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how celebrating halloween can be good for your mental health
halloween can have immense mental health benefits because of its ability to foster community, belonging and escape from the drudgery of everyday life
4 minute read
finding your inner child during the halloween season can serve as a huge stress relief, helping with overall feelings of happiness and relaxation.
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halloween is over 2,000 years old. the originally pagan holiday was celebrated during an ancient celtic festival known as samhain to mark two things: the end of summer and the beginning of winter, as well as the time of year when the veil between the dead and the living was at its weakest. by the 8th century, christians had taken over the holiday, marking the transition to what it is today: costumes, candy and a whole lot of scares.
when it comes to mental health, though, it can mean so much more than chocolate and playing dress-up. there are several mental health benefits associated with celebrating halloween.
halloween-driven fear is good for the brain
when you come into contact with something that you’re afraid of, your body sees it as a threat and goes into fight-or-flight mode, a process designed to help you cope and react to danger. however, when you know that the perceived danger won’t actually hurt you, feeling fear can actually be a good thing for your overall mental well-being.
for example, facing scary situations, such as going through frightening haunted houses or watching scary movies, which both trigger that response in the body, allows the fear centre in the brain, known as the amygdala, to become better at recognizing safe versus unsafe situations in the future. it also helps the brain’s high-level thinking—the prefrontal cortex—manage and calm the amygdala, helping it recognize when specific threats are worth worrying about.
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knowing that a terrifying situation isn’t real, yet feeling that fear, pushes dopamine production into overdrive. this chemical is associated with feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, so once the initial fear of the situation passes, you will feel happier.
halloween builds confidence
when you watch a horror film or experience a spooky scare during the halloween season, you feel that fear, but come out on the other side of it unscathed. that controlled level of fear exposure helps you build confidence in your ability to be resilient in the face of adversity.
dressing up for halloween as your favourite character, whether scary or not, also helps you build confidence and self-esteem because when you put that outfit on, you’re able to feel bolder and more empowered.
why? because it allows people to display aspects of themselves that they typically keep hidden. so, while you put on a mask, you give the real you a chance to shine. this level of self-acceptance, or allowing yourself to be who you truly are, can seep into your life and mind, fostering more positive feelings toward yourself.
the creativity of halloween fosters escape, stress reduction and imagination
at some point in everyone’s lives, playing make-believe becomes a past practice. it’s often left behind in childhood and replaced with bills, chores, and responsibilities. but during halloween, you can tap into that childlike part of yourself in a structured and socially acceptable way.
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as a result, feelings of freedom, confidence and escape from the drudgery of everyday life develop, allowing you a much-needed break from stressors that plague you during the rest of the year. when you’re dressed up as a superhero, for example, you’re a little less worried about having to do the dishes and mop the floors because superman doesn’t do chores; he saves the world.
halloween allows you to be a kid again, bringing out the playful side you often have tucked up on a shelf to make room for other, more pressing issues.
coming up with costume ideas or making a costume also taps into the creative part of the brain, which fosters happiness and an overall improved well-being.
the social aspect of halloween benefits long-term mental health
going to a halloween party, trick-or-treating with friends and family, or watching scary movies with your loved ones are all social activities. not only does that bring you closer to your inner circle, but it also allows you to branch out and build connections with people outside your usual group, encouraging community and belonging.
this level of social connection can have many health benefits when it comes to your mental health, including decreased feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, as well as improved sleep.
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being more social during the halloween season also provides the benefits that connectedness does year-round, such as giving you a larger sense of meaning and purpose. these effects, while stronger when you engage in social activities, can have positive long-term repercussions if you manage to maintain these friendships and social bonds throughout the rest of the year.
embracing death during halloween
death is a scary, yet imminent part of life, but when people celebrate it during the halloween season by embracing fear, dressing up as undead characters, or putting themselves in spooky situations that relate closely to the afterlife, it allows them to process death differently.
when people can address death as a factual part of life in a non-life-altering way, it can actually improve happiness by increasing feelings of empathy and compassion, as well as gratitude for their lives. increased death awareness also motivates people to meaningfully prioritize what matters most in their lives, which can bring feelings of joy, satisfaction and overall peace.
while halloween, on the surface, seems like just one day a year where you can overeat candy and have a little fun, it can have lasting mental health benefits.
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