Help with overcoming parinoia of the supernatural and paranormal
I feel like this problem has gone too far, and I come asking for help.
Ever since I was around 8-9, I have had a sever fear of what some call the "supernatural". Ghosts, aliens, monsters, it all scared me. It all seemed to start when I first watched an alien movie with my older brother. He teased and scared me while I watched the movie. It was after this that I began to become paranoid. Every night I would lock all the doors leading to the outside and to the garage. I would close all the doors in my house and lock all the windows. I became even more fearful when one incident occurred when a door I had recently closed creaked open.
After that, things proceeded to get worse. The little, only slightly upsetting things in life were starting to make me shake. Things as silly as the bald, red-eyed villain in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (his voice terrified me) and the small alien hiding in the man's head in "Men In Black" (just the look of it was enough to make me run). I couldn't take it. I would have nightmares and ran to my parents late at night.
I'm almost 18 now, and still my paranoia has been persistent. I lock my doors in the day and night, although I still panic when the thought creeps in that something from the inside might get me too. At night, it's at it's worst: I can't look down empty hallways, I can't look behind me when I'm alone, I don't look out of windows because I fear that I will see something and day light savings time depresses me, because it means it will be darker for longer. I even sometimes sprint into a run when I feel like something might be behind me. All of this mostly happens when I am alone, even if there are people in the other room.
Now, you are probably picturing some sad, black clad, loner who listens to depressing music all day. While I do admit that I am a little strange, I am proud to say that I have a bubbly, happy personality and am kind (at least according to the people I know). But I know that something must be wrong I can't even sleep sometimes because I am afraid to close my eyes, while still afraid to keep them open.
At the same time, it is my fault in a way. My fear doesn't stop me from visiting boards that discuss the paranormal and looking up related topics. Of course, like they say, curiosity killed the cat. I just want help in overcoming my fears. I can't live like this for any longer. It's just unexceptional. I want to live a life free of fear!
So, what I wanted to know is if anyone else has been through the same issues I am facing, and if so, if you have found some way to overcome it. Please, if anyone could give some advice, I would be most grateful.
