Researchers say fans of horror films and other post-apocalyptic movies are handling the real-life fear brought by the coronavirus pandemic better than others.
A team in the United States and Denmark finds horror flick enthusiasts are experiencing less psychological distress due to COVID-19. In addition to horror films, movies that fall into the “prepper genres” are also helping people mentally prepare for the disruptions they’re encountering every day. These genres include alien invasions, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic scenarios, and zombie films.
“One reason that horror use may correlate with less psychological distress is that horror fiction allows its audience to practice grappling with negative emotions in a safe setting,” researchers suggest. “Experiencing negative emotions in a safe setting, such as during a horror film, might help individuals hone strategies for dealing with fear and more calmly deal with fear-eliciting situations in real life.”
Reading this makes me feel better about my life choices.
For years, I have always video-recorded to my web site. my classes, and then posted the recordings on the Internet for them to watch whenever they wanted to.
I used to tell the students the videos were a great cure for insomnia, but now it looks like there is a new use.
Watching me teach accounting might be lumped into the horror genre, and as such, could be the perfect film to watch if you are feeling stressed out about COVID-19.
Who knew that my relentless droning on and on in a monotone voice about debits and credits could assist people with their mental health.
I’m hoping Dr. Fauci will give me a shout-out…
*image from StudioBinder
No!!! Anything but these genres I’ve watch some of them and I’m still traumatized. I like romantic comedies 😁
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My wife is the same way – she has no interest in horror movies, but loves rom coms…
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Haha it’s a female thing I guess haha well at least that’s from most girls I know
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Hi, Jim – Although I don’t see myself watching horror films soon, this is fascinating knowledge to drop into conversation. And it makes sense! Thanks for sharing this.
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I don’t think I’ll be going out of my way to watch any horror films. I also hope watching such movies does not desensitize people to real horror…
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Oh gosh! Not exactly a solution for me!! One genre that I will not watch! For they would make me afraid of my own shadow!
I will take you droning on about accounting over that but then again I am not that desperate! 😂
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be careful what you ask for… 🙂
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Haha!
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Sounds interesting. I haven’t watched a horror flick in years. Usually they’re so corny I laugh and groan through them, so I stopped watching them a long time ago.
I think the best horror shows are the true-life crime shows on TV. What human beings are capable of doing in those programs may not parallel the horror of a scary movie in terms of special effects, but it far exceeds in terms of realism.
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truth is stranger than fiction; I’m not much of a fan of horror movies myself…
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Well, I’m all set, Jim, I’ve been reading Stephen King books since I was ten. I had a Cody spot hidden behind the couch where I read all my mom’s books without anyone knowing 😂.
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yes, you are well prepared. And I love that you had a secret spot!
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This is one of the few genres of film that I don’t like. I’ll settle for getting scared on a roller coaster,
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It’s not that I dislike them, but I would prefer to watch something else if given the choice…
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Seems that watching gardening programmes and comedies has left me unprepared for Covid!
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I think a good sense of humor is one of the best things to keep us healthy. And if we all have to start growing our own food – you have an advantage!
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horror films are a nightmare to me! (no pun intended) i have startle response and jump up or scream or apparently hit people with my flailing hands when surprised. i used to love watching scary movies with my sisters when we were young and we loved terrifying ourselves, but i really go in another direction for stress relief these days. if your lectures are as you described, they sound very relaxing as an alternative.
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my wife is the same way; our kids know not to sit near her during a scary movie. and “very relaxing” is very kind way of describing an accounting lecture… 🙂
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exactly, my own do not sit near me, either!
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I would tend to agree that the more often we are placed in fearful situations, the better we become at dealing with that fear and the stress it causes. But seeing your lectures as something scary may be a stretch. Riveting? Maybe not, but not really scary. Turn those discussions about debits and credits into a full-blown tax audit and you may have something. Great post, my friend!
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thanks, Brad; it may be that the lectures don’t scare them, but the tests might 🙂
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“Watching me teach accounting might be lumped into the horror genre …”. Right there! Quips like this beauty … why I love Borden’s Blather. Also, I think you may have inadvertently drafted an outline for a wicked low-budget horror-comedy film in this post. Great stuff, Jim.
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I can see a crazy, wild-haired accounting professor running around with a big red pen giving students a big zero on their test while laughing maniacally…
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It would make for a great trailer scene
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that would be the entire movie… 🙂
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I’m sure you’re doing yourself a disservice! Your sessions can’t really be horrifically dull or frightening, can they? As for horror movies, nothing would ever encourage me to watch one!
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some days might be better than others; but many students do get quite nervous at test time… 🙂
I’m ambivalent about horror movies; I won’t go out of my way to watch one, but I don’t mind one occasionally…
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I’m sure your accounting lectures are a blast. As to horror films, really? I don’t feel like I need to add any fiction to this nightmare. Latest I heard was about a fungus that killed a guy who was gardening by turning parts of his brain into liquid. Who needs horror films, just go and and harvest your garden!
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I don’t know if anyone would ever call my lectures a blast! And that just sounds horrible! Now I have a valid excuse as to why I don’t garden 🙂
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Very funny post! 🤣 Many things about the last couple of years have been a horror show. Who would have thought!? Life is stranger than fiction.
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yes, the past few years have been a real life horror show. Let’s hope the closing credits are coming soon…
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ha ha. Surely not horror, Jim. Foreign language maybe?
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good analogy. the only difference is that speaking a foreign language makes a person seem worldly and exciting, while speaking accounting makes one seem dull and nerdy… 🙂
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Great antcedote from the Accounting world! You took me back to my years of teaching high school accounting. It was always of my favorite classes to teach.
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I enjoy teaching it, but there are a significant number of students who would prefer not to be taking the course…
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I can’t stomach the horror flicks even though I love Halloween. My stress level goes down watching Hallmark movies. Sign of getting older, I suppose. There is that fine line of liking some scary movies like Poltergeist, but I’ve never sat through one of your lectures. 😂
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consider yourself a lucky person… 🙂
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Oh my! I bet your students love you! Maybe you can use the gator as a symbol for credit & debits. That would make your class more interesting. 🙂
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I don’t want a gator icon for anything… 🙂
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LOL! You are so easily teased! 🙂
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and frightened 🙂
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Fear is only what you make it. One of these days, I hope you face that fear! I’ve been working on my claustrophobia. It’s better but not conquered so I understand. 🙂
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I’d prefer to have to never face a gator 🙂
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Not technically a “horror film” but After Apocalypse by the History Channel is a docu-drama that is really great to prep your brain, and surprisingly relevant even though it was made about 10 years ago.
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thanks for the tip, R.M.!
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