[AJloff]

Blood and guts never bothered me, but what I never could get used to was witnessing pain and suffering and anxiety in real human beings.

[mulaninMX]

Tall tombstones, big trees, and all.  Actually, I found it to be a very peaceful place, and a common shortcut from campus.

[ISaminov]

The "Fight or Flight" reaction is, at least in part, led by adrenaline - Could horror (in all its many forms) simply be giving us an enjoyable adrenaline rush?

[majorminor]

The fact that media is media and not reality certainly does add comfort for scary stuff. I wonder if the ACTUAL best example for my question would be for someone who actively goes into the woods at night just for that same unsettling 'horror mode' feeling. But that's really pushing it. Doesn't happen enough to discuss it.

...Right? :{o~

Sure, what could possibly go wrong?

SCaryyy. That man is about to eat 4 lions . runnnn

[Esevroff]

While I've never seen a dead body or severed head, working as a clinical microbiologist I would get little jars of amputated toes before breakfast)))

[Bafalov]

Could horror (in all its many forms) simply be giving us an enjoyable adrenaline rush?

[dlorde]

Could horror (in all its many forms) simply be giving us an enjoyable adrenaline rush?

Yes; it's the sensation of danger that stimulates the fight-or-flight responses, but with a higher-level awareness of safety. We 'tease' our instinctive brain for thrills. I think it's similar to roller-coasters, and adrenaline sports (although the safety in adrenaline sports is less certain).

[milanLR]

Humans are story tellers and what we don't know we make up-so all the horror film director needs to do is make the suggestion of what's going to happen and we fill the rest in for ourselves.  Fear is nothing more than not knowing what will happen next.

[Huan23]

You KNOW you're the most well-survived species when you can get enjoyment out of what a rabbit in the woods is constantly on the alert for its life about :{D~

[aktiwIN]

Or less common things such as being turned on by pain or forced discomfort.