Are Scary Films Good for Anything?
Caitlin on Jan. 30, 2024
If you were asking about my personal preferences the answer would be a firm no, I do not do scary films. However, there are benefits if you are into torturing yourself and watching horrors.
Despite being a complete scaredy cat even I can see the value in watching scary films and series, so if you’re one of the millions that loves a good scare, you’ll be feeling pretty smug when you find out there are actual wellbeing benefits to spiking your cortisol.
Stress Release
Can you believe that on-screen horrors can actually help alleviate some of life’s pressures and help with anxiety? While watching scary content our bodies feel and respond to the horror that is playing out in front of us as if we really were there in that dark forest being chased by that serial axe-murderer. However, once the threat has moved on viewers are then provided with an opportunity to calm right back down to a baseline state. IRL a lot of people who are stressed or anxious struggle to decompress and tend to remain in that fight or flight mode state. Watching horrors allows viewers to practise moving from a state of distress to calm and are able release a whole lot of tension that they are struggling with.
Fear Controlled Environment
Horrors are defined clearly with a beginning and an end. No matter how scary the film is the viewers are always aware that in some way the content will be wrapped up and the credits will eventually roll. IRL some of our own horrors, stressors and worries can feel like they won’t end, and it’s hard to fight our way through the negative noise. Horrors tend to have a clear roadmap and are predicable but are still absorbing enough to keep the viewers’ attention. While life sometimes doesn’t feel like it has a roadmap, horrors offer a sense of security and help viewers see past the chaos.
In addition to horrors’ secure structure, whatever happens on-screen has absolutely no consequence in real life. A popular mental health approach is to leave issues at your feet and to not take on other people’s stress around you. Watching scary content is like you are mimicking that approach. You listen and watch the chaos unfold, then turn the film off and leave without feeling like you need to go out a decapitate a zombie or ring the local priest for an exorcism. This is great practice for those who are trying to take on less.
Escapism
Even though people who love horrors are foreign to me, watching what you love is a great way to simply push everything aside and take a moment to unwind. Turn off your phone, snacks, and curtains, have your favourite snacks, and snuggle up to watch your favourite something. If aliens abducting humans is your safe place, who am I to judge your form of escapism and happiness.
Real Life Horror
In a recent Stuff podcast Mark Miller from Monash University talks about how scary films prompt us to think about how we would navigate in difficult situations in real-life. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic a popular genre to watch was horror (which sounds a bit bizarre imho), however he explains that during times of high-stress watching horror films can teach you to model and predict your own emotional reactions while under pressure, in a safe, scary situation.
It’s still surprising that I am the one writing this blog but I’m here to tell you there is true value in watching horrors. They can have a positive impact on mental health and help those who are struggling with anxiety and stress. Here at the tari we encourage people to think about what they are watching. Avoid just analysing the negative and look for the positive impacts that screen time can have in your life. If you aren’t a horror buff, please don’t go watch scary content, because you will probably lose a whole lot of sleep and perhaps add a bit more stress to your life. If you do love horrors, be intentional about what you watch and make sure you save some time to reflect on your emotional responses and reactions, and how you can use them to help you in the real world.
Happy watching you crazy kids!
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