Drop Dead Fear: Can Extreme Terror Really Kill You?
History, anthropology, and modern medicine show that in rare cases, intense fear can actually stop the heart and end a life.
History, anthropology, and modern medicine show that in rare cases, intense fear can actually stop the heart and end a life.
Horror movies are basically erectile foreplay for the nervous system. When Regan starts levitating in The Exorcist, your body doesn’t distinguish between “demon child” and “sexy danger.” It just floods you with adrenaline, cortisol, endorphins, and dopamine, the same cocktail you get during, well, other exciting activities.