#1
Logically, fear is supposed to protect us because our ancestors were out here dealing with actual, real-life threats like wild animals and hostile environments.
It is why fear usually triggers the fight-or-flight response.
Over time, we also learned to channel this instinct into stories, and even a source of entertainment.
The earliest traces of horror go way, way back. On ancient Mesopotamian clay tablets like those that tell the story of ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh,’ one can find ghosts, ogres, demons, monstrous beasts, and even proto-zombies.
They are evidence that even early storytellers loved weaving in creepy and supernatural stuff to teach lessons and tap into the same fear instincts that still make us binge horror today.
#3
Be it creepy facts, ghost stories, or full-on nightmare fuel TV shows and movies — they all basically let us face the worst fears… but from the safety of our couch, wrapped in a blanket, snacks in hand.
“People are drawn to scary content because it frightens them, but it’s not actually as weird as it sounds. Scary entertainment is not just about fear, it’s about getting pleasure from fear,” Marc Malmdorf Andersen and Mathias Clasen tell Bored Panda in an interview.
“We believe that people enjoy playing with fear, because it allows them to explore certain physiological and emotional sensations that can be hard to find elsewhere, but also, on a deeper and perhaps subconscious level, because they can learn important things about themselves and about the world, like how we respond under pressure, what we can do to cope, that sort of thing,” they add.
#4
#5
Consuming scary content can make you more vigilant, Andersen and Clasen explain.
“Some people exhibit mild anxiety symptoms after exposure to frightening content, such as sleeping with the lights on, avoiding camping trips after seeing The Blair Witch Project, or staying away from the beach because of Jaws. But there is no evidence that indicate that frightening entertainment can permanently affect your mental health in a negative way.”
They add: “But you might be in for a couple bad nights’ sleep and perhaps some avoidance behavior which typically goes away in due time. With children, these effects can be more pronounced, so it advised to adhere to age guidelines when it comes to children and frightening entertainment.”
#6
#7
Did you know that horror can also help soothe your anxiety?
There’s actually a name for people who seek this thrill as a way to deal with real life — “dark copers,” as dubbed by researchers from the Recreational Fear Lab.
“Yes, this is something we have been surprised to discover in our research, not least because the positive effects of engaging with scary material have been overlooked by researchers for decades. But it seems to be the case that recreational fear can in fact be good for you,” they say.
“When you play with fear, for instance by watching or reading scary stories, you learn something about your own emotional landscape, and you get a chance to practice coping strategies, which is very important for managing stress.”
They have found in field studies that some horror fans actually use horror as a kind of self-medication, to deal with or prevent anxiety.
“We have also found, in another field study at a haunted house where we collected blood samples from guests, that a good scare might have a positive effect on the immune system. So yes, we are finding more and more evidence to suggest that recreational fear is actually an important tool for learning to cope with the horrors of the world,” the researchers added.
#9
#10
It’s not just the dark copers; researchers also divided horror fans into two other categories as well.
There are your adrenaline junkies, the ones who thrive on the heart-pounding rush. Jump scares or sounds, and even suspenseful moments, make them feel alive.
Then there are white knucklers. They don’t love being scared while it’s happening, but they love the feeling of conquering that fear.
Making it through a haunted house or finishing a scary book gives them a sense of accomplishment and even a little insight about themselves.
#11
#12
#13
Feeling a little bit scared in a totally controlled, no-actual-danger way is fun for a lot of people.
In a poll, about 48% of Americans said that they liked watching horror movies.
There are significant differences by age though.
Scary movies appeal more to younger people — 71% of Americans under the age of 35 say they enjoy scary movies, while just 23% of those 65 and above do.
Half of those who said they sometimes had nightmares after watching a scary movie confessed that they still enjoy watching them.
#14
#15
It’s not just movies, many people also actively seek out scary stories through books, podcasts and social media — be it horror, mystery, thriller, or true crime.
A 2025 study found as many as 74% of people in the UK read true crime content, making it one of the most popular scary genres.
Many of us like to casually unwind to real-life stories of murder, deception, crime and forensic investigation.
It’s because of something called “defensive vigilance.”
Like we mentioned earlier, our brains are wired to pay attention to real danger so we can figure out how to stay safe. Reading about a murder case or listening to a creepy true story fires up the same parts of the brain as a scary movie.
It’s curiosity about real-world danger that feels useful, not just entertaining.
#16
#17
A survey of younger readers found that up to 56% read horror and 65% read mystery/thriller genres.
Studies also show that if your interest in scary stuff started when you were a child, chances are you still can’t get enough.
At least 60% of Americans said that watching your first scary movie at a slumber party is a rite of passage.
Several experts believe that watching and reading scary stories can actually train our brains to handle fear. It can even help forge resilience, especially in kids.
“The world can be a scary place – children will get into situations where they’re told off by teachers, or fall out with friends. Knowing how to confront fear is a good thing,” psychologist Emma Kenny told The Guardian.
“Risk and fear are something we need in childhood. We know that people who take risks, in the long term, do better than those who don’t … And how can you feel safe and secure until you know what it’s like to be afraid? Anything that gives you a wide range of emotions in a safe and controlled environment is great,” Kenny added.
#18
#19
If you’re reading this at night, or if you have trouble sleeping at night after going through this list, there may be more than one reason for that.
“People tend to be more tired at night, which can increase anxiety. They are also more likely to consume frightening entertainment in the evening, making that content more recent and more impactful,” Andersen and Clasen explain.
“When it’s dark, it also becomes more difficult for an organism with our kind of visual system (great for 3D vision in daylight, shit-poor in darkness) to orient itself. We’re not really afraid of the dark, we’re afraid of what might be hiding in the dark.”
They say in such conditions, it becomes more difficult to dismiss unlikely (though not strictly impossible) hypotheses, such as the notion that the branch tapping our window could be something more sinister than it appears.
#20
Since you’ve made it this far through the list, it’s pretty obvious you’re into horror, whether it’s the stories or creepy vibes. But it’s also important to remember that not everyone is.
Plenty of people have given the genre a fair shot and still decided that it’s just not for them.
Research suggests that not everyone’s brain rewards fear the same way.
Those who dislike horror may stay in the fear phase and never get that relief high like the fans of horror do. It can actually give some people more anxiety.
“It’s actually a minority who completely avoid scary content. Survey studies show that most people enjoy frightening content, and almost all people enjoy some form of what we have come to call recreational fear, which is to say, activities in which people get pleasure from something that is frightening.”
“Some enjoy roller coasters, others love horror movies, others again are true crime hounds, and so on. It’s really about finding the right kind of recreational fear activity, and the right level of stimulus. Presumably, the big minority of people who avoid horror content altogether tend to find that sort of material too stimulating, too frightening.”