Universal fear - Deepstash






Why Some People Never Grow Out of a Fear of the Dark

Universal fear

Universal fear

Some fears are acquired based on specific life experiences. Other fears are more universal, like the fear of darkness. 

Darkness leaves us vulnerable and exposed, unable to spot any threats that may be hiding nearby. Darkness means danger, and fearing it means taking precautions to stay safe.


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Why Some People Never Grow Out of a Fear of the Dark

Why Some People Never Grow Out of a Fear of the Dark




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Universal fear



Fear in adults

Our brains equate darkness with the frightening side of unlimited possibilityAs we become adults, we eventually become comfortable enough to move through the dark without a light. 

However, 40% of respondents in a survey said they were afraid to walk around the house with the light off. 10% won't get out of bed to use the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Poor sleepers

In some cases, fear may be powerful enough to cause chronic insomnia. However, a person may not be able to sleep because their mind starts to wander. 

They may think what if someone breaks into their house. Instead of realizing the associations may indicate a fear of the dark, they inadvertently assume they have a fear of burglars.


A Child's Mental Health
A Child's Mental Health


Antidepressants And Opioid Epidemic


Smartphones and Social Media



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The Fear Of Water



Symptoms of Aquaphobia



Treatment For Aquaphobia


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From Openness to Closing Yourself Off

From a young age, we learn that not everyone is on our side, and not all situations are going to go our way. 

Over time, we build walls around our hearts to pro...

Protecting Yourself with Destructive Behavior

Building walls create a safe space into which you can quickly retreat, but it also leaves you trapped behind your own emotional defenses, unable to give or receive positive emotions as well as negative ones. 

This, in turn, leaves many people feeling isolated and alone.

From Protecting to Forgiving Yourself

The fear of vulnerability is ultimately a fear of rejection or abandonment. To combat it, you must first learn to love and accept yourself with all your flaws, embarrassing stories, past mistakes, insecurities and awkwardness.  

Realize that everyone feels like this, regardless of how successful they are.

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The changing nature of childhood
The changing nature of childhood

The most valued childhood experiences of people who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s are things that the current generation of kids are far less likely to know.

What stands out is that

Less independence and autonomy

American children have less independence and autonomy today.

  • Parents have become more concerned with safety.
  • Parents run the risk of being charged with neglect for letting children walk unsupervised.
  • Some parents usher their children from one structured activity to the next, leaving little time to play, experiment, and make mistakes.

Kids who have autonomy and independence are less likely to be anxious. They are more likely to grow into self-sufficient adults.

Time with family

A childhood privilege was spending regular time with parents and access to meaningful interactions with other family members, especially grandparents.

Close grandparent-child relationships have significant mental health benefits for both children and grandparents.

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The "Fear" in FOMO



FOMO is based on lies



Fight FOMO with FOMO

What if we let FOMO mean something else? 


Try inventing your own FOMO definition. 

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The Science of Your "Comfort Zone"



Optimal Anxiety

A state of relative comfort created a steady level of performance. In order to maximize performance, a state of relative anxiety is needed—a space where our stress levels are slightly higher than normal. This space is called "Optimal Anxiety," and it's just outside our comfort zone. 

Too much anxiety and we're too stressed to be productive, and our performance drops off sharply.

Making Sense Of Your Comfort Zone
  • Your comfort zone is neither a good or bad thing. It's a natural state that most people trend towards. 
  • Leaving it means increased risk and anxiety, which can have positive and negative results.
  • Don't demonize your comfort zone as something holding you back. We all need that head-space where we're least anxious and stressed so we can process the benefits we get when we leave it.

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Reappraising Conversations
5: Confirmation of an emotion’s legi...
Don’t Be Self-Centered






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All fears are not created equal

Some are useful, and some are useless fears that you can't or shouldn't do anything about. 

They sap your strength for no reason, and you shou...

Fear can harm you

In scuba diving, for instance, fear can cause you to breathe too fast, swim too hard, move too suddenly, fail to take note of your surroundings, or rise too quickly toward the surface.

Knowing that fear has the potential to harm you can help you set it aside. Fold up that fear, put it in a box, and promise you'll get back to it later at a less dangerous time.

Fear and chemicals

You may think it's your judgment deciding that something is dangerous and you should be afraid, but what actually happens is that fear chemicals are flooding into your brain.

Experiments have shown that fear can be induced artificially by injecting certain chemicals. Do the chemicals know what you should and shouldn't be afraid of? They don't. You do.

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Fear of success

It's a very real but often misunderstood struggle. The key thing to realize is that, in most cases, the fear is about the consequences of success, not the success itself. 

This fear like...

What fear of success looks like
  • Fear of success usually doesn’t mean a literal fear of success. People fear the results and consequences of making lots of money, for example, not the money itself.
  • Fear of success is often learned at a young age.
  • Fear of success is maintained (and made worse) by avoidance.
  • Fear of success is painful. It brings a lot of anxiety.
  • Most people who are afraid of success are embarrassed by their fear.
Work through your fear of success
  • Validate your fear of success by understanding its origins.
  • Track your avoidance strategies related to fear of success.
  • Face your fears of success (the smart way).
  • Get professional help from a cognitive behavioral therapist.
Near-death experiences (NDEs)
Near-death experiences (NDEs)


Many survivors tell of leaving their damaged...

Negative NDEs experiences



The NDE phenomenon



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