Fear of shadows (sciophobia)

Sciophobia is a fear of shadows. It can mean feeling uneasy in dimly lit rooms, keeping lights on at night, or being startled by a shadow moving at the edge of vision. Many people find it is strongest in the evening or when they are alone.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek skia, meaning shadow. It is uncommon and has little clinical writing of its own. It is closely linked with nyctophobia, the fear of the dark, and with the brain’s habit of seeing shapes and figures in vague shadows.

What it feels like

• A jolt of fear when a shadow moves out of the corner of your eye
• Leaving lights on so rooms never fall into half darkness
• Feeling watched or followed when walking past long shadows

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Why do shadows sometimes look like people?

The brain is quick to see faces and figures in unclear shapes, a habit generally thought to help spot danger quickly. In low light it fills in the gaps, so a coat on a door can briefly look like someone standing there. For someone with sciophobia, those moments set off a much stronger fear response.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

See all session options and prices