The Benefits of Reading or Watching Horror for Your Mental Health
Horror is a genre that often evokes mixed reactions from people. Some love it, some hate it, and some are indifferent to it. But did you know that reading or watching horror can actually have positive effects on your mental health? In this blog post, we will explore some of the benefits of horror entertainment and how it can help you cope with stress, anxiety, fear and other emotions.
Note: I am not a mental health professional and the following article is my opinion only. It does not claim to offer any kind of expert guidance. Anyone who believes they may be encountering issues with mental health should contact a mental health professional in the first instance.
Horror provides a safe outlet to explore your fears
One of the main reasons why people enjoy horror is that it allows them to confront and understand their own fears in a controlled environment. According to Wes Craven, an American film director, “Horror movies don’t create fear. They release it. You don’t enter the theater and pay your money to be afraid. You enter the theater and pay your money to have the fears that are already in you.”
By watching or reading horror, you can experience fear vicariously through fictional characters or scenarios, without exposing yourself to real danger. This can help you face your fears and learn how to deal with them in a healthy way. For example, if you are afraid of clowns, watching It might help you understand why you feel that way and how to overcome it. Or if you are afraid of heights, watching the “Glass Bridge” game in Squid Game might help you feel the thrill of overcoming a challenge without risking your life.
Horror helps you gain coping skills and boost resilience
Another benefit of horror is that it can help you develop coping skills and resilience in the face of adversity. When you watch or read horror, you are exposed to stressful situations that trigger your fight-or-flight response. This activates your sympathetic nervous system, which prepares your body for action by increasing your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and adrenaline levels.
However, when the horror is over, your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and restores your body to a state of calm and relaxation. This is known as the relaxation response, which lowers your stress hormones, reduces inflammation and improves your immune system.
By repeatedly exposing yourself to horror stimuli and experiencing the relaxation response afterwards, you can train your brain to cope better with stress and become more resilient. A study by Coltan Scrivner and colleagues found that people who watched more horror movies before the COVID-19 pandemic reported less psychological distress during the lockdown than those who watched less horror movies. The researchers suggested that horror fans may have developed a “stress inoculation” effect, which means that they were able to handle the real-life threat better because they had already experienced similar emotions in a fictional setting.
Horror improves your self-confidence and helps you feel less lonely
Horror can also boost your self-confidence and social connection by making you feel more competent and less isolated. When you watch or read horror, you often identify with the protagonist who survives or overcomes the threat. This can increase your self-efficacy, which is your belief in your ability to achieve your goals and cope with challenges.
Additionally, horror can foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie among fans who share the same interest and passion. Watching or reading horror with others can create a bond of empathy and support, as well as a source of entertainment and fun. Horror fans often form communities online or offline where they can discuss their favorite movies, books or games, exchange opinions and recommendations, and express their creativity through fan art, cosplay or writing.
Horror offers a sense of control and a good distraction
Horror can also provide a sense of control and a good distraction from your everyday problems or worries. When you watch or read horror, you have the power to choose what kind of horror you want to consume, how much of it you want to consume, and when you want to stop consuming it. You can also control how you react to it, whether you scream, laugh, cry or hide behind a pillow.
Moreover, horror can divert your attention from your negative thoughts or emotions by engaging your senses and imagination. Horror stimulates your visual, auditory and tactile senses with vivid images, sounds and sensations that capture your attention and immerse you in the story. Horror also activates your imagination by challenging you to anticipate what will happen next, solve puzzles or mysteries, or interpret symbols or metaphors.
Horror provides relief
Finally, horror can provide relief from boredom, frustration or anger by satisfying your curiosity and catharsis. Horror appeals to your curiosity by presenting you with unusual, mysterious or taboo topics that arouse your interest and desire to know more. Horror also allows you to experience catharsis, which is the release of pent-up emotions through art or expression. By watching or reading horror, you can vent your negative emotions vicariously through the characters or the plot, without harming yourself or others.
Conclusion
Horror is a genre that can have positive effects on your mental health, depending on your personality, preferences and context. Horror can help you explore your fears, cope with stress, boost your confidence, connect with others, gain control, distract yourself and relieve your emotions. However, horror is not for everyone, and some people may find it more harmful than helpful. If you are highly imaginative, impressionable, emotionally vulnerable or have a history of trauma, you may want to avoid horror or seek professional help if you experience any adverse reactions. Remember, horror is meant to be fun and entertaining, not scary and disturbing.
If you are a fan of horror or want to give it a try, here are some suggestions for movies, books and games that you might enjoy:
- Movies: The Shining, The Conjuring, Get Out, A Quiet Place, Ready or Not.
- Books: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty, The Shining by Stephen King, The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey, Bird Box by Josh Malerman.
- Games: Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Outlast, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Until Dawn.
© Colin Lawson Books