I just finished binging The Haunting of Hill House last weekend and, man, did it get to me!
When I was growing up, Jason, Freddie, and Michael Myers ruled the horror screens. And they scared me to death. I still get creeped out if someone makes that “chhh chhh chhh ha ha ha” sound from Friday the 13th. And I blame Nightmare on Elm Street for my night-owl tendencies to this very day. I refused to go to sleep for fear Freddie Krueger would come strolling down my hallway scraping that glove along the walls til he got to my door.
But now that I’m all grown up and in the “Real World” I know what is really frightening. While Hill House definitely had a high creep factor, I wouldn’t say it was “scary” in the way that your typical horror movies are scary. Instead of blood and gore, it touches on themes of grief, failure, anger, depression, anxiety, and loss.
And that is what scares me now. The chances of a 6’6″ dude in a mask with a butcher knife breaking into my house bent on avenging the death of his mom are pretty slim. But my anxiety keeping me from doing my job, losing someone I love, or making the wrong decision as a parent could happen at any moment.
So how do we deal with these very real fears? Before I could just turn off the TV or close the book. But now, I have a great support system of friends, family and loved ones to help me chase away my demons. I also have a professional therapist I can count on for what we call “tune ups” when the world gets too overwhelming.
What about you? What really scares you and how do you handle it?
Share in the comments and let’s chase these “bent-neck ladies” away together!
