Why Do So Many Trauma Survivors Love Scary Movies?
It’s all about the three C’s — comfort, control, and catharsis.
The first Halloween costume I ever chose for myself was the Grim Reaper.
Being surrounded by the other Kindergarten girls dressed as Disney princesses didn’t deter me or make me feel left out in the slightest. Behind my black hood — with a scythe at least two heads taller than me — I felt powerful.
After all, princesses are mere mortals. Death reigns eternal.
Sure, I loved watching Disney movies as a kid. But I loved watching dark, frightening things even more. That might be what led to my choice of costume.
Growing up, I also had a lot of anxiety and fear about parts of my life I couldn’t control — my parents’ fights and subsequent separation, moving back and forth across state lines a couple of times a month, attending preschool for the first time, and more. It’s clear to me now that those anxious feelings came from trauma. Still, I loved putting myself in frightening situations by choosing scary media — movies, shows, books — you name it. As an adult, I still do.
I’m not the only one who feels this way. I know tons of horror fans with trauma or other mental health issues they’re working through — and it doesn’t make them…
