Thread 2844571

I love being outdoors, love hunting camping hiking fishing, all of it. Been doing it all since a kid. But I have a huge problem with being scared of the dark. I'm alright as long as there's someone else with me, but when I'm alone out deep enough into the woods I can't help but be debilitatingly scared of the dark.

It's so bad that I have to have my hand on my gun at all times once the sun goes down, I even piss in a bottle at night so I don't have to leave the tent. It's hard to sleep because I'm hyper alert to every sound, and as you know there are a lot of them at night. So my question is, has anyone else felt with this and how did you over come it?

Bumping. I also get way too in my head at night while solo camping. Wondering if anyone has any strategies or >coping mechanisms they like to use to help.

>>2844585
Thanks. I imagine it's not a super rare issue, I was hoping someone would have something solid that's worked. I try to just push through it like exposure therapy or something, but I'm 35 and still having this issue.

Get drunk and fight the forest. I woke up last weekend with bloody knees from tripping over shit even with a headlamp and my clothes were scattered around the fire pit. No idea how I made it to the tent

>>2844589
That used to help, but I don't drink anymore. Bad alcoholic.

I became a complete masochist and became completely care free of life and money. The odd thing was I started making obscene amounts of money.

>>2844591
Is this quoting something?

Idk, open campsite and a good tent that lets you look outside. Was close to a full moon and with all the leaves you could hear everything. I got jumpscared by a toad when I went to take a piss and he spent the next 20 minutes hopping closer to the fire.

Woke up around 1am and just watched the moonlight shift through the blowing trees. Maximize your ability to see stuff I guess, toad sounded a lot spookier before I got a light on it

Sorry OP, the majority of users left on this board no longer go /out/, they sit inside all day now larping online, posting in knife and pipe threads, and looking for other people's Instagram photos to post here.

I know this board advertises itself to be for people who go /out/ but it's actually a LARP board for lonely shut-in retards who like to pretend they go /out/. There's no actually advice here other than Brand™ recommendations.

I'm hyper alert too so I just usually bring a radio or something to play at night while I'm going to sleep. If I can't hear it, it doesn't exist!

>>2844571 (OP)
You're not scared of the dark you're scared of the unknown, of what is unresolved in your own mind.

The same dark you're afraid of I am sat in the middle of, on my own, and a lot of the time I know I am "safer" there than in a brightly lit room full of people.

>>2844937
I'll take you /out/ nigger

>>2844941
>You're not scared of the dark you're scared of the unknown, of what is unresolved in your own mind.
Yea I know.... Scared of the "dark" is just an expression, no thinks they're scared of the concept of darkness man. I also grew up watching TV and Movies and these are extremely common and simple platitudes. What I'm looking for here are people who have experienced the same thing who have over come it and feel r them to share their experience.

I'm also lowkey interested in this...

I can’t really relate, the dark to me is only unsettling when people are around. When there are no other humans and I’m sleeping outside it feels incredibly tranquil

>>2845038
No one cares.

Try not being a pussy? Lol.

>>2844585
I carry a g20 so if shit gets screwy I can shoot it.

>>2844571 (OP)
It’s something you have to get used to figure out what in the dark is actually scaring you. For me its being eaten and there are a ton of mountain lions in my area so I researched lion behavior and what to look out for. Also immersion therapy is the only way to get through it. The more you get used to the sounds and flow of your wilderness the more you become accustomed to it. A thought exercise you can do is when your sitting in your tent freaked out dig down to why you are afraid and continue asking why.
Also when it comes to skinwalkers I wouldn’t worry about it.

>>2845103
>I can kill a skin walker with bullets
You're saying rationalization is the solution to irrational thoughts, and are wrong because your reasoning is irrational.

>>2845104
You thought you were smart enough to give an answer to something you have absolutely no knowledge of because of arrogance and ignorance. You failed.

>>2845103
But how do you kill what isn't alive in the first place? :(

>>2844571 (OP)
buy a rosary and stay strapped. easy fix

>>2845202
I'm not catholic

>>2844571 (OP)
you need to confront your fears and face them head on. I had a massive fear of being in water alone despite the fact that i love swimming with my friends. the fear was an uncontrollable feeling of stress i felt everytime i was in the water if someone else wasnt close by to me.i had it for years despite swimming every summer. but one day when i did my usual swimming it felt different. the fear i felt, it was just gone.i stayed in the water alone when everyone else went up and just layed there floating on my back and it felt amazing. my heart didnt start beating faster all i felt was tranquility. one day when you go in to the dark all the fear will be gone and thats when youve conquered it

>>2845213
Can you read the OP before replying again?

>>2845213
I'm 35, I've been trying to face it head on for the last 20 years and it's not working

>>2845217
im 21 right now and i had the fear of water from when i was a little kid up until i was 20. i guess the time it takes is different for everyone but im confident that theres a time for everyone

This thread made me consider something I have not for my Halloween week long trip on the Appalachian trail, how long and dreary those fall nights are. I only sleep 3-4 hours when backpacking, so I'll be stuck in the spooky dark with nothing to do. I'll just get shitfaced and night hike I suppose, fuck it's going to be creepy though

>>2844571 (OP)
I didnt get over my fears until I had kids. My fears turned into vigilance or I’m just too exhausted to be afraid of anything

>>2845238
>I’m just too exhausted to be afraid of anything
This. I basically hit camp, set my tent up and collapse. A little drink makes it easier. Night hiking is a little spooky though ngl.

>>2844571 (OP)
https://youtu.be/HErh3-aqkQ8?si=899KwVB8ef57yXIf

>>2844571 (OP)
Sleepy alone in tent for 3 months and was super dark one night and something scratched my tent at night that was spooky. Tensed up and listened then I Started screaming inside of my tent to try spook it. Idk what it was but spooky

You get used to the sounds after a while. Like the birds and stuff become like normal everyday shit. Had an owl for a bit there for like 2-3 days so you notice it.

One day in broad daylight i Heard crackling sticks and I was in my tent and tensed up then I jumped out really fast out of my tent and it was some old guy that got spooked and I got spooked also.

>>2845295
What was this supposed to be?

>>2844813
Quit posting your faggy retardation. I've been on this board for years, and I go out all the time. I was catfishing last night from 5 to 11. I was planning on kayaking, but this happened instead. You people who seriously, unironically post that no one on this board goes /out/ is retarded. Do you touch grass?

>>2845359
You wouldn't be this upset unless the statement touched an already sensitive nerve. People who go out don't need to try this hard to prove it to others, unless you're really trying to convince yourself.

>>2845359
Forgot the image.

It’s natural, human evolution has imprinted in us the fear of the dark. I was in the same boat, but got over my fear slowly by camping in areas I would say are easy access and “safe” then move deeper into the woods from there. It’s also important to remember at the end of the day you’re probably the most scary thing in the area.
>having nods helps

>>2845368
What do you mean by having nods helps?

>>2845370
It’s a super power that allows you to see in the dark

>>2845351
a stupid bot

>>2844589
Easy enough for someone who doesn't live in big cat and bear country.
Try that here, get fuckin eaten. Retard.

>>2845421
There's no reason to be an asshole about it.

>>2844591
Doing what?

>>2844571 (OP)
You mean to tell me you go camping deep in the woods by yourself? If your scared of the dark out there why not bring a friend? Also have you seen those youtube channels where they go camping? There's this one dude with a channel that just goes camping way out in the middle of no where by himself. I dunno but that would kind of freak me out too being all alone deep in the woods AND inside a tent where you can't see anything thats around you.

>>2845431
I just prefer being alone most of the time, I really like listening to my books and stuff while hiking and don't like people making noise. I do go with friends or family occasionally but by myself is my preference.

>>2844585
phenibut seems to erase that type of fear. Give it a try next time you go solo camping. But make sure you know how to use it first and take the right dose. Gabapentin helps too. And then there is the obvious benzodizapines, but if you take a therapeutic dose like 1 or 2mg of klonopin or xanax it'll erase that fear 100%.

>>2844590
Same. about 8 months sober. I was bad. Used to do the "water bottle trick" and walk around with my "bottle of water" that was half vodka half water and just sip on it through out the day. Im so glad those days are over.

>>2845433
well thats cool. I too like my alone time but have never went camping but I do go hiking alone a lot - just never spend the night out in the woods.

>>2845437
It's really fun dedicating 3-4 days to just being by yourself in the woods not talking or interacting with anyone. It's super refreshing except for the night time fear stuff haha.

>>2845368
>>2845375
Wish I could afford tubes, instead I just have to trust anons who can and say they've checked for skinwalkers (they probably are skinwalkers)

Personally I think being frightened in that situation is perfectly natural. Humans are at our most vulnerable in the dark and when we're alone. There's really no reason you should feel totally comfortable in that situation.

>>2845469
I just don't want it to be completely dibilitating. Fear has its place, it's how we stay alive, but I don't want it to be so strong that I don't truly live either. I need to train my mind to stay rational and alert and my brain pumping cortisol through my body in response to every tiny noise isn't conducive to my goals.

>>2845421
When I was growing up we had a moose that would step over our garden fence and eat all our vegetables.
Sounds like a skill issue

>>2845483
What does that have to do with anything?

Big cats are big gay compared to moose, and if there’s moose there’s bear

>>2845602 Dumb logic, you're a stupid person.

Not my fault you’re such a manlet mountain lions think you’re a snack

it comes with time Anon, I used to be terrified of solo camping when I first started.

Are you an experienced camper and where do you live? if you live in North America theres really nothing too scary on the East Coast until you get to Northern Quebec/Maine when you start seeing wolves and bears.

If youre a west coast bro i get it, mountain lions are terrifying but in reality they usually want nothing to do with you even though they could easily fuck up your shit. West Coast also has amazing trail systems that are usually used year round in some parts so try a multi day hike on those.

If you're a Eurofag the only thing you have to worry about is boars and that depends where you are. I recently did a backpacking trip in England and spent the majority of my nights outside camping in fields and to be honest i never slept better. After a few days of hiking and being incredibly fatigued I would sleep at sunset and wake up at sunrise. Im an incredibly anxious person and since this venture ive been able to sleep in random thickets of woods just about anywhere solo (on the east coast at least)

If you're scared of people then go somewhere far out and hike into a spot. If you're just afraid of the dark - try camping solo at state parks for a bit. You're just far enough to be away from people but still close by. From then slowly migrate to backwoods camping with friends and then do it solo when you start to learn the area well enough. As gay as this sounds sometimes larping like a ranger or whatever fantasy universe you like can help.

My best trick and honestly i learned it inadvertently was to download some youtube videos or a movie or two and watch it while you sleep in the tent with the volume up. My fiance used to hate when id watch videos late at night with her so i started watching them on my solo trips. Or if youre a turbo autist bring some vidya

If you're truly freaking out; get absolutely zonked on benzos and you wont even care if you get mauled by the bear.

Just jack off and go to sleep man

>>2844937
Dont dispair anon some of us still go outside, but Ive definitely gotten some absolute dogshit advice from LARPers. Especially the fags that try to reccomend stupid shit for backpacking.

>>2845107
You just need to dip your bullet in the white ash of a gamble oak

>>2845606
You should really learn how to read before replying. Thanks for all the useless information.
>...North America theres really nothing...
Oh and the straight up disinformation. You could have at least tried to google grizzly and brown bear maps.

All that typing to really say nothing, are you on meth?

>>2845606
>get absolutely zonked on benzos
Just skipped to the end of your retarded rant and yea, degenerate. Also already talked about in the thread, you really need to learn how to read fag.

Literally just watch a movie on your phone. The longer the better. I have a lot of anxiety at night too, always have. It takes me a couple hours to fall asleep because I’m listening to every noise. My last trip I watched the good the bad and the ugly and it’s like a cheat code. It’s distracting but also relaxing. Try it anon.

This chud doesn’t even get into satellite phone only range. Why are you sleeping on the ground to do inside activities?

>>2844571 (OP)
Some ideas:
>Learn what some of the different sounds at night may be. That godawful screaming foxes do is still bad when you know what it is, but atleast you can say 'ugh that fucking fox' instead of shitting yourself all night.
>Go for longer solo trips and do LOADS of physical activity/walking. You'll sleep like shit the first night or two but hopefully eventually being tired will overtake the anxiety.
>Ear-plugs. Sometimes just softening the sound around you can help. Could get reusable ones people get for concerts or just use some cotton balls. Don't need to use ones you'd wear for shooting.
>Be super focused on practicing good campsite bear safety, even if you're in an area that doesn't have bears.
>Look into teas and herbs that help relax and reduce anxiety. You don't want to dope yourself up, just take the edge off a little.

>>2845483
Moose are crazy aggressive. You got very lucky.

Also that had nothing to do with what anon was talking about

>>2845716
I was the one that that said get drunk and fight the forest. Retard didn’t scroll up far enough

>>2844571 (OP)
Get yourself a dog. At the very least they act as a sort of warning system for shit that might be lurking out there. Mines only last his shit once when we saw a mountain lion in the other side of a river. We were camping on in NM.

>>2844589
>Success his SUV to an official camp site for an overnighter

Bruh, step up your game

>>2845768
I was there to throw frisbees all weekend, camping was secondary

Chain’s Edge up in Ogilvie MN