At some point, almost every child has been scared of monsters under the bed or in the closet. Films have been made about this subject. Despite the terror induced by movies such as Monsters, Inc., the fear that something dangerous is hiding in dark corners usually disappears by the time a child reaches puberty.
Teraphobia (the fear of monsters) is experienced by almost 100 percent of kids but relatively few adults. However, temporary teraphobia can be induced by watching scary movies or telling ghost stories, but this will generally disappear in a few days.
For some people, however, the feelings of terror persist. Like all phobias, this can begin to affect the sufferer’s quality of life. Treatment includes antidepressants and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Therapists also suggest leaving the light on.