are and how you live. And if you don’t fear, you’re missing out.