Is your child afraid of the dark? Do you delay bedtime and say things like there's a monster hiding in your closet? Nyctophobia or fear of the dark is one of the most common specific phobias in children. Between 6 and 12 years old, many children are afraid of the dark, something considered normal at those ages, but in some cases this fear can turn into a phobia. A child may be afraid of the dark for many reasons, but it is usually due to the natural emotion of fear. In this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about the fear of the dark in children: causes and treatment.
It's a extreme fear of the night or the dark which can cause intense symptoms of anxiety and depression. A fear becomes a phobia when it is excessive, irrational or interferes in the daily life of the person, in this case, the child.
Feeling afraid of the dark usually begins in childhood and is seen as something normal in evolutionary development. Studies show that being afraid of the dark is often due to our inability to see our surroundings.
Fear of the dark and night usually begins between the ages of 3 and 6 and is considered part of development. At these ages. It is common to be afraid of ghosts, monsters, sleeping alone, strange noises... When fear prevents normal sleep. causes anxiety or continues until adulthood, can be considered nyctophobia.
Some causes of fear of the dark in children They are:
- A traumatic experience: Any traumatic or stressful experience related to the dark can be a reason for the child to be afraid of it. For example, if a child is punished in a dark room, there is a good chance that he will develop a fear of the dark. Similarly, another traumatic event that occurs during the night such as a violent act, abuse, getting lost, or a Accident can cause fear of it and sleep alone, as the child has bad memories and thoughts about the dark and its danger.
- An anxious caregiver: Some children learn to be afraid by observing their parents' anxiety about certain problems.
- An overprotective caregiver: Other children develop generalized anxiety if they become very dependent on their parents or caregivers, or if they feel helpless.
- Movies, horror books, ghosts ..., related to the absence of light can develop fear of the dark.
Some phobias do not necessarily need treatment, especially if the stimulus that is feared is rare in life daily, like snakes, but in the case of nyctophobia it can affect the health of the child and can lead to disorders such as insomnia.
You can consider the adequacy of fear of the dark treatment Yes:
- Your child's fear generates anxiety.
- If your fear is excessive or irrational.
- If you avoid situations due to fear.
- These symptoms last 6 months or more.
The successful treatment rate for specific phobias is approximately 90%. Some treatment options are:
Exposure therapy
It consists of exposing the child to her fears repeatedly. For example, staying in a dark room until that situation does not trigger anxiety or panic.
Cognitive therapy
This type of therapy helps identify anxious feelings and replace them with other positive or realistic thoughts. For example, the child is shown information about being in a dark room. it does not necessarily have negative consequences. This type of therapy in phobias is usually used as a complement.
Relaxation
Relaxation treatment includes deep breathing. It can help your child manage stress and physical symptoms related to fear of the dark. In the following article, we show some relaxation exercises for children.
You do not know how to help your child overcome fear of the dark and to sleep alone? Here are some tips:
Validate your child's fear
It is common for a father when he sees his son badly, he tells him that everything is fine. For example, when your child is afraid of the dark, we usually say that everything is fine, nothing happens..., but this message does not match what your child feels, he is not well. Telling him that you understand his fear and explaining the normality of being afraid of the dark can help him understand what is happening to him. Tell him that the dark can be scary because we do not see what surrounds us and imagination plays an important role in completing what we do not see. You can tell him that when his imagination starts to work, turn on the light and he will check that everything is fine.
Help him take control
If your son thinks that there is a monster hiding in his room, instead of telling him that we will do something to make the monsters go away, we tell our son to tell the monster to go away. In this way, your child will feel in a position of control of the situation and, thus, he feels that he has the power to control the situation.
Accessible light switches for your child
Allowing your child to have accessible light switches makes him feel more in control of the situation.
Healthy dinner before going to bed
Foods very rich in sugar or snacks in the afternoon increase brain activity. When a child goes to bed after consuming sweets, his brain is more activated and he can become more stressed with his fear of the dark than if he had eaten vegetables, cheese, dairy ...
Watching TV before bed can cause anxiety or stress
Anxiety is an over-activation of an adaptive response necessary for survival in a dangerous world, but this anxiety before going to bed can cause hours of sleeplessness. because the child is very affected by her fears and by the stress caused by television, computer... Therefore, before going to bed, the child should not be exposed to these levels of activation.
Finally, remember your own childhood. Sometimes the best information for our children is our own experiences.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
