Horror Movies: The New Stress-Reliever

Who would have ever thought that Jigsaw’s murder games would be a way for someone to calm down after an exhausting day at work? What’s next, Chucky being someone’s new comforting teddy bear? Millions of people watch horror movies, hiding under their blankets and scared to look at their TV screens. Nevertheless, people continue to watch horror movies, no matter how many sleepless nights they suffer through. Countless studies and research go towards horror movies and the psychology behind them, explaining why millions endure horror movies.

It all began when Greek philosopher Aristotle introduced the idea of catharsis. This is a process where humans release their strong repressed emotions, which eventually brings relief and comfort. Emotions such as stress, fear, and anxiety can build up over time, becoming overwhelming. A way people tend to release these emotions is through horror movies. Watching horror movies also helps us eliminate our bad emotions and anxieties towards certain situations in the real world. And, in the end, when the antagonist suffers, it gives relief and ultimate resolution for the people watching.

In a study conducted in 2020 by Dr. Scrniver and the National Library of Medicine, when the pandemic first started, they found that horror movie lovers felt less physiological stress and were more psychologically resilient. They concluded that if you were able to control your emotions for a horror movie, you could act similarly in real-world situations. In addition, horror fiction offers a safe and effective way for viewers to practice controlling their emotions by practicing evoking terror. Consequently, it has been demonstrated that having strong emotion management abilities is linked to greater psychological resilience (Mestre et al. 2017; Tugade & Fredrickson, 2004). Another factor mentioned in Dr. Scrniver’s study is that people who watch movies that involve mass chaos, such as zombie apocalypses or an alien invasion, said that they were more mentally prepared throughout the pandemic. This demonstrates how horror movies can be a reliever, in such a way that when people are prepared for something, they can feel more relieved.

For those who derive pleasure from watching horror films, many have thought of it as being a form of protection. When people watch a horror movie, they tend to keep in mind the fiction of it all and believe that what is happening will stay on the screen. This provides the viewer comfort and relief, emotions that help as we go through our day-to-day lives. This can be a way to practice fear in a safe space. Dr. Scrivener’s study also talks about the idea of how more people feel prepared for real-life dangers after watching a horror movie. Practicing fearful emotions in a safe environment can generate better emotion regulation in different environments.

Overall, no personal experience will be the same and everyone has a different perspective towards horror movies. Some can’t handle the laugh of Chucky while others can take on The Saw franchise anytime. The brain still has secrets that scientists haven’t discovered yet. Nevertheless, horror movies still allow many others to take pride in themselves. In addition, others believe that it is the perfect way to release their stress and emotions. We shouldn’t completely trust horror movies as a coping mechanism; however, take in the odd delight that Pennywise the Clown could be improving your mental health.

Works Cited:

Cherry, Kendra. “How Catharsis Can Bring about Great Insight and Positive Change.” Verywell Mind, 2019, Source.

Moyer, Melinda Wenner. “How Horror Stories Help Us Cope with Real Life.” The New York Times, 28 Oct. 2022, Source.

Park, Michelle. The Aesthetics and Psychology behind Horror Films. 2018.

Scrivner, Coltan, et al. “Pandemic Practice: Horror Fans and Morbidly Curious Individuals Are More Psychologically Resilient during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 168, 1 Jan. 2021, p. 110397, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7492010/, Source.