Why Horror Films Appeal To Viewers

Every individual has their tastes on the type of entertainment they want depending on
age, gender, and social status. Most teenagers and young adults are intrigued by watching movies
and series which they find entertaining and thrilling. Since different people have different views
on entertainment, they engage in activities that make them happy and improve their living styles.
Additionally, when a person has a good hobby, they improve their living standards and lead a
healthy life. For example, people like watching movies from different genres, which entertains
and provide various life lessons. However, some people enjoy watching horror movies; although
they have disturbing images and language, some find them entertaining. The paper aims at
discussing why people watch horror films, although they are scary and unpleasant.
When a person watches horror movies, they develop coping strategies in case such an
occurrence occurs. Most people globally experience various situations that bring anxiety and
fear, and therefore, they have to develop coping strategies to help them overcome their fears. For
example, a person who lives in a city with constant political and civil unrest experiences various
instances of fear, making them suffer mental illness. Therefore, such people watch horror movies
to help them overcome fear and anxiety since they have to learn coping ways. Additionally, most
horror movies fans have fewer psychological issues since they have trained their minds to cope
with different situations that bring fear. For example, during the coronavirus pandemic, most
people experienced trauma and mental illness since they did not cope with psychological stress.
Therefore, when a person is watching horror movies, they develop strategies to control their
emotions in different situations and a toolkit to solve problems.
Most people watch horror movies to explore their dark side. Every individual has their
own dark experiences which they do not understand and would like to understand. Therefore,

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through watching horror movies, they learn to explore the dark side and experience their
behaviors. For example, when a person watches a series such as Carrie, they feel associated with
the girl since she experiences bullying at school (Greco, 2020). However, some people also root
her for killing her classmates, and most people like to make peace with such dark sides.
Furthermore, most people were bullied in school, and they had different feelings and attitudes
towards their classmates, school, and society. As a result, watching horror movies helps them
identify themselves and their capabilities in such scenarios. Again, most people fear the
unknown, and as a result, they try to explore the other side to treat their curiosity. For example,
after watching horror movies, most people who fear death develop strategies of knowing that
death is normal and people should not be afraid.
Horror movies provide a thrilling rush causing a person's adrenaline to rise and provide a
feeling of safety. Although horror movies are fake, it triggers a rise in adrenaline when a person
is watching, and the body can shift to fight or flight mode. Moreover, the human brain does not
distinguish between reality and fiction at all times, and as a result, it makes the body react in
various ways. For example, when a person is telling a story concerning a horror movie, others
may feel the fear even though they do not see the movie. Therefore, when watching a horror
film, the human brain forgets that the movie is not real and develops reactions and responses
appropriate for such scenarios (Fellizer, 2019). Through scientific research, when the body
produces adrenaline, it leads to the production of dopamine and endorphins, which makes a
person feel ready for battle. Therefore, horror movies can make a person develop a rush that
helps overcome various situations and makes them feel safe.
When watching a horror movie, a person enters a safety net where they feel scared but
safe. Although horror movies lead to a rise in adrenaline levels, the brain is quick to respond to

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such situations, which helps people cope with various frightening situations. For example, when
watching a horror series such as The Purge, a day in the United States where people can engage
in all illegal activities for twenty-four hours without government interference, a person may get
scared. However, the brain would quickly respond to the situation, but since it is not reality, the
brain helps calm the