Facing Fears – Using Halloween as a Gateway to Overcoming Anxiety

Halloween is a night built on fear—but in the safest, most playful way. Haunted houses, spooky costumes, and scary stories all invite us to experience fear in a controlled environment. For many, this can be more than fun; it can actually be healing.

Fear is part of being human. Yet, when it shows up in daily life—through anxiety, worry, or self-doubt—it can feel overwhelming. Halloween offers a unique opportunity: it allows us to “try on” fear, to face it while knowing deep down that we’re safe. When we walk through a haunted trail or watch a scary movie, we let ourselves feel the heartbeat, the tension, and then the relief. In doing so, we remind ourselves that fear passes.

Psychologists often say that exposure—safely and gradually facing what scares us—can reduce anxiety. Halloween does this naturally. A child dressed as a ghost might laugh at their reflection. An adult who jumps at a spooky sound can laugh with friends afterward. Each small encounter teaches us: fear isn’t permanent, and it doesn’t define us.

So, this October, consider Halloween as more than fun—it’s a chance to practice resilience. If we can learn to face fear on this playful night, maybe we can face the quiet fears in our everyday lives, too.

Mary Smith – Writer – Finance, Relationships, Our Companions, Art & Culture