In honor of it being October, and Halloween ironically being today. I just couldn’t help but wonder, why do people actually like being scared?
Personally, I’m a certified hater of all things jumpy, creepy, or lurking-in-the-dark. Haunted Houses are a hard pass. Horror movies? No thank you. Yet, somehow, millions of people voluntarily line up to scream their lungs out in the dark rooms and call it fun.
Why do we love the feeling of fear?
Psychologists say fear releases adrenaline, the same hormone that kicks in when you’re excited. It’s the body’s way of saying, “Something’s happening!” Maybe that’s why people love it, the rush, the plus, and the temporary chaos that makes you feel alive. It’s like emotional roller coasters for those who don’t mind a few ghosts tagging along.
Maybe being scared reminds us we’re human. That our hearts still race, our palms still sweat, and that for a moment, we’re fully here. It’s the same reason we play sad songs on repeat or chase heartbreak just to feel something real.
Me? I’ll take my thrill from pumpkin spice lattes and watching Hocus Pocus for the fifteenth time. I love a good Disney Channel fear factor level. But I understand it now, fear,in small doses, is just like glitter: a little messy, kind of unnecessary, but undeniably exciting.
So here’s to the ones who love a good scare, and to the rest of us hiding behind a blanket pretending we’re just “checking our phone.”
Taking a deeper dive into this topic, this TED Talk by sociologist Margee Kerr is an intersting watch!
If you want to read more about why we enjoy being scared, these might be interesting: