Why We Love to Be Scared
Have a Fear for All
Why do we love to be scared? Remember the thrill of your first roller coaster ride? How about those scary stories around a campfire? Or maybe you recall that one house in your neighborhood that had all the tall tales about its ominous past and ghostly inhabitants. Usually there was a simple explanation for everything. But for some people, their imaginations would thrive on the thrill of the unknown. Why are we so different in the way we approach being frightened? Some people embrace every moment, while others refuse to even watch a scary movie.
The answers lie not only in biological responses but even our own personalities.
The effects of fear may actually be a good thing.
Fear creates a very complex biological response involving the release of adrenaline (also called epinephrine, a hormone released by your adrenal glands). While this reaction is part of the process, it doesn’t take into consideration what dopamine and endorphins bring to the table. Dopamine is the thing that calms us down when our bodies are sent into panic mode. Though we might feel out of control, the dopamine kicks in to tell our brains that everything is going to be all right. Endorphins are another feel-good chemical that, in conjunction with dopamine, helps turn an otherwise unpleasant experience into something enjoyable.
But how does that explain how people process fear differently? Katherine Brownlowe, M.D., psychiatrist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, explains in an interview with Healthline that everyone is born with different personalities and temperaments that contribute to their view of fear: “There is a temperamental dimension that we call sensation-seeking, whether that is someone who wants to be challenged, or enjoys thrills and finds these types of experiences exciting. On the other end of the spectrum are people who are averse to those experiences and may be more sensitive, more shy, and more fearful.”
That may explain why some people love to stay up late watching scary movies while others hide underneath the blankets. But there are some biological changes that can work to our advantage. When we are startled, our hearts beat fast; we may hold our breath or breathe rapidly; we start to sweat; and our blood pressure surges, making us jittery and ready to flee. Believe it or not, this can be a good thing.*
This heightened awareness signals us to escape an accident by swerving, avoid a dog that looks suspicious on our morning walk, respond to bright lights or a blaring train whistle. It is a kind of protection response that can keep us safe when something unwelcome comes from out of nowhere.
Also, anticipatory fear, like when taking an important test to graduate or interviewing for a job we really want, benefits us by keeping us alert and on our toes. It is a useful kind of scary — a helpful kind of panic that pushes us forward to do our best. It may seem strange that being scared can actually benefit us health-wise. In reality, our brains are complex mechanisms that know how to react to certain situations in ways that might surprise us. Whether we thrive on being scared or not, the way our brains decide to react to fear may create a pleasant state of being. Knowing that you could get something good out of being scared doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly turn into a horror movie lover, but it might make you more willing to watch the latest paranormal flick … after dark.
*Not everyone may be healthy enough to benefit from being startled.