Photoshop Elements 9 Layer Mask Difficulties

Hi,
I am trying to use the Photoshop Elements 9 layer mask tool but every time I brush over my image to hide sections of it, the image merely becomes faded-out, as if I were using a brush with a low opacity. However, my brush opacity is at 100%, as is the opacity for the layer mask itself. I have made sure that I am using a black brush, that my brush mode is set on normal, that the layer mask mode is set on normal, that the image's color mode is RGB, and that the layer mask is selected when I am painting on it. I have reset all the tools to their default settings, and have gotten rid of all other layers except for the image in question and the background layer so that nothing is obstructing my view. Whenever I paint on the layer mask, the thumbnail shows the black areas in which I painted, as it should; however, the image is still apparent. Meanwhile, when I use the eraser tool, areas I erase disappear just fine. What am I doing that is causing the layer mask tool to behave in this way?
Thanks!

Could you post a screenshot?
If you press the D key then the X key, does that make any difference when you paint on the layer mask?

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