Is it normal that i'm 19 and i'm still afraid of the dark?

Watch happy movies before you go to bed. I don't think your afraid of the dark but your afraid of what might be in the dark.

You could try this...

switch of ALL sources of light. stand in the middle of the room. think this..

"If there is anything in here that would want to get me... might as well get me now!"

I know you'll have your arms by your side or close to you but you should reach out into the darkness, and try and feel your way about your room and anywhere you think the bad stuff is likely to be/happen, under the bed the windows etc.

Eventually climb onto your bed.

When on your bed lay there, eyes wide open in the most casual position you can muster. your panic should subside, slowly until you get to the "it's not that bad" mindset. Then go switch on the lights and look at the room around you. You can visualize yourself wondering about in your room and you'll probably think of how silly it would look if the lights were on! The only difference between the light and the dark is how silly we look when the lights are off, that's all!

The thing that scares most people is their imagination, which is only a consequence of not knowing whats there. You have to show yourself there's nothing, and you can't simply do that by trying to say it over and over again, that's why I suggested this exercise.

Disclaimer: I am not liable for any injuries caused by you wondering randomly in the dark because some guy on the Internet said so. haha :) though I would like to hear about them so I can really haha :)

Yes, i'd say it is normal. I'm 21 and still afraid of the dark!

Boogeyman's gonna get ya!

Ahahahaha.

Oh wait, that tactic would actually work against you. Wtf?

My apologies.

I had the same thing and just got over it and I'm 21. And the panic attacks are the worst! It's inescapable. And you become superstitious too? and think that if you lay a certain way or something it will be better? And every time you look away from one spot you have to check back repeatedly because somethings always there? I used to have to convince myself that I had some kind of imaginary forcefield. There's been plenty of times I've wound up in the bathroom with the lights on.
I think bryson_willis gets it too. It is your wicked imagination and having a sense of humor helps a lot.

You're not afraid of the dark, your afraid of what's in it. Before I turn my lights out I look around and check if theres anything in it that would seem scary in the dark, then I move or rearrange anything that would. After that I turn out the lights one by one as I make my way to my bed ex)switches then lamps etc.... And when they're all out I try to focus on something else and relax. Hope it works or at least helps! Good luck! ;)

Im 22 and i also have a fear of "darkness". I love night tine, the stars at night and the sky but im terrified of the people and "creatures" of the night. At night i open my window and look out at the sky. It calms me and causes me to fall asleep. If you are afraid of things in your window dont try this. I have a two story house so its fine.

Remember your imagination is making you afraid. Its safer in the dark cause the boogeyman cant see you!

It is called a phobia, everyone has one. My biggest one is ignorance/being ignored or rejection. Others are simple like yours and all phobias are unexplainable

I'm afraid of the dark too and I'm 20. I remember as a kid I would be stuck in my room so I'd hide under the covers and pretend someone was trying to find me. I wouldn't move or make a sound, I barely breathed. lol. I liked to hide from people for fun, but I think I took it a little too far and scared myself. IDK if that's partly why but it's a possibility.

Also when I was 12ish I slept out in the living room on the couch for a week and things happened at night that creeped me out.

It also doesn't help that when I was 16 I had depression w/ psychosis. I couldn't sleep at night, not even with all of the lights on. I would wait till 6AM when the sun was fully out to be comfortable enough to take a nap. I suppose it was because I was alone, but the dark didn't help.

I don't think I'll ever get over my fear of the dark.

The concept of fearing darkness is understandable, but it's been ages since I've been afraid of it. I overcame it as a child through a bright lime-green whale (the stuffed toy, of course). It was so brightly colored, I thought surely it would light away all the monsters and baddies of the night. When I got a little older and lost the toy, that's when I realized I was able to brave the darkness by myself.

Now, I know it'd be awkward seeing a nineteen-year-old carrying a stuffed animal around, but if you're alright with the idea, I think it may help! :)

Its the movies and tv you watch. They all show how bad things happen at night and the evil come out to play. Imagine our primate ancestors who had no idea of ghosts and demons and boogeymen but fear of the surrounding vast world, dangerous from all sides and corners, hiding an enemy ready to hunt and eat them. Now imagine them walk into your safe room. They'd bitch slap you. In fact, they're rolling in their graves right now, seeing people work themselves up over non-realistic imminent danger.

27 and still afraid of the dark. But not in cities.

Allot of people have this fear. I can't sleep in the dark unless there's some light out side of my window. I get scared when my room is pitch black, I think that there might be something in there and my heartbeat thickens and I can't breathe. I guess that would be considered a panic attack? I'm don't have the fear if I'm in a city. I have this fear in smaller places and suburbia. My fear has gotten better some and worsened In other places.

Have you talked to anyone about this fear?

19 nearly 20 and still afraid of the dark

Im 18 and ive been afraid of the dark my whole life

Thats because it lives in the dark corners of your rooms, a crouching entity, with un-blinking, staring black eyes. It wants you, and your fear makes it stronger. Staring motionless through your mirrors you will feel it's presence most strongly. You are not alone, and your fear is it's food.