Why We Love Being Scared: The Surprising Psychology Behind Haunted Houses and Horror Films
Saturday, October 26, 2024.
There’s something undeniably thrilling about stepping into a haunted house or settling in for a scary movie night. The screams, the heart-pounding moments, and the laughter that follows—they all make us feel more alive.
And it’s not just a seasonal thing.
Halloween attractions company America Haunts estimates that Americans shell out over $500 million each year just to get spooked at haunted houses.
The fascination with fear doesn’t stop when Halloween ends, either. Many of us keep that adrenaline flowing year-round with horror movies, TV shows, and books that make us jump.
But why do we willingly subject ourselves to fright when the real world already has plenty of scares—think school shootings, climate disasters, and other unsettling events?
As a marriage and family therapist, I find this phenomenon pretty fascinating. It turns out, our love for a good scare is rooted in some deep psychological and social needs.
Why Fear Feels Good: The Thrill of Controlled Terror
It might sound strange, but controlled fear—those experiences where you know deep down you’re safe—can actually feel great.
Think of it like a rollercoaster: you know you’re strapped in, but that plummeting feeling in your stomach is still exhilarating. Watching a scary movie or wandering through a haunted house triggers the same kind of reaction. It’s all about playing with that delicate balance between danger and safety.
When our brains perceive a threat, even a pretend one, they release a rush of adrenaline. Heart rates spike, breathing speeds up, and the body gets ready for a “fight-or-flight” response. It’s your body’s way of gearing up to survive—even when it’s just a guy in a creepy mask jumping out from behind a fake wall.
But here’s the twist: when we realize that the threat isn’t real, our brains give us a dopamine hit—the same chemical that makes us feel good when we’re eating our favorite dessert or after a great workout. It’s like our body’s way of saying, “Hey, you survived!”
This rush is why scary movies and haunted houses can be so addictive. It’s like experiencing a mini rollercoaster of emotions in a completely safe environment.
In one study, researchers from the Aarhus University’s Recreational Fear Lab found that people who braved a high-intensity haunted house experience felt more relaxed afterward (Aarhus University, 2022).
It’s like your brain gets a chance to blow off some steam, helping you settle into a calmer state once the scares are over. It might even explain why so many people unwind with a creepy thriller after a stressful day.
Scaring Ourselves Together: The Bonding Power of Fear
As social beings, we humans crave connection, especially in a world that sometimes feels more disconnected than ever. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General has even called loneliness an epidemic, with social isolation taking a serious toll on mental and physical health (U.S. Surgeon General, 2023).
Shared fear experiences—like huddling together during a scary movie or screaming your way through a haunted corn maze—can create a sense of togetherness. This effect is tied to what psychologists call the “tend-and-befriend” response.
When we’re scared, we naturally reach out to those around us, seeking comfort and connection. And it’s not just about feeling close in the moment. The hormone oxytocin, often dubbed the “love hormone,” plays a big role here, helping to strengthen those bonds long after the fear has faded.
So, if you’re clinging to your friends during that horror movie marathon, you’re not just sharing some laughs (and maybe a few shrieks); you’re also building deeper connections.
That’s why facing scary situations together, even if they’re completely fictional, can bring people closer. It’s a kind of bonding that’s hard to replicate—whether it’s your first date in a haunted house or a family tradition of spooky movie nights.
Fear as a Dress Rehearsal for Real Life
But the appeal of fear isn’t just about the thrill or the bonding. It’s also a way to prepare for real-life challenges. Remember when movies like Contagion were trending during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic?
Many people found themselves turning to fictional depictions of pandemics, even as they faced a very real one. Why? Because it helped them process their own anxieties in a more manageable way.
Research from Aarhus University’s Recreational Fear Lab supports this idea. It found that horror fans were actually more resilient during the pandemic than those who typically avoid scary stories (Aarhus University, 2022).
It’s as if watching fictional scares gave these fans a kind of emotional practice, allowing them to better manage their real-world fears.
By repeatedly confronting the things that scare them in a controlled environment, they had built up some emotional resilience. Think of it as mental cross-training for life’s unpredictable challenges.
Scare Yourself to Care for Yourself
From a therapeutic point of view, engaging in controlled fear experiences—whether it’s a haunted house visit, a zombie apocalypse movie, or a psychological thriller—offers more than just a good scare.
These activities allow us to explore powerful emotions, connect with others, and prepare for life’s tougher moments. Plus, they give us a safe space to enjoy a surge of excitement, knowing that we’re never in any real danger.
So next time you’re choosing between a feel-good rom-com and a spine-tingling thriller, go ahead and pick the scarier option. It might just be the boost you need to feel more connected, a little braver, and ready to face whatever life throws your way.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
References
Aarhus University’s Recreational Fear Lab. (2022). Fear and Relaxation: Controlled Fear Experiences and Post-Stress Calm. Journal of Anxiety Research.
America Haunts. (2024). Annual Report on Halloween Attractions. Retrieved from [website].
U.S. Surgeon General. (2023). Loneliness and Its Impact on Health. Washington, D.C.: Government Publishing Office.