Watching Scary Movies Is Actually Really Good For Your Health

Who doesn't love to get scared?

It turns out, getting scared is actually super beneficial for your health. We don't necessarily mean something as serious as undergoing trauma. More like going to see The Conjuring or to a haunted house.

As human beings, we are naturally attracted to violence. If you don't believe us, check out paintings during the Dark Ages or literally anything that came out of ancient Rome. We love gruesome, nasty horror because we find it cathartic and fascinating. 

As time has progressed, so have our fears. While the biblical fear of Satan and the devil does still make appearances on the big screen and in novels, now we see a lot of films about murder, the Holocaust, rape, and cannibalism. Think about one of the longest running dramas in television history, Law and Order: SVU. The show is about sexual assault that includes incest, pedophilia, murder, torture, and more. 

While horror films manage to fulfill a deep seeded yet inherent violence within us, they also get our blood pumping with adrenaline. When a horror film builds suspense, our palms start to sweat and our hearts pound out of our chest. This is adrenaline coursing through our veins, making us feel alive. 

Especially in films, shows, haunted houses, etc. that are explicitly about death, this adrenaline is enough to scare us but not so powerful that we believe that there is real danger. Once the adrenaline passes, viewers experience a welcome sense of calm that floods over their bodies, similar to a post-workout nap. 

Whether you are watching a film or clinging to your friends as you walk through a haunted house, getting scared is part of being human and is really good for our health and our soul. It dives into our violent fascination while also cathartically releasing adrenaline through our system. Who would've thought?