If there’s anything that can rival Wonderland’s strange allure, it’s the internet, where you can find weird and wonderful things about almost anything.
But sometimes, curiosity leads to some truly unsettling places. These Reddit users shared the most disturbing online rabbit holes they’ve fallen into, and they’re definitely not for the faint of heart. Read their stories below, and don’t miss our chat with horror researchers Mathias Clasen and Coltan Scrivner about our fascination with fear!
asian-jeff , Czapp Árpád Report
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Mathias Clasen, co-director of the Lab, and author of A Very Nervous Person’s Guide to Horror Movies, told us what inspired him to study fear and horror. “As a teenager, I became deeply fascinated with scary fiction—books and movies, mainly. I would devour Stephen King novels and chain-watch slasher movies,” he recalled. Despite the shivers running down his spine, he couldn’t help but wonder why he was so drawn to experiences that made him want to keep the lights on at night. “It isn’t just me, of course. The majority of people enjoy a scary experience every now and then,” Clasen noted.
According to Clasen and his colleagues, scary content offers a unique chance to play with fear in a controlled environment. “We are curious creatures, and we have evolved to find pleasure in learning about the world—and scary content lets us learn about the darker sides of it,” he explained. It’s this curious paradox that pushes us to explore fear while generally steering clear of it in our everyday lives.
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Coltan Scrivner, a behavioral scientist at the Recreational Fear Lab, discussed the various motivations behind our consumption of scary content. “Some people enjoy the adrenaline rush they get from feeling afraid. We call these adrenaline junkies. Others don’t particularly like feeling afraid but enjoy overcoming their fear—these are the white knucklers. Finally, some use scary content to work through difficult emotions, known as dark copers.” This classification highlights the variety of reasons people are drawn to horror and fear.
Clasen pointed out that engaging with scary content can actually be beneficial. “Playing with fear can help you develop resilience. It’s sort of like an inoculation,” he explained. “When you watch a scary movie or step on a roller coaster, you’re actively engaged in regulating your own emotions.” This practice helps us learn to handle stress and fear more effectively in real life.
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The “paradox of horror” shows that being scared can actually be enjoyable, especially when framed as recreational fear. Clasen pointed out, “We learn something about the dangers of the world. We learn something about our own responses: What does it feel like to be afraid? How much fear can I take?” This engagement with horror serves as a critical tool for personal growth and self-discovery.
Incorporating scary content into our lives can take various forms—horror movies, true crime podcasts, or unsettling Reddit threads. Finding your comfort zone is key: start small and gradually increase the intensity of what you consume. Clasen suggests beginning with lighter horror, like children’s films that have spooky elements.
Exploring these experiences with friends often enhances the fun. Clasen emphasizes that recreational fear is usually a social activity. “Few people go to watch scary movies or run through haunted houses alone,” he said. Experiencing fear together can amplify the thrill and create memorable moments.
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comeallwithme , Rainer Eck Report
LadyThrashALot , Pavel Danilyuk Report
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zed2point0 , Gonichi Kimura - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Report
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ope_sorry_there , cottonbro studio Report
bagginshieldz , Manuel Joseph Report
White_Dynamite22 , Alex Green Report
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scarlettvvitch , Anna Shvets Report
GladDingo88 , Ryutaro Tsukata Report
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