• Question: Why do people think that being/getting scared is fun?

    Asked by to Charli on 16 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Charlotte Flavell

      Charlotte Flavell answered on 16 Jun 2014:

      We all know that feeling of getting scared – we breathe a little faster, our hearts beat stronger and we get that feeling of “butterflies” in our stomach. While some people may not enjoy this at all, other people will actively try to get this feeling, by doing a bungee jump or by watching a scary movie.

      This feeling is known as an “adrenaline rush” and is caused by our bodies being flooded with hormones to prepare us for “fight or flight” – an instinct that all animals will feel when they are in danger.

      The reason why some people enjoy this is partly because a chemical called dopamine can be released, which makes you feel happy, but also because of the relief of when it is over – you feel glad that you “made it through” and feel a sense of achievement.

      It’s worth pointing out that people generally only enjoy feeling scared when they know that it is OK really – such as being on a roller coaster – not very many people would enjoy a real life-threatening situation!

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