Horror films sustain the spirit of Halloween — and help us cope with reality

Last year around this time, I wrote about what seemed to be a decline in trick-or-treating in Atlanta.

Although the ritual was thriving in some neighborhoods, it was on life support in others. Depending on where you live, you may or may not see streets flooded with kids in search of the scariest decor and full-size candy bars.

A few days after I wrote that column, I hosted several teenagers for Halloween shenanigans. The trick-or-treating lasted about 15 minutes. They were mostly interested in watching scary movies.

I got it. When I was a kid, scary movies held more lure than a plastic pumpkin filled with candy.

It’s an added bonus that watching horrors on the screen might also help us face a reality that sometimes feels stranger than fiction.

I was in elementary school when I disobeyed my parents and watched “The Exorcist” on television while they were out. My sister, then a teenager, was my babysitter.

When I told her I planned to watch the R-rated movie she raised an eyebrow, shrugged her shoulders and slammed her bedroom door. She was on the phone and maybe didn’t process how bad it would be for a preteen to watch a movie that sent adults fleeing from the theater when it debuted in 1973.

Sprawled across my parents’ bed, I watched as Linda Blair, the teen actress who starred in the movie, was overtaken by the demon Pazuzu. My heart raced and during some scenes, I hid under the blankets, too terrified to watch.

That night, I was afraid to sleep in my room. Every creak, rustle or rattle from the attic convinced me the devil was coming for my soul. My sister snitched on me to my parents and I learned a few lessons from the whole experience: one, obey your parents and two, horror films can be life-altering.

“The Exorcist” was the first horror film to be nominated for an Oscar. I had no business watching it as a kid, but the year I spent living in terror helped me learn how to process the difference between real threats and jump scares designed for the screen.

Exposure to frightening fiction gives us the chance to practice coping strategies that might help us in real-world situations.

I also should not have watched “The Exorcist” alone. Experiences like watching scary movies, being chased by a costumed character with a chain saw while trick-or-treating or navigating a haunted house are moments best shared with others, because experiencing intense fear with other people can create an opportunity for human bonding.

It’s no surprise then that 2023 brought a reboot of “the Exorcist” with a cameo from Blair, who also served as a consultant to make sure the film’s young stars were protected, physically and emotionally.