When it comes to movie genres, there’s none that’s seen more controversy than this particular niche. While the reported negative effects of watching any movie depend more on the individual and their susceptibility to the same, the fact remains that watching horror movies does come with its own negative effects. A few studies have even conclusively established the link between rising incidences heart attacks and horror movies; this is why it is time we took a closer look at some of the negative effects of horror movies.
- Adrenaline: Watching a horror movie can cause you to experience several psychological cues and since the effects of the movie can vary depending on the individual, this can cause you to either be terrified or remain unaffected. One of the reasons why cult horror classics like ‘The Exorcist’ caused massive outrage and reaction was because the audience found the movie thoroughly terrifying. While being terrified, your body jump-starts its natural defense mechanism and as a result, causes an overproduction of adrenaline. Adrenaline has been known to trigger heart attacks and true to the norm, there have been several cases of cardiac issues being reported in, from audiences watching horror movies.
- Sleeplessness: Watching a terrifying movie is bound to cause you to experience bouts of sleeplessness. You may find it hard to even close your eyes for a few minutes; and as mentioned earlier, the effects of the movie depends on the individual. If you happen to be one of those who often find it difficult to watch horror movies on the television, then chances are good that you are bound to find watching the same on the big screen quite terrifying and as result, would be unable to attain any good night sleep for a while.
- Panic attacks, anxiety: Watching a horror movie after you had experienced a traumatic event can cause you to relive the same event and in the process, cause you to experience more stress, and even cause panic attacks. As a result, watching the movie is bound to leave you on the edge with your anxiety levels being ramped up.
- Desensitization: Watching too many horror movies can leave you desensitized to the extent that it can impact your empathy. As a result, you may find it harder to empathize with others; it should be pointed out that this is not a rational or even a conscious act but rather an unconscious one on the part of your brain. Again, it depends more on the individual and the makeup of their personality
These are some of the associated negative effects that come with watching horror movies. And if you are planning to watch a few, then you need to make sure that you are not risking your health by doing so. A recent study even highlighted the fact that horror movies have inspired several criminals to carry out their various criminal activities. But since the study is yet to offer any conclusive proof on the same, you can discount it for the moment.