Horror Movies Can Affect Your Health More Than You Think
By ERIN BRADY
Movies - TV
Horror movies: "they'll rot your brain, or turn you into a violent maniac!" At least, those are the urban legends we used to be told and while they aren't true — scary movies might actually affect you physically.
The gory and gruesome scenes in horror movies can often seem distressing, but they can actually provide comfort especially if you have anxiety. Scientists found that people with anxiety disorders can find horror movies relaxing due to knowing that distress is coming through a jump-scare or slasher kill and that is more relieving than experiencing a distressing event without warning.
Studies also found that with healthy jolts of adrenaline the elevation in vitals can be similar to exercise and that more white blood cells could be circulated around a person's body if they watch a stress-inducing yet fictional horror movie. That's not to say there isn't the potential for negative side effects.
The body does not always register what is real vs. what is fake, and your body could overreact like someone is actually about to kill you. There are also people who experience motion sickness during shaky "found footage" films like "Cloverfield." Ultimately, the effects experienced while watching horror movies vary on an individual basis.