Sandra Lorentzen
Hello, I sympathize with your problem since my daughter too has been irrationally afraid for many years. She is now 12. It seems somewhat related to the total stress level in her life at the time, being frightened of more things through the school year than in summer. Having discussed the subject with family members who to one degree or another experienced the same thing as they were growing up, I think it must be hard-wired. I too was afraid at night, always looked under the bed and in the closets and had a very difficult time getting to sleep. If my parents would have let me sleep with them, I would have. My daughter sleeps with me. I didn't get over my fear of the dark and being alone (my daughter has a much longer list of what frightens her)until I got out on my own as an adult. We try to not make a big deal out of her fears since our worries about it appear to worsen rather then help the problem. Good luck. SL