Do You Need Relief From Stress And Anxiety? Try to watch a horror movie

To non-horror movie watchers, horror movie fans are strange people. They find it hard to understand why someone likes to watch serial killers chase teenagers or a girl get possessed by a demon. But it’s a science of watching horror movies, one that, when understood, comes with comfort and a sense of security. Watching horror movies is scary right now. After that, it’s cathartic.

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Dr. Andrew Scahill spoke to Healthline about this popular phenomenon and discussed a bit about the history of horror and how experts watching the genre have changed their perspective over time. While they initially thought horror would have a bad impact on people, especially children, today there are other schools of thought that offer different perspectives.

“Today we have what we would call ‘surrogacy theory,’ which essentially says that horror films in some way allow us to control our fear of death by giving us a substitute experience,” explained Scahill. “Our bodies tell us we are in danger, but we know we are safe in these comfy theater seats. Getting triggered in a safe environment can actually be a therapeutic process. “

In 2021, when there is much to be feared, it might sound crazy for people to see more horror content, but it’s true. According to Business Insider, horror movie sales in 2020 rose 194% year over year. The most watched film was “Contagion”, which tells the story of a global pandemic. At the time, many experts argued that “contagion” gave people a blueprint for how a pandemic would play out in the real world.

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For some, horror films offer a distraction from real world problems. Coltan Scrivner, a pHD candidate from the University of Chicago, spoke to CNET and said that many people with fear love horror because of this. “My research has shown that people with fear tend to be more horror fans on average.”

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While the movies are stressful and put our bodies in a fight or flight state, many people feel safe with everything happening on a screen. You could learn to use these moments as learning experiences so that your body can better deal with stress when faced with a real situation.

You can’t force people to enjoy certain types of content, but if you’re more anxious and stressed out than usual, it can’t hurt to try horror movies. Perhaps you will discover a new quality in yourself and a mechanism for coping with your problems in real life.