Why Do We Like Being Scared?

Fear is a strange thing. When it comes to what some people might consider entertainment, there’s an odd love for anything scary. From spine chilling horror movies such as The Conjuring to roller coaster rides, and crime thrillers, humans seem to mostly enjoy the adrenaline rush of fear but there are a whole host of other reasons we might enjoy a good scare once in a while.

Fight or Flight Reponses

At the heart of this fascination seems to be the fight or flight response. When confronted with something we perceive as a threat, such as those few tense moments before a jump scare, our body releases adrenaline. Adrenaline increases your heart rate and heightens your senses, but also causes a burst of energy and excitement.

Controlled Fear and Thrill seeking

For many, watching a horror movie, walking through a haunted house or going on a rollercoaster, offers many a safe way to experience fear, without being in actual danger. Because to many, the allure of fear is mainly based in that initial surge of energy and excitement. Being able to brag to your friends about how you braved that rollercoaster, or how that movie ‘wasn’t too scary’ offers some sense of accomplishment and a boost in confidence.

Stress Release and Distraction

To some horror offers a form of stress release. A scary movie can act as a distraction from the worries of everyday life, even if it is for a short while. The intense emotions and situations that you might see might even act as an outlet for your own fears and emotions, allowing you to even confront your own fears in a controlled environment.

Curiosity of The Unknown

Humans both fear and love the unknown. There is something both fascinating and frightening about the things we cannot explain or see. Ghost stories, paranormal phenomena, the allure of the mystery behind it all drives some to seek out frightening experiences.

Shared Experiences

Watching something scary with friends or family, offers something akin to a bonding experience. Sharing the same emotion of fear, navigating the unknown together and being able to support each other through it, allows some people to bond better.

Whether you hate it or love it, the feeling of fear is a universal human experience. It’s a multifaceted feeling of excitement and tension rooted in both psychology and physical primal responses to threats and the unknown and it is engrained into us.