Achluophobia: Fear of the Dark

Achluophobia is a pathological, irrational fear of night time darkness. The individual coping with this phobia may also become anxious at dusk or twilight. This anxiety is the result of the achluophobic individual's dreaded anticipation of the approaching darkness.

Achluophobia also involves a fear of what might be hidden in the darkness. The Achluophobia individual may also cope with an irrational fear of demons, vampires, ghosts or anything else that might "go bump in the night." Based on this, one might logically assume that Achluophobia may also involve a fear of not being able to see properly.

Achluophobia is also known as Lygophobia or Myctophobia. It derives from the word "achluo", meaning dark and the Greek word "pathos" meaning fear.

What Causes Achluophobia?

While being afraid of the dark is typical of most children, it might be surprising to learn that a fear of darkness is a relatively common fear among adults too. However, as with all phobias, the individual suffering from Achluophobia has experienced some real-life trauma at some point.

Perhaps, as a child, the achluophobic person frequently experienced vivid nightmares. This phobia could have developed following an experience of being terrified in the dark. Maybe, the individual coping with Achluophobia learned to copy the negative reaction of others.

Whatever the cause, the person coping with Achluophobia experiences anxiety that can be completely disruptive to their ability to function.

What Are the Symptoms of Achluophobia?

The symptoms of Achluophobia are individual. Some people, when confronted with their fear of darkness, may feel uncomfortable, become nauseated or begin to perspire. At the opposite end of the spectrum, some people are so severely compromised by this phobia, that they experience intense anxiety and/or panic attacks.

Other symptoms of Achluophobia include:

• A Dry Mouth
• Muscle Tension
• Gasping or Shortness of Breath
• Uncontrollable Trembling
• Hyperventilating
• Rapid Heartbeat
• Feeling Out of Control
• Feeling Trapped and Unable to Escape
• Overwhelming Feeling of Impending Disaster

How Is Achluophobia Diagnosed?

The vast majority of cases of Achluophobia are self-diagnosed. The person realizes that their fear of darkness is irrational and has severely compromised their daily functioning.

The achluophobic person may then schedule an appointment with their doctor to discuss their phobia. Typically, the doctor will never make a diagnosis of Achluophobia based on that first appointment. More routinely, the doctor, after ruling out any physical reason for the phobia, will refer the individual to a mental health professional for further assessment and evaluation.

How Is Achluophobia Treated?

When the fear of night and darkness becomes so intense as to disrupt an individual's daily functioning, there are a variety of ways to treat and manage Achluophobia. These include:

• Talking to the primary physician who can refer the individual to a therapist who specializes in the treatment of phobias.
• Traditional "talk" therapy that will assist the person in learning to identify and control their phobia.
• Self-help techniques.
• Hypnotherapy.
• Support groups with other people coping with this phobia.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Exposure Therapy.
• Relaxation techniques.
• In extreme cases of Achluophobia, anti-anxiety medication can be prescribed.

Achluophobia is an intense, irrational fear of night time and the darkness that comes with it. Sometimes that fear can become so overwhelming as to completely disrupt the individual's ability to maintain daily functioning. Unchecked, Achluophobia can become a paralyzing condition that touches every aspect of a person's life.