In the last year of my schooling, I had a very close friend who was affected by a Jinn and it would really trouble her. Because we were close friends and apparently this Jinn didn't like that, it would try and choke me and so on(That's what she later narrated-but I had never seen/felt it. )She would get involved in very evil actions and our friendship began to fade. She would always tell me about things that had happened using the third person, asking for advice. Yet, later on I came to know that it was actually she herself who she referred to using the third person!
Then one day during an English lesson, she suddenly stood up abruptly from her chair, took off her spectacles and threw it, pushed the table down, walked towards me and tried to choke me. Her eyes were blood shot red at that moment and then she suddenly fainted infront of my desk.
She later also narrated how it would follow her everywhere she went, besides for two or three places and that it forced her to do the things she would do and it would threaten her if she didn't.
I was very very disturbed after this incident. Emotionally I couldn't deal with it. The elders around me would just brush it off saying that it was nothing and I was being childish. I was extremely afraid to use the bathroom at night or be in a dark room etc. (Although I was always scared from the time I was very young-this experience took it to a new level).
A few months later an Aalim explained to me about Jinnaat and that Insaan are stronger than them. For as long as we remain strong and our Imaan is looked after, they will not affect us Insha Allah. After it was all explained to me, I am no longer scared and when I read any Du'aa or Ayah for protection, I feel as though I am physically being protected.(As though there is someone with me). سبحان الله
So now I realise that the fear is due to growing up with scary thoughts about this creation of Allah. It is not explained properly to children and many a times elders, who themselves don't have proper knowledge on the subject, say things which make the child more afraid-instead of helping the child to build firm faith in Allah by reading Qur'aan and du'aas for protection.