When you think of Halloween, all things creepy come to mind: Ghosts, gore, and potential axe murderers. If you’re easy to frighten, the holiday can be a source of anxiety, but it doesn’t need to be that way. 

For those with an aversion to horror, it can be difficult to enjoy the spooky, often scary festivities October has to offer. As someone who’s been raised watching horror movies and visiting graveyards for fun, scary experiences rarely leave me scared. So how do we become more comfortable when there’s a whole month dedicated to being scared?

Halloween and scary things in general are all about how you approach it. Nickolas Constantino, a junior at Boston College and a person who does not enjoy horror says, “I think the good thing about Halloween is that you can kinda do the whole dressing up thing without it being anything scary at all.” Even if the frights of October are imposing, by taking your own spin on the holiday you can make it whatever you’d like.

But why would you ever want to be scared? Dr. Lindsey Beck, a professor of psychology at Emerson College explains, “As humans, we generally do like to be stimulated or aroused by our environment. For some, watching a horror movie can hit that sweet spot of being scared but also feeling like you're in a safe place.”

Beck also says there are ways to desensitize yourself to horror via exposure. “They could start off by taking in media that’s a little bit scary for them, but not too scary, and doing so in a safe and supportive space. As they feel more comfortable, they can gradually increase the intensity of that experience,” Beck says. 

For some, scary things are more than just something of interest, it is a career. For Mary Barrett Costello, President of Barrett's Haunted Mansion,, fright is everything. “I was in there the other night for the first time since we opened and I got scared, like really scared,” says Barrett.

Being scared doesn’t always have to be something negative according to Barrett.

“I think it’s an adrenaline rush, you do something that you’re a little afraid of and you come out on the other end laughing or crying, whatever. It’s a bit of an accomplishment if you’re afraid.”

Even if you’re one to enjoy the scary things in life, no one is exempt from feeling scared. For me, I find some comfort in the knowledge that whether it’s a haunted house or a horror movie, I can find some small thing to make light of. 

Another lens you can take is one of curiosity. If you’re wrapped up in the logistics of the experience, little room is left for actual fear. Host of “The Graveyard Shift” on WECB, Caroline Porell agrees, saying, “I think it’s a natural morbid curiosity. For some more than others. I think it’s fun to test your limits.”

Next time you find yourself in a scary situation, move forward with care and intention, and don’t be afraid to get a little spooky.