Did you know that small doses of fear and horror might be good for you?
Whether you’re spending this Halloween enjoying treats in front of a scary film or venturing out for a thrill-seeking experience, it’s important to know the effects that fear – and the euphoric feeling once it passes – could have on your health.
Read on to discover the science behind why you might enjoy a good scare, and how it can affect your mental and physical wellbeing.
Why does fear feel good?
Your body has evolved to respond to scary stimuli using the fight or flight instinct.
When you’re frightened, three important chemicals help you survive the potentially dangerous situation.
First, there’s adrenaline. This chemical triggers the fight or flight instinct and causes physical reactions such as:
- Increasing your heart rate
- Dilating your pupils so you can see better
- Widening your bronchi so you can take in more oxygen
- Diverting blood and glucose to vital organs and skeletal muscles.
Adrenaline is what makes you feel faster and stronger when you’re presented with a threat, but it also provides a pleasant “rush” of energy.
Then, your body releases cortisol. This stress hormone regulates many different bodily functions but tends to spike when we are fighting to survive a scary experience.
Cortisol helps you stay alert for a long time after the adrenaline wears off and can also make you feel more energised by triggering the release of glucose from your liver.
And finally, your bodies release dopamine. This neurotransmitter is associated with pleasure and is usually released as a reward for overcoming an obstacle or completing a task.
However, the anticipation of a dopamine rush can be just as addictive as the actual release itself and might be the reason why you keep choosing to watch horror films or visit a haunted house every Halloween.
Can fear improve your mental health?
There are ancient records of humans passing down scary stories to teach children about dangers they might encounter, such as wolves or other predators.
Although it may not look the same, we’ve kept this practice up in modern times.
Horror films tend to explore a common fear society is facing during the time of its production and release. For example, the 1954 Godzilla film delves into the anxieties about nuclear weapons, only a few years after atomic bombs were used in the second world war.
And more recently, in March 2020, downloads of the movie Contagion surged, in time with the Covid-19 pandemic.
This desire to spend time in fictional worlds that deal with real-life problems can help us feel more prepared for handling worst-case scenarios.
Enjoyment of fear and choosing to interact with scary experiences can improve our psychological resilience. Not only does it allow us to cope better with unpredictable situations, but it can also lower feelings of stress.
In fact, researchers at Exeter University found that when children’s play involves risk and fear, it can function as a protective factor against anxiety, as well as improve emotional regulation.
Does fear influence your physical health?
Short bursts of fear can also have a positive impact on your physical health, as well as your emotional wellbeing.
A healthy dose of adrenaline can boost your immune system in the same way exercise does. Indeed, researchers found that fear can cause the body to produce white blood cells to combat anxiety in the same way as it would to fight an infection.
Furthermore, the cocktail of chemicals your body releases when it is scared can boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories. While a horror movie marathon won’t help you to lose weight in the same way exercising and eating healthy will, it can still help you improve your heart and lung health.
Can too much fear damage your health?
Everyone has different thresholds for how much fear they can cope with, and long-term fear or genuinely terrifying experiences can damage your mental and physical health.
Humans enjoy being a little bit out of their comfort zone, but when they are pushed too far from their normal physiological state, it can cause short- and long-term problems. This is why it is vital to find the “sweet spot” between fear and enjoyment.
Experiencing too much fear – whatever that looks like for you – can lead to distress, dysfunction, or chronic anxiety, as well as other mental health conditions.
The long-term effects of experiencing some of the chemicals associated with fear too often, especially cortisol, can even cause physical and emotional symptoms such as:
- Shaking
- Irritability
- Exhaustion
- Chest pain
- Headaches
- Depression
- Panic attacks
- Muscle tension
If you’d like to benefit from the increased psychological resilience and enjoyment of a good scare, it’s important to find this “sweet spot” and not expose yourself to too much horror.
And remember: a fun Halloween activity for one person might be truly terrifying for another.