As Halloween approaches and horror films dominate streaming queues, one sex therapist says the fear those movies provoke may be doing more than making viewers jump — it may also be arousing them.
Certified sex therapist Brianna Makówka says the sensation is a normal result of how the body and brain are wired together, not a sign anything is wrong.
“The same nervous system pathway responsible for increased adrenaline, a racing heart, and dilated pupils is linked to the arousal-processing region in the brain that registers a threat response and the release of dopamine and norepinephrine,” Makówka explained. “In essence, fear and sexual arousal can feel like the exact same body sensation.”
According to Makówka, horror films specifically produce what’s known as an excitatory arousal response.
“We experience changes in our bodies like shallow breathing, bracing in anticipation, and unexpectedly, we might feel turned on in the same moment,” she said. “This is also why some people can enjoy, and find arousal in, the intense sensations derived from a kink or BDSM scene.”
The explanation centers on overlapping nervous system pathways: the physical markers of fear — elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, heightened alertness — closely mirror the body’s response to sexual arousal, because both are processed through linked brain regions and the same chemical messengers, dopamine and norepinephrine.
The finding has been picked up in popular coverage this October alongside recommendations for pairing a horror-movie night with various sex toys and related products, including vibrators, lubricant, and intimacy games, as part of seasonal lifestyle content.
For readers who prefer their science without the shopping cart, the core takeaway stands on its own: feeling a flush of adrenaline during a scary movie isn’t necessarily unrelated to feeling turned on — the two sensations run through much of the same wiring.
