Can Watching Scary Movies Interfere With My Recovery From Anxiety Disorder And Hyperstimulation?

Video Transcript

Can watching scary movies stall my recovery from anxiety disorder and hyperstimulation?

Yes, it can.

Anxious behavior creates anxiety, and anxiety stresses the body. You can visit our “Stress Response” article for more information about how anxiety stresses the body.

Stress can create symptoms of stress. Therefore, anxiety symptoms are symptoms of stress. They are called anxiety symptoms because anxious behavior is the main source of the stress that stresses the body, creating symptoms.

Consequently, an increase in stress from any source can aggravate anxiety symptoms.

Moreover, an increase in stress can also cause an increase in anxious behavior in people who are already anxious.

That’s because stress increases the activity in the amygdala, the brain’s fear center. Increased amygdala activity can make it more sensitive and reactive to danger, increasing apprehension in anxious people.

But there’s more.

Overly anxious behavior can chronically stress the body. Chronic stress, which we call hyperstimulation since stress hormones are powerful stimulants, can cause all kinds of erratic and persistent symptoms. Moderate to high-degree anxiety disorder often causes hyperstimulation and chronic symptoms.

Consequently, stress from any source can exacerbate anxiety, hyperstimulation, and their symptoms.

Regarding watching scary movies, while exhilarating, they activate the same fear mechanism anxiety activates since anxiety is fear-based.

As such, watching scary movies is a source of stress and stimulation that can aggravate anxiety, hyperstimulation, and their symptoms, preventing recovery.

So, watching scary movies can aggravate and prevent recovery from anxiety disorder, hyperstimulation, and their symptoms.

While in recovery, avoiding unnecessary stressors, such as watching scary movies, is recommended.

Once you have recovered, you can reintroduce scary movies if you like. However, remember that chronically stressing the body can bring a return to hyperstimulation and, possibly, an increase in anxiety.

When in recovery, it’s wise to monitor unnecessary stressors and adjust your activities to maximize your recovery efforts.