Our love affair with fear

I’m not sure how it happened, but Tom and I raised three kids who love scary movies. It wasn’t genetic.

These precious babies, who once watched cartoons while sipping juice boxes, grew into young adults who love to pile into a car together and go to a movie that would melt my face off and cause permanent insomnia.

Why do they do this? What’s so fun about being scared? I just spent two decades trying to protect these people from terror, only to have them grow up and pay eleven bucks to be immersed in it while devouring Milk Duds. How does this happen?

After some research, I think I’m beginning to understand. It turns out that fear is more complex than I gave it credit for. According to psychologists at the Cleveland Clinic, the human brain is hard-wired to feel freaked out and have fun at the same time.

It’s all about chemical reactions. When we feel scared, the part of our brain that controls the fight-or-flight response starts cranking out two hormones – adrenaline and cortisol. The adrenaline then triggers the release of dopamine and endorphins, which are “feel-good” hormones. So, the upside of being petrified during a movie is that you get the rush of those feel-good hormones without the physical threat of being murdered with a chainsaw.

But three things must be in place before fear can feel fun. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, research suggests that people need three different types of “protective frames” to feel happy yet horrified at the same time.

• Safety: You don’t have to go to Harvard to know that if the shark from Jaws actually burst through a screen and gobbled people up like Skittles, ticket sales would go way down. One of the reasons people can enjoy scary movies is because we know that, in a couple hours, the movie will end. The hero will (probably) make it out alive. And we’ll drive home while we laugh about all the scenes that made us jump, gasp, and possibly pee a little.
• Detachment: My daughter is especially good at detachment because she loves acting and studies the behind-the-scenes work of plays and movies. One time seven years ago, when we were in a theatre watching a movie called “A Dog’s Purpose,” I dissolved into a full-on “ugly cry” when the movie dog died. My then 10-year-old daughter put an arm around me and said, “Mom, it’s okay. Remember, the dog is an actor. They trained him for this, and he got treats. He’s fine.” (She was right, but I’m still sad about that fictional dog.) In movie studios all over the world, people are using their God-given creativity to design fictional monsters and special effects so disgusting that it makes me gag on my Raisinets. But they’re getting paid to create a safe scare, and I bet their parents are proud because that art degree really was an awesome idea after all.
• Control: Fear doesn’t feel out of control when you can press pause to make the zombies stop eating brains. If the hair on the back of your neck stands up, you can stand up and escape to the concession stand. When you’re in control, the danger feels more doable.

Even if you have the trifecta of safety, detachment, and control, you might still avoid scary movies, and that’s okay. Some of us are overthinkers who replay things in our minds and then worry about fictional characters long after the movie ends. (For example, I nearly taped my eyelids open after watching Nightmare on Elm Street as a teenager in 1985.)

If you, however, are one of the lucky people who can escape this nerve-wracking election season by diving into even stranger things in a movie, you should go for it. I hope this Halloween brings you all the thrills and chills you crave.

But if you’re like me and cover your eyes when a 30-second horror movie preview comes on TV, just know we’re not alone. Then think about how many fun-size Twix bars and Reece’s peanut butter cups are floating around on October 31st. Scary movies aren’t the only things that trigger the release of delightful dopamine. Chocolate does, too.

Pass the candy bowl.

Gwen Rockwood is a syndicated freelance columnist. Email her at gwenrockwood5@gmail.com. Her book is available on Amazon.