Watching horror movies has mental health benefits

Question

Discover the psychologist effects of watching horror movies and learn why scary movies can be good for your mood and help with anxiety, according to an expert.

Comments

This article was super interesting and relatable to anyone who has ever seen horror movies. When it mentions that horror movies can help you overcome your fear. I totally agree, as I used to hate them but then realized they are very entertaining and stupid at times. On the other hand they leave me paranoid but the rush of watching beats that.

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This article explores how scary movies can psychologically help your mental health. For example, Alissa Jerud of University of Pennysylvania emphasizes how the hormone adrenaline can be released to maintain heartrate and bloodflow. UPenn is a trustyworthy university, so including the source of the articles makes the articles reliable. However, this article exaggerates the claim, as while small doses of adrenaline can be helpful, the article doesn't mention the long term of effects of long built up anxiety. The article counters the claims to scary movies always behing good for your mood, but I think the article needs to delve deeper into the long term effects of anxiety. Because the article doesn't address all points of the story, this article is somewhat helpful.

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This claim is far too generalized. Some people may enjoy watching horror movies, but I can personally say I do not. I also do not see a correlation between enjoyment and boosts in mood and anxiety for those who do not like to watch these movies.

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I really like you explanation of why this claim is exaggerated, along with the source you provided! Upon first seeing this claim I thought that it was subjective to different people and their taste in movies. Personally, I could never see how a horror movie would be that of a stress reliever or help with anxiety as I do not like any kind of horror. The UPenn study you noted is very credible and very interesting to provide in your response! I really liked that perspective. Overall, great factcheck.

Answer 1

The claim that watching horror movies has mental health benefits is true but misleading/exaggerated. The article that posted the claim from livestrong.com has credible resources to back up its claim. At the top of the article, it says that it was reviewed by Colleen Neumann, who is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. There is also a link attached to her name that shows all of the over fact-checking that she has completed which helps support her credibility. The article claims that watching horror movies can give you a "feel-good rush" which is supported by a quote from Alissa Jerud who is a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The article also quotes a study by the National Library of Medicine that supports the idea that horror movies can help you cope with fear. Jerud is also quoted again supporting the same idea. However, some of the evidence used is from other articles posted from livestrong.com which does imply that they are pushing a certain agenda of the company and that there is a bias to promote the media outlet. Overall, this claim is true but misleading/exaggerated because the article's reasons, no matter how true they are, use words such as "can" and "might" which is does not guarantee for every person who watched horror movies will experience those benefits. Although, the article has been fact checked by a credible source, uses real studies that relate to the claim, and real quotes from those connected to it.

Another source by Penn State Health (https://pennstatehealthnews.org/2022/10/the-monster-medical-minute-is-horror-healthy/) also supports the idea that watching horror movies gives you a "feel-good" rush which some people enjoy according to Dr. Ramnarine Boodoo, a child psychiatrist at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. However, it is hard to determine whether someone could call that a health benefit.

Comments

I really apprentice the time you took in researching this. Not only did you check the source to make sure it was credible, you went off that and checked other officials. This was very detailed well written and well throughout!

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I think this is a really well rounded response to this question. It's amazing that you took the time to do all this research and put together such a thoughtful answer.

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This is a great response to this claim. You share that the claim is true but misleading/exaggerated. You got straight to the point and provide evidence to conclude that this claim is misleading. I also like that you said "can" and "might" do not guarantee that everyone watching horror movies will experience benefits.

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Thank you for adding extra sources that back up your claims on the topic, as this allows people to do their own research and verify for themselves what it is that you are claiming

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I think that this a great fact check that really covers all the bases, from the title of the article to all the details. I agree that the statement that horror movies have mental health benefits is largely exaggerated and the article did very little in itself to prove this statement. I think its really great that while fact checking you investigated the quotes that were used. I will say that I do think you have an opinion on this topic that reads very clearly, but maybe being a little more open minded, I guess is the word I landed on.

Answer 2

Yes, watching horror movies can benefit your mental health, but it can also negatively affect it. Some positive effects include confronting your fears, which can be especially helpful for those with PTSD or other psychological conditions, or enjoying the adrenaline rush, if that’s something that makes you feel good. On the flip side, horror movies can negatively impact your sleep, which in turn can hurt your mental health. They are also more likely to have adverse effects on those who suffer from anxiety. So overall, mental health effects from watching horror mostly just depends on whether you enjoy the genre or not.

Source: Can Horror Movies Negatively Impact Your Mental Health? (healthline.com)

Comments

I liked that you dived into the other aspects of the effects that horror movies can have on mental health because it brings up a good contrasting argument. But could you have done more to prove or deny the article's claim, rather than presenting a whole other argument? Good job for including a new source.

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This is a very valid claim because it comes from both perspectives. It explains that the claim should have been more specific because saying it has mental health benefits is not entirely true when there are negative side effects to mental health. This is good source but there is no direct quotes and connections to the article. The article goes into a lot of depth about the negative and positive side effects horror movies have on mental health so this should be more elaborated.

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I think that you are right that the claim is exaggerated/misleading, and you did a good job presenting ways that horror movies can affect people's mental health differently. However,  I think that you could focus on evaluating the source, author, content, and possible studies behind the article along with presenting your own reasoning. This would strengthen your fact-check by keeping the original article and claim in mind!

Answer 3

While I think the claim could be a bit more accurate if it said "Horror movies *can* have mental health benefits", there is nothing inherently false about this claim. The article is backed up by Alissa Jerud, a licensed clinical psychologist with a PHD. Jerud says that horror movies can be used as exposure therapy to combat PTSD and anxiety. Seeing something that can be triggering over and over again in a fictional setting can make it easier for people to overcome their fears or combat ptsd. However, this same article literally goes in depth on how horror movies can make anxiety much worse. The effects of horror movies on one's mental health are inconsistent and will always be different person to person. Jerud's claims regarding the benefits, however, have been supported elsewhere. Mental Health Today, a mental health research company based in the United Kingdom has had similar findings to Jerud and claim they can ease anxiety in the right case. So while this claim is technically true, it is important to take it with a grain of salt and make sure one does what's best for their specific situation when trying to better any mental health issues.

Mental Health Today https://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/innovations/releasing-fear-how-horror-films-can-help-to-ease-anxiety#:~:text=Watching%20a%20horror%20film%20allows,feel%2Dgood%20hormones%20we%20mentioned

Comments

I like how this fact-check talks about the information that was left out because although, as you mentioned, nothing was false it's also not exclusively true. Since the article you referenced was from 2022 and the studies were from 2020 I wonder if there would be anything different in a new article/study.

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I enjoyed how your fact check examines how some claims are only partially true. Which is a constant phenomenon with many fact checks. I also liked the grain of salt, which provides the concept that moderation is the only truth. Good Job overall with the validity and detail

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I appreciate how your fact-check uses information from a licensed clinical phycologist, and how she describes the 'benefits'. I like how to pointed out that even though the original claim is exaggerated, its facts to back it up were true. I also agree that the world *can* should have been added to the original claim, strengthening it.

Answer 4

Claiming that watching horror movies can have certain health benefits is correct. As referenced in the below (and original) article, a study investigating an association between psychological preparedness to the COVID-19 pandemic and consuming morbid or horror-based media had positive results. It asserts that "simulating" fearful situations assisted with rational reactions during the pandemic and moderating intense emotional responses. The study was published by the National Library of Medicine, a reputable government-regulated website. Additionally, it was conducted by four professionals with relevant graduate degrees to the topic. 

Other claims communicated in the article such as that horror media can give individuals a mood-boosting adrenaline rush and that consuming horror can lead to personal insight about one's fears are equally verifiable. All arguments reference academic articles published on non-for-profit, institution-based websites. Additionally, these studies' authors either are directly searchable by their work or have listed credentials on such sites. 

Thus, while psychological variation is inherent to consumers' relationships with horror media (preventing such films' universal benefit), the primary article acknowledges this. In its rebuttal, it asserts that horror content can increase short-term anxiety as well as develop callousness to violence in real life. 

Therefore, to the extent that its potential health benefits are clinically proven, horror can legitimately improve mental and physical well being. However, depending on individual psyche and preferences, these advantages may be inapplicable.

Source (same as above): https://www.livestrong.com/article/13778648-are-horror-movies-bad-for-you/

Answer 5

Watching horror movies can serve as a form of stress relief and help an individual confront their fears in a controlled environment. Additionally, the adrenaline rush from a scare can release endorphins. A few more facts: scary movies can help cope with stressful situations outside of the movie theater. Horror movies can help build resilience by exposing you to stress and fear. This can help you handle stressful situations in real life. Horror movies provide a controlled environment to explore and confront fears without real-world consequences; its like a form of exposure therapy where you can face your anxieties in a safe place. Surprisingly, to me, feeling fear in a controlled environment can be a great way to release pent-up emotions. Its similar to how crying can be cathartic. Of course there are negative effects if you overdo it; it can cause anxiety and sleep issues. I also just think its on the person whether horror movies have health benefits or not. I do not watch horror movies because I get scared, and I can live my life perfectly without watching them.

https://calmerry.com/blog/psychology/top-5-reasons-horror-movies-can-actually-benefit-your-mental-health/?form=MG0AV3

https://circledna.com/blog/mental-health-benefits-of-watching-horror-movies/?form=MG0AV3

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-do-horror-movies-affect-your-mental-health?form=MG0AV3

Comments

Hi Lucas! Wow you did a great job with your fact check. I liked how even tho you didn't state or explain any direct evidence that you got from the claims articles, I was still able to understand what you thought about the claim. I agreed with the idea you stated about how  horror movies provide a controlled environment to explore and confront fears. And how you followed it up with a similiary to compare it to to help with the readers process of understanding the claim. You compared it watching horror is like a form of exposure therapy where you can face your anxieties in a safe place. I hadn't really thought of scary movies like this and it made me feel more confident in wanting to try watching a horror movie. I do like how even tho there are benefits, you explained that the person that watches them determines whether or not they have benefits, due to the fact that every person reacts differently. Thank you for your replay!

Answer 6

The article based on the claim that watching horror movies has mental health benefits provides many sources to back this up. Studies from licensed psychologist Alissa Jerud at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia explains that the flight or fight response viewers experience from horror movies sends hormone adrenaline through the human body system, and that this can be beneficial. Other studies from Personality and Individual Differences‌ explain a theory that fans of horror movies helped many adjust to COVID-19 as it was compared to that of a zombie apocalypse. The article then shifts claims by stating that horror movies may actually affect some people's health, through panic attacks, anxiety, and people experiencing rapid spike/drop in blood pressure when viewing horror. While the article gave informative resources of the benefits in horror, it failed to focus on relevant information to prove that, and instead shifted claims that refutes the main point. 

Answer 7

This cannot be true or false because it varies depending on the person. Horror movies are designed to affect the body's senses, making people feel a particular cosmic pain, which often affects them physiologically. This is not for the better and often very unhealthy. However, it's not straight-up false, this is because they do allow you to face fears in a safe place. And for people with OCD or anxiety this is very beneficial. But this still does not apply to everyone, this is why this is neither true or false.

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-do-horror-movies-affect-your-mental-health

Comments

Good fact check! It is important to recognize the subjectivity of this topic. A horror movie may be healthy for one person and unhealthy for another. However, I wouldn't necessarily say that this claim is neither true nor false, because it is true that there can be mental health benefits from watching horror movies. It is just a topic that needs more research.

Answer 8

This article was written with the research and experience of an exposure therapist. As someone with PTSD, exposure therapy has been a huge factor in treating it. Horror movies can be a great way to cope with PTSD, depending on where the PTSD stems from. Horror movies allow you to experience terrifying scenarios in a safe and secure environment. The article also acknowledges that though there are mental health benefits, there are also drawbacks, leading me to find their claim true.

Comments

You mentioned that horror movies can help people with PTSD by offering a safe way to face scary situations, which is a really interesting idea! But I’m not sure this would work for everyone with PTSD, since trauma triggers can be very personal. For some, horror movies might even cause more stress. Did the article back this up with studies or was it more based on personal stories? It could help to clarify, since not every kind of therapy works the same for everyone.

Answer 9

The claim that watching horror movies can be good for your mood and help with anxiety is somewhat true, but exaggerated and misleading. The article says horror movies can give you a rush of adrenaline. Yes, this can be good in some instances, but this isn’t going to be long term boost of a persons mental health. The article then says horror movies can help people cope with their fears. Yes, this is true, but again this isn’t substantial at all to a persons long term mental health. The third reason that horror movies can boost mental health is that they can teach you something about yourself. Yes, you can learn things from a horror movie, but that isn’t enough to say that they boost mental health. The claims made by this article can be made about any genre of movie as well as just about any activity. Yes, horror movies can boost your mood, but they’re not going to have any sort of major impact on your mental health.

Answer 10

While horror movies can have a positive impact on mental health, there’s other negative aspects to it. I do agree with what they said about horror movies helping with overcoming challenges in your life–“‘When we're focused on something happening in our own lives that seems terrible and we see something in a horror movie, it might make the real thing more manageable,’ Jerud explains. ‘It can put things in perspective. Like, if they survived that horrific thing, I can do this.’" But on the other hand, horror movies can negatively affect sleep patterns which then can worsen mental health. Overall, I have mixed feelings about this claim because it has both valid points but then also, a lot of missed opportunities to give more arguments on why this claim could be true.

Comments

I appreciate you pointing out that the effect of horror movies on mental health varies person to person. It seems like horror movies could have adverse effects on someone with an overactive imagination and bad anxiety, even if they're just short term effects that lead to positive effects after more exposure. People's minds react differently to all media, and horror movies aren't excluded from this.

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While I do agree that there are negative effects that can be correlated to horror movies, I think it is good to be aware of the correlation-causation fallacy. Also, I think that attaching studies or articles to support your claim about negative effects would strengthen your claim.