The Horror Movies Downfall

It seems that on present television you are constantly seeing commercial ads previewing the new and upcoming horror movies. Horror movies have always seemed to be the thrill and chill adrenaline rush wanted by many viewers. People who are fascinated with horror movies seem to have the same personality as those who like to live life on the edge. It has been scientifically proven that some viewers crave this spine-chilling buzz that is put off in these jumpy and spooky scenes. It seems that it has become a ritual for society to go to the cinemas to see the newest blood-dripping exorcist or soul-tearing phantoms. But do these horrifying images affect us? It has been found that these movies can generate “fear, anxiety, sleeplessness, phobia, and mental trauma” (“Effects Of Watching Horror Movies”). DeGroat says that the some effects of horror movies have been found to last up into adulthood. In his article, Degroat gives statistics on the lasting effects of viewers who have watched scary movies. The article says “that 90 percent of the study's participants (more than 150 college students at Michigan and Wisconsin) reported a media fright reaction from childhood or adolescence. Moreover, about 26 percent still experience a "residual anxiety" today” (Degroat). This helps to prove that horror films can negatively affect some people causing them distress. Although horror films are very popular amongst Americans today, I believe that these films are causing negative effects on a person’s brain and body. Movies have been known to affect you mentally and physically in ways that are almost undetectable.

Lasting effects from horrifying images have been known to scare children, and teens, as well as adults. As said earlier the scare being portrayed in the movies can cause many different emotions. One of the main effects seen today after watching a scary movie is lack of sleep. It is said that an “immediate psychological effect of scary movies on the minds of people is lack of sleep” (“Effects of Watching Horror Movies”). Fritscher says that after watching movies “shadows seem intimidating, noises are magnified and dreams are often unsettling”. Sleep apnea could cause more problems than interrupting your usual beauty sleep. Without sleeping you could have issues being able to complete your daily work or even operating in your social life. Research has found that there have been situations where these returning horrifying images have caused insomnia (“Effects Of Watching Horror Movies”). In DeGroat’s article, he gives feedback from viewers on their emotions after watching a scary movie. One of the viewers states “For about two months after the movie, I had nightmares about blood" (DeGroat). This showing that negative effects can become long term, lasting into your adult years. If this continues to have too much repetition the viewers could develop more severe illnesses that could could lead to mental and physical sickness.

Although most movies are still the old fashioned way to relax after a long day some can still leave negative lingering emotions. These lingering emotions as said earlier could eventually lead to mental health issues such as mental trauma or behavioral changes. The vibes given off by some movies are hard to process for some. Many are unable to become immune to the horror and gore. In most cases, horror films provoke anxiety related behaviors more than positive long-term effects (Tucker).These issues include undergoing post-traumatic stress disorders, becoming violent, or constantly emotional. “Dr. Glenn Sparks,associate head of the Brian Lamb