11 Scary Movies People With Anxiety Actually Love

While it’s true people with anxiety can known to be the “scaredy cat” type, this stereotype doesn’t always play out. In fact, some people with anxiety like being scared, because it distracts them from the often persistent anxiety they feel in their daily lives.

This means around Halloween-time, when some people are looking for less-scary, yet festive alternatives, others seek out that thrill, gore, and horror that only comes from a truly scary movie that takes you out of your head for a little while. As one community member Linda A. wrote, “Horror movies don’t trigger my anxiety. Actual life does.”

To find out what scary movies people with anxiety recommend, we asked our mental health Mighty community to share with us some of their favorites.

Here’s what they had to say:

1. “It”

“The new one. It has its share of jump scares, but it’s also funny, well-written and has a great plot. Plus, the kids are adorable and the connection between them is incredibly heartwarming.” — Jessica C.

2. “Amityville Horror”

“The original ‘Amityville Horror.’ It’s one of those movies that are full of scares, yet you don’t see much. Your mind just knows. I think I also like it because my mom loves horror films and I remember watching it with her when I was little.” — Tabatha C.

3. “Frankenstein”

“A movie about a creature trying to find his way in the world who is misunderstood; he doesn’t mean any harm to anyone, but his actions is misinterpreted as hostile or dangerous; all he really wants is to be happy.” — James R.

4. The “Saw” Series

“My anxiety is like a game. With my anxiety, I can almost hear the voice of Jigsaw and his little puzzles in my head. At times it’s a life or death decision, but what logical part of my mind I have left, I choose what is right and keep fighting this ‘little game.’ Anxiety is a serious battle, but one that can be won.” — Cody M. 

5. “The Cabin in the Woods”

“The Cabin in the Woods’ is absolutely in my top 10. While I don’t like horror as much as I used to, this one is fun. There are some truths to be found in it, as well as a good amount of gore (I don’t generally like tons of gore, but this one is great), jumps and laughs.” — Ariana R.

6. “The Thing”

“The notion that people you know may be monsters and you might be next really encapsulates, for me, the feelings I have about people when I’m in a particularly bad place with my anxiety.” — Jack T.

7. “Annabelle Creation”

“‘Annabelle Creation’ is the only movie in recent years that actually had me really jumpy. It was brilliant. I have high anxiety levels but horrors/thrillers don’t phase me much. Maybe it’s because I know I’m allowed to be anxious, it’s normal and other people are too. That’s the point of these movies, that it’s acceptable…” — Hannah S.

8. “Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors”

“I remember being obsessed with that movie for such a long time, it’s kind of a calming thing for me to watch. I love how all the characters try their hardest to work together and overcome various ‘misfortunes’ that have came their way, even if it’s just in a dream.” — Kat G.

9. “The Birds”

“I used to watch it over and over again when I was a kid. For some reason, it came on nearly every night for a while (this was in the ’70s), and I think I watched it like 10 times.” — Robyn F.

10. “You’re Next”

“You’re Next’ is a great one because the main character is smart and inventive, doing things that actually help the situation.” — Christina C. 

11. “Halloween”

“Any of them are good, but predictable after watching so many times. So anxiety is lessened significantly.” — Brandi S.

Happy watching!