The heartbeat of the house echoes as you walk down the hallway. The conversations between you and your friends are reflected. You make jokes with your friends about how spooky the house is until one of your friends says something strange. Their heads slowly cock to the side in unison as they murmur, “What are you doing here?”
Fear is clutching your throat, and you find that you aren’t talking to your friends. They completely vanish out of thin air, and the hairs on your neck instantly rise. A tall, sinister figure looms over in their place, which is something your brain can’t even articulate.
You try to run away; do anything to get away from whatever took your friends. Your eyes flicker to the exit, and when you turn back, the figure is suddenly gone. Breathing a sigh of relief, you turn to leave, but as you do, the figure lunges at you, and everything goes dark.
Halloween is the best time of year to consume anything thrilling. If you’re anything like me, the eerie feeling this story gives you is what makes you look forward to October.
You can read and watch scary stories any time of the year, but there’s something about Halloween that truly makes them more thrilling. So why do we actively seek out these things during October?
When I read horror books, I only ever read them in October. I mean, Agatha Christie truly burns a hole in my wallet this time of year.
But in a way, it is essentially the same thing as decorating for the seasons. Halloween decorations are put up in September or October but aren’t generally set up year-long.
This is because, for many of us, the adrenaline the thrill gives us is addictive. When I am in the midst of a semester and homework takes over my entire life, I love running away to a haunted world. I don’t have time to read or watch anything that isn’t assigned to me, which is fine, but when I have the opportunity to read something from this century, I want it to make me feel something.
Adrenaline is addictive, and we actively seek it out constantly. Whether it is jumping out of airplanes or walking through a scary cornfield, adrenaline shoots through your body which triggers a flight or fight response.
An article published in The Atlantic, “The Science of the Thrill,” said as adrenaline rushes into your body, your heart rate quickens, and more oxygen goes to your body and into your brain. This feeling can last up to a minute, and immediately after the heart rate cools down, your brain receives a flood of mood-boosting chemicals that lead people to seek it out over and over again.
When we seek out scary things during Halloween, we are seeking out the adrenaline it can give us. When I read something scary, I instantly feel like the book is something I can finish in one sitting.
Experts say seeking adrenaline isn’t dangerous unless it starts to control your life. Ashwood Recovery, a rehabilitation center for addiction, said, “Many people can do this in moderation or in more minor, low-risk settings such as horror movies or theme parks. However, once a person becomes addicted to adrenaline, they may find that the addiction begins to take over all areas of their life.”
Seasonal traditions during October include watching and reading something scary. Because of this, it is completely natural to want to read or watch something scary. Just don’t let it get too far and take over your life.
Seeking the thrill is a common occurrence among many people. Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie or take advantage of the Halloween fun, so many of us love the way scary books and movies make us feel.
Even if seeking adrenaline was a bad thing, I would still be reading scary books in the middle of the night, even if it makes it impossible to fall asleep without the lights on afterward.
