Science of Fear: Why We Love Being Terrified on Halloween

upstart writes:

Science of fear: Why we love being terrified on Halloween:

On the face of it, deliberately choosing to be scared seems rather unusual.

[...] "A big part of the draw is there's an adrenaline rush'' explained Arianna Galligher, associate director of the Trauma Recovery Center at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

At the exact moment we feel fear -- elicited from a jump scare in a horror film, for instance -- our brain releases a cocktail of endorphins and adrenaline. That mixture of hormones, Galligher says, is similar to what the brain sends out during moments of excitement. Of course, we rejoice in excitement. That's why fear often feels good.

"Fear and excitement are two sides of the same coin," she said. "And for a lot of people, that sort of jolt is exciting even if fear is an ingredient."

Short-lived terror can also offer a uniquely satisfying experience. When we're purely excited or happy, Galligher says our body primarily triggers dopamine, the classic pleasure hormone. But if the section of our brain responsible for judging threats, the amygdala, decides there's danger, adrenaline and a stress hormone called cortisol get added to the mix.

Those two activate our survival instincts.

"That's when you start to notice those physical sensations in your body," Galligher said. "Your breath gets kind of short and shallow, your heart might start pumping faster, you start to feel a little restless. Your eyesight gets a little better, you're keyed up, you're on edge, you're ready to react."

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