The World of Fears in Halloween

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A Short Introduction

Halloween! One of the most beloved holidays for people of all ages. A holiday that combines two unrelated genres: horror and humor... and let's not forget about candy and sweets, of course.

Halloween is of Celtic origin, and was celebrated more than 3,000 years ago mainly in Ireland, Scotland, and the northern part of France. Back then, it was known as Samhain, a festivity that marked the end of the harvest and the coming of winter. The Celts believed that during the night of October 31st, the threshold between the worlds of the living and the dead would shrink. Nevertheless, they would light bonfires and put on masks to protect themselves and frighten away the evil spirits.

Over time, this festival blended with the Christian celebration of All Saints' Day (November 1st). In fact, the word Halloween is a contraction of All Hallows' Eve (The eve of All Saints).

What we know today as Halloween was popularized in the United States by Irish migrants in the 19th century. It later spread all around the world through media like cinema and television. In Spain, it's getting bigger with each passing year. Webs, pumpkins, skeletons, and all kinds of decorations sharing the spooky theme can be seen covering shops, supermarkets, and entire streets.

Television and streaming platforms are also filled to the brim with special Halloween shows featuring films, series, and horror-centric shows. It's the perfect night to dress up as the spookiest thing imaginable, just for the fun of scaring people and ''trick or treating''!

Ripping Fear Apart in Halloween

This day attracts many people because they enjoy being scared, but it's no coincidence. In our history as an evolutionary species, fear has always been a powerful and adaptive emotion. It's a mechanism that triggers our fight or flight response, or even paralysis, when facing a real or imaginary threat.

From a neuropsychological standpoint, fear is controlled by the limbic system, with the amygdala acting as our internal warning system. This small structure will determine if a stimulus is dangerous (or not). If it's considered a threat, several systems will be activated –namely the Autonomic Nervous System, adrenal glands, or the Hypothalamus– in order to prepare the body for the upcoming threat. Nevertheless, the processing and regulation of fear is also carried out in different brain structures, like the prefrontal cortex.

Fears during Childhood

There are fears during childhood that can be considered natural and adaptive according to the stage of development. Some are very likely to disappear on their own as time goes on, like the fear of strangers (8 months old), fear of darkness (3 years old), fear of monsters (3 years old), and fear of death (7 years old).

Adults are able to distinguish reality from fiction. Children, however, often end up mixing both concepts together. For that reason, just as they can think of themselves as superheroes, they might as well believe that there is a monster hiding in the shadows, or even under their beds.

Halloween as a Safe Environment

This holiday can be a helpful way for kids to confront their irrational fears. When the whole family dresses up as something scary, it can become a really positive experience.

Fear can be regulated in a playful environment by means of humor, imagination, and receiving sweets as a reward. In other words, it is possible to feel fear while being safe at the same time. This type of experience contributes to good socio-emotional development and better self-regulation of this emotion.

Beware of an Excess of Spooks

Excessive spooks and highly intense experiences should be avoided. Especially if they aren't adapted to the child's age. It could generate heavy anxiety and confusion.

Do you need some advice? Look at the picture!

Halloween as an Adult

Fear in a safe environment can be a great source of joy and excitement for many adults. When feeling scared in a safe environment, the brain releases neurotransmitters like dopamine and adrenaline. These hormones are associated with happiness and excitement and are responsible for generating a great feeling of well-being and energy. For that reason, many people find excitement in experiencing fear through means like films, video games, or even haunted houses. They know they're safe, so it's that mix of fear and fun they're after.

Nevertheless, that activation is not the same for everybody. Some avoid terror altogether because their reward system isn't triggered the same way. And if it is, the reward is minimal. The outcome is a great variability in the ways people experience fear.

It is fundamental to feel like fear is under control.

Those who enjoy it understand that what they see and engage with isn't actually real. The fear response triggered by a haunted house is naturally not the same as the one triggered by someone following you at night. Watching horror films is for many people a way of "feeling alive".

The Purpose of Dressing Up

Identity develops over the course of one's life, not exclusively in adolescence. This makes us seek new experiences, and Halloween offers a safe, carefree space to explore new emotions with others.

This night of terror could lead adults to hide behind masks, taking on a different identity. It allows them to hide features they dislike (like their physique) and replace them, in hopes of achieving anonymity in a social context free of judgment. Since many people dress up if they expect others to do the same, disguises end up becoming a means of social communication.

Dressing up promotes:

● Creativity: It allows you to escape from daily chores in order to carry out an activity that makes you feel accomplished, letting imagination run free.

● Rule transgression: Disguises drift as far away from political correctness as possible, examples being the acceptance of rotten bodies (zombies) and sexually provocative disguises, like witches.

●Liberation of suppressed desires: Expressing all of your personal, hidden traits is perfectly allowed on this night.

In Conclusion

Halloween is a symbolic way of dealing with fear, not just an excuse to feast on candy. Be it through dressing up or watching horror movies, this night reminds us that experiencing fear in a safe environment can be a great means of personal and emotional learning.

Translated by: manuel@flowingwords.co