Night time panic attack

[Dee3399]

I've suffered from night time panic attacks since childhood. I wake up if the room is in complete darkness with a racing heart that feels like its beating out of my chest, I feel as though I cannot breath until I see some sort of light, I open the blinds or turn on the light then gasp for breath. It's a very terrifying feeling. It feels like forever until I find the light switch and end up banging into things. What is causing this?

[rana64]

Hello, I had been suffering night panic attacks the last few moths! First I tougth I was imagining things but now I see that this is real and very frustating ! i didint nkew that something like this can happen. Sorry to hear you suffer this all your life.

[Dee3399]

Thank you. I appreciate your insight. Ive spoken to family members and they mentioned that when I was a small child around the age of 3 there were a few times where I was locked in my room with the light switched off when I wasn't behaving and that it had terrified me. Perhaps this is the cause, or perhaps stress. If only I knew of a way to make it go away. Other than having a night light on at the age of 36.  

[Dee3399]

Thank you. I appreciate your insight. Ive spoken to family members and they mentioned that when I was a small child around the age of 3 there were a few times where I was locked in my room with the light switched off when I wasn't behaving and that it had terrified me. Perhaps this is the cause, or perhaps stress. If only I knew of a way to make it go away. Other than having a night light on at the age of 36.  

[Paxiled]

First, childhood fears are thought to be completely different from adult fears.  We all have childhood fears.  Yours sound pretty common, a fear of the dark or of being alone.  You don't say how old you are now, but the root is probably insecurity.