"Every October, laughter and shrieks echo across neighborhoods as lights dim and pumpkins glow. From spooky masks (anyone else still have nightmares about Scream?) to elaborate haunted houses, Halloween is more than costumes and candy-it's a collective celebration of one of our most primal emotions: fear. Our fascination is about fright and what happens in the brain when we feel safe enough to play with fear in one deliciously spooky adventure."
"When we choose fear-by watching a scary movie, walking through a haunted house, or jumping at a playful "boo"-another brain region joins the conversation. The prefrontal cortex, our reasoning center, reassures us that we're safe. That dialogue between the emotional and rational brain transforms stress into thrill. Dopamine, the brain's feel-good messenger, floods our system; the same neurochemical surge that drives curiosity, laughter, and love."
Fear is an ancient survival system driven by the amygdala, which triggers adrenaline and cortisol to sharpen focus and prepare fight, flight, or freeze responses. When fear is chosen and experienced as safe, the prefrontal cortex signals safety and converts stress into thrill, releasing dopamine that produces excitement and pleasure. Reframing fear as play supports emotional regulation and resilience in children and adults by combining adrenaline, laughter, and rhythm to transform terror into joy, connection, and celebration. Dissonant music engages neural circuits associated with danger, intensifying both fear and exhilaration. Communal rituals like Halloween provide controlled environments for exploring pleasurable fright.
Read at Psychology Today
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