Darkness Trigger

Idk if this happens to anyone else but for me the darkness seems to trigger my symptoms. Every single night when I try to sleep I start seeing and hearing things. I’ve been schizophrenic for about 6 years now and still have a lot to learn about it but for all these years I HAVE to have my earbuds in and blast music while trying to sleep or else the voices keep me up all night. Does being in the dark trigger anyone else’s symptoms too?

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I live with family and my mom keeps the bathroom light on, all the time; so I don’t get triggered by the dark.

but when my family left to go to a funeral, I was home alone. and I kept the lights off because I wanted to save energy. it was very uncomfortable.

If anything, I probably should had used an energy-efficient night-light or a candle.

this cracks me up. :laughing:

It sort of does but its a product of fear. No one really likes darkness. What helps with it is at night find a dark room and just sit in the darkness. Just be with the darkness and it won’t seem as bad anymore

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My symptoms are definitely triggered by the dark and just nighttime in particular. It’s why most of my dose is concentrated at bedtime and not in the morning. The voices and the music and paranoia still make it hard to sleep, though.

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The darkness that should be there I have no problem with…its the darkness that moves and follows I have a trigger issue with…

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The dark doesn’t trigger me so much as the quiet does. During the day, I see people and talk to them, and I know we are agreeing on what is real. At night, when I’m alone, there is nothing to distract me from my own mind. I get lost and can’t tell if I’m in a nightmare or reality. That’s how it used to be, at least. It hasn’t happened since I started lowering my amitriptyline.

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Yep yep darkness is a big trigger for me. Awkward to explain to the roommate I’d prefer to sleep w the lights on because I see demented and disturbing things in the dark and become paranoid my life is in danger.

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Just as @Ninjastar said!
The quiet seems to trigger me more than the darkness.
I sleep with a nightlight on :slight_smile:

I find darkness comforting, so I don’t share in the triggering aspect, but I’ve struggled with other issues relating to darkness.
I read this book:


And it helped me with my issues. I hope you find relief for yours. Having said that, there’s nothing wrong with leaving a light on. :blush:

Good lord, night is the worst!!! I get paranoid during the day, I hear things during the day, but at night and especially in the dark I see things, and the voices become different and louder, and the paranoia/fear is beyond control sometimes. That’s why I take Xanax in the evening, it sort of makes it more bearable, but my doctor is going to take me off the Xanax.

It is not the darkness so much as being later in the day for me. I start hearing voices outside of my window at night. It is very bright in my room until I decide to sleep. It’s not a big deal until they start screaming at you.

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I difinitly get triggered by the dark. That’s why I sleep with the TV on.

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I spent a long time living in the dark so “they” could not see me, got rid of everything electrical so they could not hide camera’s, So I find the dark comforting now

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sometimes I like the dark too. in fact, I practically stay up at night because I get quite a lot of freedom and privacy. I live in a living-room and I get like no privacy during the daytime. like, if I’m feeling a little itchy in the lower area (every dude gets itchy in the lower area because of awkward placement of stuff there) then my mom could accidentally walk in and think I was trying to jerk off. :confused:

very embarrassing, especially when she chides me… :disappointed_relieved:

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It used to cause some issues for me, but now I find it soothing. I like the quiet and lack of light that can flash at me. The day is always what messes me up the most.

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I used to put up flyers past midnight. back then, I liked walking outside at night more than walking at daytime or morning. a lot less people around, although it is a lot more dangerous.

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Heh, well I don’t go that far. I feel good in areas I know are pretty secure.

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wow, this thread has kind of painted me as a creep… I just reread all my posts… :confused: