Teraphobia

Teraphobia (from Greek teras, meaning "monster"), also known as monstrophobia (from Latin monstro, "monster") is the fear of monsters. This is extremely common for pre-school children, but it usually lessens during the early elementary years and is highly uncommon by the time a child reaches middle school. Sufferers commonly think there could be monster under the bed or in the closet. When being in bed, sufferers may ease themselves by leaving light on. Older kids and adults can suffer this phobia unnaturally, likely caused by watching scary movies about evil creatures. Symptoms of teraphobia include air hunger, rapid heartbeat, loss of control, and feeling scared. If the fear of monsters is rooted in religious or spiritual beliefs, it should be treated through spiritual counseling with religious leader instead of, or in addition to, traditional therapeutic techniques.