>>53111
>>53114
I used to be scared of the dark until I was like 13-14, not to the point of having to sleep with my light on though. Despite having a slight anxiety I found darkness quite fascinating. One night I decided to resolve the issue once and for all, and what better method of overcoming fear than directly facing it?
At the time I was living near a small forest with a graveyard behind it. That night I went out to the forest at like 11-12 PM. I was alone on a moonless night, with no phone or source of light and it was very dark. In the beginning I was paralyzed. I went to the edge of the forest, waited there for like 10 minutes until I calmed myself down and I entered. My heart was racing and every sound seemed like inevitable doom was coming, adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I won't bore you with details, long story short: I was gradually becoming less scared as I walked through the dark forest, from being overcome with terror to slight anxiety and finally I felt calm and at peace. I sat in the forest for a while feeling as if the night was my cloak, covering me and protecting. After that I visited the cemetery, sat there for a while just letting the atmosphere soak into me and returned home.
I was never again afraid of darkness, I even feel a lot more comfortable when it's dark. Before I had the feeling as if darkness was hiding something from me, something that may put me in danger. Now I feel that I am being hid by it so that nobody can find me and harm me.
Actually after that I developed quite a habit for walking around at night, sitting at the cemetery or just gazing at the moon if there was a moon in the sky.
Do with this story what you wish, but there is no strength in avoiding your fears, there is in facing them.