I am 62 years old and am afraid of the dark.
Unless my eyes are closed I cannot be alone in a dark room and not feel terrified. I know it stems from my teenage love of horror films and maybe only that one film where a ghost’s evil and contorted face pushed out from a wall. I am afraid I might see that if I open my eyes in the dark.
I take many unnecessary steps at night to ensure I am not in a dark room. I turn on one light, walk to the next room, turn on that light then go back and turn off the first light, repeating the steps until I am in my bedroom and close my eyes.
A flashlight (or cell phone) does not help because it only lights up a narrow path. I can, however, read my kindle or cell phone, as long as I don’t look away from the screen.
I am also not nearly as afraid of being outside in the dark as I am of being in a dark room.
Cedar Waxwing's 365 
I’ve only recently become comfortable in the dark, and mostly outside. A dark house can still give me the shivers.
That makes for quite a bit of nuisance effort. Well, I guess most fears do. I’m sure I have something comparable, or nearly so. But right now I’m thinking it’s a blessing I never got into horror films.
I did not have enough characters to praise my Hue lights for solving the problem.
Interesting that outside isn’t as bad as inside. I kind of get it…the claustrophic part…but outside has its own stuff.
Yes. Bears, for example. And vampire bats. And Wicker Man-type activity.
No ghosts pushing their faces out the walls.
I agree with Indigo, outside has its own stuff.