Four Reasons Why Some People Seek Comfort In Horror Movies
Scary films are good for mental health as they offer an outlet to release those anxieties and fears you would otherwise bury deep beneath, to get going with your daily life.
You either love horror films, or you avoid them at all costs. Logically, we tend to stay away from things that scare us or induce fear. But horror films have a unique way of luring people, and it is a beloved genre of many. According to experts, there are several reasons why people love to watch scary films. Some individuals even find horror movies oddly comforting. Read on to find out how horror films can be comforting.
Provides an escape from real-life anxiety
The real-life things that trigger anxiety often feel unavoidable, and people easily wind up in a perpetual cycle of agony. Individuals with anxiety disorders may not have a single and vivid trigger, making it difficult to "solve." But horror films always have a vividly defined hazard with a clear-cut end. The justly predictable movie plots offer a comforting roadmap, yet they are engrossing enough to grab your attention and keep you glued to the screen (and distracted from repetitive thoughts). If you are an anxious person, you might realize that horror films can prevent you from engaging in rumination.
It can serve as exposure therapy
Sometimes, instead of seeking a way to escape real-life stress and anxiety, horror films can serve as a medium, allowing people to dive headfirst into their engaging plot -- as a kind of exposure therapy. Fans of horror films possess a trait known as morbid curiosity, which commonly refers to a keen eagerness to acquiring knowledge about threatening situations.
Getting through a scary movie feels pleasurable
The functioning of your brain to calm itself after enjoying a horror film is neuro-chemically quite pleasurable. It happens as a result of dopamine release associated with the brain response of 'rest-and-digest,' generating a greater sense of well-being. Also, the feeling of virtually getting into a risky or scary experience and then emerging out safely induces pleasure.
Horror films can draw you closer to the people near you
Fear-inducing situations like, enjoying a horror movie can enhance the attraction between you and the people you are watching the film with. But apart from enhancing attraction, scary movies can also draw you closer to that person. When you are vulnerable in the presence of another person, it generates a deep sense of intimacy.
Thus, scary films are loved by some people for three specific reasons: tension, unrealism, and relevance.
