Horror film triggers

[CreativeCat]

Doe anyone else feel triggered when they watch horror films?

I can manage gore but if there's any suspense I just can't handle it. I watched the new Jurassic park movie the other day and I felt frozen in the cinema- I couldn't handle how scared I was. I could just accept it but on top of feeling scared i feel embarrassed and ashamed and invalidate myself that I can't even watch a kids film!

[Dutch Uncle]

I could just accept it but on top of feeling scared i feel embarrassed and ashamed and invalidate myself that I can't even watch a kids film!

I would beg the question if that says more about it being rated a 'kids'-film or about your mental state.

I'm geared toward it not being a kids film. ( [disclaimer] haven't seen it [/disclaimer] )

PS: the amount of violence that is being 'deemed' OK in relation to 'nudeness' being inappropriate has always puzzled me. (I'm not talking sexual acts here!) What are we teaching kids here?

[CreativeCat]

'PS: the amount of violence that is being 'deemed' OK in relation to 'nudeness' being inappropriate has always puzzled me. (I'm not talking sexual acts here!) What are we teaching kids here?'

I totally agree Hysperger. I've known of several children experiencing PTSD symptoms after watching horror films.

I definitely had an over reaction to the film and sent me into an EF, I think it's partly about me accepting that I don't like, and can't watch, fast paced thrillers. People have likened cPTSD to diabetes and I wouldn't keep eating sugar if I had that.

[Indigochild]

Im not sure how much films trigger, but after a horror film / scary action film, I get really scared.
I still watch them, ghost stories dont freak me out that much...i think I'm realising writing this that I'm more scared than i realised. I was quite intolerant of people who hated ghost stories and horror films (in my head)....
After watching, i get scared what happened in the film will happen to me in real life, and it is scary at night.
I even got scared watching *the diary of Anne Frank* about the concentration camps.
The film really effected me, and I'm not sure why.
I had night mares about the natzis coming for me, and me having to hide.
Ive always been scared that there is something in my room that will grab me if i dont run fast enough.
Now i have a new fear i discovered after someone dying. Seems childish what I'm afraid of, but is kind of similar to horror movie fear, but a lot scarier.

I cling to my partner (something i hate doing), after a horror film, have to follow him everywhere, can be in a room alone in case they come and get me.

Hope this makes sense.

[CreativeCat]

Yes it makes total sense indigo child. I've also felt a lot about it lately and wgy I have such a strong response, I can share my thoughts but I hope its not too triggering.

I think for me it is when I identify with how a character is feeling or when it stirs up a strong emotion that takes me back to a horrible place. There have definotely been a few films that i remember where i have cried and cried after and its like im not even in my actual life anymore. I guess this post should probably be in the emotional flashback section.

Im guessing its not literally about what happens in the film that is so scary, so for me I'm not actually scared of dinosaurs and for you in guessing you know logically that you're safe from nazis, but when I feel that sense of anticipation and fear I associate it with the anticipation of the abuse I experienced when I was younger and the fear response, which is to freeze and feel heavy like a stone. The feeling is so overwhelming and upsetting. I was never allowed to feel scared because if I showed any fear the abuse would be worse and so on top of my scared feeling I felt a huge sense of fear about the feeling of fear itself  and a huge sense of shame. It's exhausting just thinking about it.

Through therapy I'm realising what my feelings are about and at the moment this makes it even more frightening but I'm hoping that being more will also help me to manage my feelings. 

[Indigochild]

Hi Creativecat

Its so cool that you *get it*, but not for you. Although i do feel were all on a journey, that would make us more insightful and aware, hopefully happier than someone who hasn't been through this stuff.

Your thread wasn't triggering for me.

It makes sense about identifying with a character and the emotions they are feeling.
When i think about it, maybe this is what happened with me. Not I'm quite turned off emotionally, so the tears dont come easily if at all.
When i watched Ps i love you, i was in floods of tears. It made me think of loosing my boyfriend, which may be going back to loosing my dad, (he's still alive) its complicated, but theres a lot of grief there.
A huge fear is that people will leave and that i will be alone so yeah maybe it harped back to that.
Maybe it isn't normal to be reminded of your fears and to start thinking about them unintentionally of course, and bad things happening after watching a sad film. People usually watch a film, cry, and think oh that was horrible for those in the story, and that be it- well ,...i think so anyway.

Its ok its in this section, we dont realise things are emotional flashbacks when we are having them, or even thinking about them.

Yes, i understand about the fear response reminding you of the abuse. For me, i dont remember that much, but there must be a link, as recently the old trauma that i dont remember must be going back to the past, therefore i feel that the fear of natzis and what happened around that must resemble something as they all seem to have a similar quality, trying to hide and being taken.
And yes, i do know like you that i am safe, not with the other trauma? though. I do worry it could happen in the future, the fact that they were suddenly taken, and that people were not expecting the natzis to come for them. I do have this thing, where i always think that everything could just be taken from me, swept up from under my feet, which definatley goes back to the past.

Im sorry your were not allowed to feel scared. It is part of the abuse for the child to not be allowed to protest, or to show fear. Victims are made to feel invalidated for the pain they have due to the abuse.
Perhaps your fear is coming out through films and things that trigger you, because it has to.
I am the freeze response also. Don't you ever have a situation your froze in, then later realise, and are angry at yourself for not reacting, for not standing up for yourself? It feels that people have power and control over you, because you just literally freeze and go quiet.

I am glad your in therapy. It must be difficult realising what your feelings really are about. Ive only just started therapy, and I cant relate what i am feeling now back to the past, even though the therapist tells me it is.

[steamy]

I stopped watching horror movies when I was about 14, I didn't realise until recently why that might have been.

I didn't watch any mainstream TV for a few years and once when visiting my parents who always watch TV, I was shocked and sickened at the level of violence on UK TV, it was death and murder non stop from 6-12 midnight. I realised how we can become so indoctrinated and desensitised to violence and war.

[arpy1]

not read this thread before.

i didn't really connect the cptsd with my longstanding inability to watch/read/hear about any kind of violence/hatred/cruelty/suspense.  i can't even watch the news most of the time, becos of the increasingly visually graphic way things are reported.  i can't handle thrillers, suspense, certainly not horror movies.  i thought i was a wuss. perhaps i was wrong. perhaps what happens is that these things are too triggering.

i'll just stick to Agatha Christie and wildlife, thanks

[KayFly]

I get pretty scared when I watch scary movies now. I used to like them a lot when I was younger, but now that I am dealing with trauma, I think I do get a bit triggered.

I have this wierd thing though that is constant, not just from scary movies...I always think someone is going to grab me from under my bed. I'm 26 now, but that's like a really childish fear. I think someone scared me really bad when I was little...

Anyways, it's really normal I think that you would be triggered by a visual effect that is trying to scare you, because that feeling of fear may trigger you into another time you were feeling fear in a different context.

Interesting thread. No scary movies for you! 

[Hima]

i cant watch horror movies as i freak out and then at night i think something terrible is going to happen.

hima

[Indigochild]

I can relate a lot to everting said.
I never used to get scared- or maybe i did.

Trigger Warnings....


When Anne frank was on telly, it freaked me out and still does. I often have nightmares about it, that I'm running away about to get caught and i have to hide.
I dream that i am in plain sight, in the middle of the street, and i have to cover my head with a shawl, about to get caught and I'm trapped and panicking but i can't let on that I'm panicking and scared, as the natzis will know I'm in hiding.
woah, writing that makes me realises how it relates to my childhood. I was afraid a lot of the time, but thought it was normal, and emotions were not allowed in my home.
So called home. When I'm afraid now, i have to come across as functioning normally, in fear of being judged and misunderstood, or being seen as weak, which leads to bad coping behaviours, it is very hard to function at times.


Monsters under the bed, the thought that some force will trap me in the house, if i go to the loo in the night, something in the room will grab me and keep me there.

Anyways, it's really normal I think that you would be triggered by a visual effect that is trying to scare you, because that feeling of fear may trigger you into another time you were feeling fear in a different context.
Yes, this makes a lot of sense. Since reminded of original traumas, i have been more scared than i was peviously only maybe now the fear is more in my conscious awareness.

[CreativeCat]

thank you for your replies. yes i guess it does make sense that having such a feeling would put us back to when we had that feeling before. I guess for most people the first time they watch horror movies or go on theme park rides would be the first time they feel such an intense rush of adrenaline but for me and you and others our experience was much more real and threatening.

I personally can't stand the suspense and not knowing what's going to happen next, I guess it relates to waiting and being hyper-vigilent as a child.

Thanks as ever its nice to know I'm not alone

[tired]

Oddly I only watch scary documentaries.  If it's fiction I get freaked out. 

[tired]

Sometimes I watch movies that trigger me if I'm in a healthy mood where I'm feeling capable of confronting something difficult and moving forward.  But there's a fine line.  I alternate between movies that trigger me a little and movies that make me forget entirely, and completely distract me from problems.  But horror movies are something I would never watch.  I watched that movie about the sniper just to see how it would affect me and it was difficult. I made it tolerable by finding the meaning in it, but mostly I just chomped on my popcorn and  nachos and waited for it to be over. 

[Indigochild]

Missbliss, I dont watch them anymore.
Never watched horror films that much anyway, the few times i did i got scared.
When talking on this thread, I was only talking about the past. Avoid horror now, and would not be able to watch if was alone in the house. No way.
I avoid triggering things like the plague too.