Buzz
Watching a scary movie can leave vivid images that linger in your mind and leave you feeling scared. Because fear is the body’s response to a perceived threat, this feeling can be alleviated when you separate the world of the film from reality. Try to distract yourself from the scary movie, and take some time to reframe the scary movie as a product of special effects and acting. It won't be long before the movie is out of your head.
Steps
Calming Down
Relax your body. The stress and anxiety experienced after a scary movie can be combated through deep breathing, meditation, and other relaxation exercises. Try to relax your body as soon as possible if you're feeling scared. If you’re new to these practices, you can find guided relaxation exercises for free through Google and YouTube.
Brighten up the room. Sitting in darkness after watching a scary movie can intensify your fear. Before going to bed, turn on night lights in your room and/or bathroom in case you need to get up during the night.
Get some fresh air. If it's still early, consider taking a stroll outside. Changing your physical surroundings can help shift your focus away from the scary movie, and spending time outdoors is an excellent way to reduce stress.
Engage in a fun activity. Invite a friend to hang out, indulge in playing a favorite game, or choose another enjoyable pastime. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it's something that brings you joy - the key is to distract yourself from the scary movie.
Pamper yourself with a relaxing activity. Take a warm bath or shower, read a book, listen to soothing music, or practice gentle yoga to unwind.
Indulge in a comedy movie or TV show. Use laughter as a way to divert your thoughts and shake off the scary movie. Make sure to pick something genuinely funny that can completely counterbalance what you just watched.
Steer clear of scary movies in the future. If your recent experience with a scary movie has caused significant distress, it's best to avoid horror films and creature features to prevent feeling scared! There's no harm in suggesting a drama or comedy for the next movie night instead.
Distinguishing Fiction from Reality
Explore behind-the-scenes footage of the movie production. Search on IMDB, Google, and YouTube for insights into how the filmmakers created scary creatures and scenarios using special effects, costumes, and makeup. The more you understand about the movie, the easier it will be to separate it from reality.
Read movie reviews. Critics dissect the special effects and screenplay of scary movies, helping you distinguish between the movie and reality. Negative reviews, in particular, can make scary movies seem less frightening in hindsight, aiding in distancing yourself from the film. Rottentomatoes.com is a valuable resource for reviews.
Humanize the actors. Look up real-life photos and videos of the cast to further distinguish the scary movie from reality. Check out the main actors' headshots to see them without eerie costumes and fake blood, reminding yourself that the monsters in the film are just ordinary people in real life.
Explore clips of the same actors in different movie genres. Visit IMDB.com, search for the movie you watched, then find some of the scary characters and click on the actors' names. Look for light-hearted films on their bio page and watch the trailers. A serial killer is far less intimidating when their previous role was a cashier in a low-budget comedy.
Discover humor within the horror. Comedy can help you distance yourself from the frightening experience, and you can find numerous parodies and satires of scary movies online that will make horror films appear absurd. Use Google search, YouTube, and/or the movie’s IMDB page to get started.
Enjoy the bloopers. Search the internet for footage of cast members making mistakes and laughing during tense scenes, or for the production mishaps that didn't make it into the final cut. Finding these outtakes will make scary movies seem ludicrous and further detach them from reality.
