In Good Health Issue #84

While the article is short, I have quite a lot more to say on the subject! With my history in the Halloween & horror industries, I have gained a wealth of insight into the horror genre and both scary and spooky sides of the autumnal holiday. 

Horror and Halloween can be very beneficial to one’s mental health. Firstly, they are both about connecting with others – as I always say, “Halloween is not a holiday you celebrate alone”. With Halloween you connect with neighbors and the people in your community as you go out into your neighborhood or welcome trick or treaters into your yard. Horror connects audiences around the world. No matter where you are from or what your background is, everyone has felt fear; we all know that feeling of the hairs on the back of our neck standing up and the uncomfortable idea that something sinister may lurk in a dark corner. We go into the theater or haunt with a group, enounter all sorts of horrors, and then survive together (even if our onscreen counterparts do not). Trauma bonding.

Secondly, horror and Halloween allow us to face our fears and explore them. Whether you are dodging larger-than-life spiders in a haunted house or getting grossed out by a body-horror film, you get the chance to confront the things that scare you in a safe and controlled environment. Our minds can process our feelings and emotions through a fantastic lens – without having to actually put ourselves in peril.  We can learn to cope and maybe see things differently. 

Lastly, horror and Halloween give us a chace to play make-believe. Horror allows us to dabble in the fantastic and monsters of our youth. Halloween encourages dress-up and becoming whatever you want to be – if only for one night. We all accept these fun, playful activities and allow others to let loose and embrace their inner demons, princesses, or Flamin’ Hot Cheeto. 

There are so many other ways that horror and Halloween can positively impact your mental health. For an in-depth analysis of this science of fear, I highly recommend the works of Dr. Margee Kerr. Her book Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear is a fantastic read.