Researchers have found that highly sensitive people (HSPs) are wired differently. The environment around them can often overstimulate them, and their high degree of empathy means that watching horror movies can often be an experience too intense or too uncomfortable for them.
Empaths are often overwhelmed by violent, fast-paced, or loud movies. Even the soundtrack can be too loud as well. Still, sensitive people love heart-warming movies so I want to share a few movies that I love. I am pleased to offer you my recommendations for empath-friendly films.
In general, though, Analysts' combination of Intuitive Energy and Thinking Nature is ideal for enjoying scary movies. Intuitive personality types love to look for hidden meaning and tend to let their imagination run wild, and horror films stimulate those impulses in a way no other genre can.
Horror entertainment can trigger the fight-or-flight response, which comes with a boost in adrenaline, endorphins, and dopamine. The brain can then process surroundings and conclude that the experience is not a genuine threat. This knowledge of personal safety is one reason horror fans habitually watch scary movies.
Many people believe that horror fans have low empathy. The claim that horror fans lack empathy is rooted in a flawed interpretation of a 2005 meta-analysis. Some morbidly curious people score high in empathy. Horror fans and morbidly curious people may be less coldhearted than the average person, research suggests.
Yes, some researchers do believe that the typical physical reaction to arousing movies results in the release of opiate endorphins. Addiction to trauma (such as in viewing frightening films) is tied up in biology. That is, the films rev up the body's sympathetic nervous system, inducing stress and anxiety.
For those suffering from anxiety, it can sometimes feel like there is no way out. Perhaps this is why many struggling with anxiety disorder look to escape their troubles with distractions like horror movies.
It helps us feel in control. In one recent study, Clasen found that anxious people might get better at handling their own anxiety by watching scary movies. “There may be a relief in seeking out situations that give you a blast of well-defined fear with a clear source and a crucial element of control,” he explains.
In the study, researchers found that watching horror films promotes healthy coping strategies and anxiety management techniques for those with anxiety. One researcher speculates that this positive reaction is due to the sense of control over a fear that horror movies provide.
Focus on interesting plots and characters. Although not all horror films have the most unique storylines or characters, most people who watch them still focus on this. That is because an interesting plot with innovative touches and unique characters can make any film more enjoyable.
People who tend to experience negative moods are also vulnerable to distress after watching horror films because they show a poor reaction to human suffering. This means that individuals with depression, which is closely related to anxiety, may be prone to anxiety when watching scary movies.
Psychological horror is a subgenre that combines horror and psychological fiction. The genre focuses on mental, emotional, or psychological states in order to frighten and disturb the audience. The genre focuses on psychological fears like madness, anxiety, guilt, and paranoia.
Empaths can understand the depth of emotional suffering and are great at listening and offering advice. Therapists can work in private practices, clinics, hospitals, rehab facilities and mental health centers.
Empaths share all the traits of what Dr. Elaine Aron has called “Highly Sensitive People,” or HSPs. These include: a low threshold for stimulation; the need for alone time; sensitivity to light, sound, and smell; and an aversion to large groups.
For some viewers who have anxiety or trauma, horror movies only make matters worse. But for others, horror can help provide relief from pent-up tension.
Something called “horror-induced horniness” has a lot to do with the body's physiological response to fear. When we're scared, our bodies typically have some natural and hormonal responses reports Refinery 29. Our adrenaline and cortisol levels go up and blood goes to our extremities.
Studies have shown that horror can help us with grief, anxiety, depression, and a number of other disorders. For someone experiencing a deep loss or processing trauma, it becomes less about the deaths and more about the survivor.
Post-horror relaxation: While we feel highly stimulated during a horror experience, a sense of relief arrives after a positive conclusion of the experience (e.g., the evil entity gets obliterated), triggering the release of endorphins in our brain. This group of peptides can make us feel relaxed and refreshed.
Your Brain: Horror movies can trigger a reaction in those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. In rare instances, watching these films can also cause PTSD.
Feeling like there is someting wrong, odd, or strange about how you feel is a common sign and symptom of anxiety, anxiety disorder, and anxiety and panic attacks.
Horror film actors exaggerate facial and bodily expression not only to portray different emotions like fear, shock, nervousness, desperation, and tension, but also as a narrative strategy.
Watching horrific images can trigger unwanted thoughts and feelings and increased levels of anxiety or panic, and even increase our sensitivity to startle-eliciting stimuli, making those of us who are anxious more likely to respond negatively and misinterpret the sensations as real threats.