The film adaptation of Stephen King’s It set box office records upon its opening at the beginning of September. Earning $117.2 million domestically and $62 million overseas, the global total of $179.2 million was unprecedented for both horror films and for all September releases.  It, based on King’s novel of the same name, takes viewers to a town terrorized by the sewer-dwelling clown Pennywise.  A group of youth, led by Bill -- whose brother was taken by the clown -- search for answers when seemingly nobody else will. The success of It, which is filled with jump scares and unsettling paranormal scenes, begs the question as to why we enjoy being scared.

   When we feel fear, the “fight or flight” response is triggered in the brain, releasing chemicals including adrenaline and dopamine that can make the person “feel a type of natural high,” according to social studies teacher Mr. Frank Yip, who teaches the high school’s new course entitled The Psychology of Good & Evil. That fear activates certain areas of the brain, including the amygdala; which controls the fear response in humans and other animals. “It centers on brain activation,” said AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Tracey Cook.

    But fear not;  if you’re not the type of person who’s willing to go see the new Stephen King movie or ride the tallest roller coasters. Not everybody enjoys this feeling; and it’s usually apparent from a young age whether a person will enjoy it or not.

    “People start very young; they may be more risk-taking, they may be more up for the challenge or up for the thrill,” said Cook of those people more likely to enjoy horror and thrills. On the other end of the spectrum there are people who tend to shy away from it, choosing to stay on the safe side. It also has a lot to do with age.

    “As the brain matures, the need for thrills decreases in many people,” said Yip, adding that the need for thrill-seeking begins to decrease in one’s 20s, “perhaps when we realize we are not immortal.” Brain chemicals also play a part in why certain people enjoy thrills more than others.

    “We all have different neurotransmitters… some people get like a ‘rush’ of adrenaline and dopamine from that, and that’s all part of the brain and body working together,” said Cook. While things like this can “predispose one to be ‘normal’ and the other to be ‘abnormal,’ it’s just a preference,” said Yip, with one not being more or less “normal” than the other.

    People who enjoy being scared sometimes tend to have some noticeably different traits than those who don’t, however. “Usually they’re more outgoing; you might call them a type-A personality,” where they thrive on that energy and enjoy the sometimes euphoric feelings that come with being scared, said Cook. People who write and create horror, such as Stephen King, also can have some different traits, such as a “uniquely creative mind,” said Cook. “He spends a lot of time really thinking about darker topics than other people might.”

    Horror is popular with fans of many ages, but especially so with teens and young adults. Senior Julia Heroux (who cites the 2017 It remake as her favorite horror film) said that she “love[s] the feeling of being scared...and the having to hide behind a blanket or a pillow” afterwards. Sophomore Abbey O’Hern agrees, saying that “they give [her] a thrill and that they’re so much fun to watch.”