Enduring The Walking Dead
If you are a domestic abuse or sexual violence survivor ANDa fan of the show, I’m betting you’re a super fan like myself. This show takes visual survival to a whole new level, NO DOUBT, but for many by making real psychological issues so mainstream, they have opened the doors for real discussion and have created a unique opportunity for many to seek help. For myself, I think I connect with the characters and the writing of the show on a level so much deeper than most because of having suffered and survived SO many different issues and cycles of abuse, from so many people (including myself). I can probably count on my hands the number of episodes that have NOT made me cry… More importantly I can say with complete honesty that the show has literally changed, and upon a few occasions saved my life.
As one who doesn’t believe in “coincidences” and also suffers from a form of PTSD called DID, I sometimes believe God uses the show to communicate with me… such as the episode that aired on November 9th 2014 called “Self Help”, that particular episode aired a few days after my cousin’s funeral, whom we lost to suicide. Now keep in mind, first, I have never read the comics so I have no idea about upcoming characters or events and second; horror movies, survival, our blood line and child hood abuser, along with our mission and passion to help others were some of the only things my cousin and I had in common, so The walking dead was a big deal to us on Sunday nights. During that episode Abraham held a gun to his head and contemplated suicide and they introduced “Noah”, which “coincidently” is also the name of my cousin’s oldest son who happened to be at my house for only the second time EVER watching the show with me… the message that night on The Talking Dead hit me so hard I just knew it was God or Sean talking to us through the TV… I even took a picture of it and posted it on Facebook. It read “Sometimes the strongest people… hide the deepest pain. Don’t lose hope Abraham”.
Now whether I was in a DID induced state of delusion or it
really was a message from the other side is a matter of opinion, quite frankly,
MY opinion. I choose to believe. But the fact of the matter is that whether you
believe or not, there really is a healing aspect to the art that is
horror. You can check out what the
research says yourself:
WebMD http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/why-we-love-scary-movies
- “There’s a motivation
males have in our culture to master threatening situations,”… “It
goes back to the initiation rites of our tribal ancestors, where the
entrance to manhood was associated with hardship. We’ve lost that in
modern society, and we may have found ways to replace it in our
entertainment preferences.”…. the gorier the movie, the more
justified the young man feels in boasting that he endured it.
- morbid curiosity may be at
play — the same kind that causes us to stare at crashes on the highway… Humans
may have an innate need to stay aware of dangers in our environment…
- people may seek out
violent entertainment as a way of coping with actual fears or violence…
- “One popular explanation
for the appeal of scary movies, expressed by the likes of horror novelist
Stephen King, is that they act as a sort of safety valve for our cruel or
aggressive impulses. The implication of this idea, which academics dub
“symbolic catharsis,” is that watching violence forestalls the
need to act it out.”
Jarvis City http://jarviscity.com/2012/12/22/6-health-benefits-of-watching-horror-movies/
- Lose weight by burning
calories
- Ease anxiety by making you
feel in control
- Increase energy with adrenaline
- Release “feel good”
chemicals in the brain
- Make you better prepared
for real life situations
- It’s a great way to get
free hugs!
Collective Evolution http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/05/28/the-science-is-in-scary-movies-are-good-for-you/
- Good for the body… Immune
booster, calorie burner, endorphin and adrenaline booster…
- strengthen the
counteraction of the development of phobias … watching a horror movie is
almost like a training ground for the body and psyche
- “In my opinion, having the
memory or experience of something scaring you can also be a breeding
ground for you to face and overcome your own fears as well. From my
personal experience of dealing with some of my fears around horror movies,
it has created a level of confidence in facing things that scare me and
has allowed me to navigate my mind and emotions more clearly in other
areas of my life.”
The Walking Dead has always been more than just a show to me, and I can’t be more thrilled about “Fear The Walking Dead” because as I have healed and grown with the show I HAVE become more aware of the world, what’s really going on around me, and completely aware that I NEED to be more ready for anything, now I get to learn how with a whole new cast of characters and excitement! Only now, thanks to the writers of The Walking Dead and their indirectly helping me heal, and to owner of Horror-fix, who himself is an incredible heart of gold, Ash Hamilton for the space, the time, the help and the never ending support from him and his wife, I get to share the horror aspect of healing in a whole new way!
The more people I meet in this world of horror, the more comfortable I become with myself. It’s kinda messed up, but the truth is, I’ve met more good, honest and real people from the horror community in the last 2 years than I have from any and all churches I’ve ever been to combined. Met even more in the biker community! Just proof, like Daryl and Denise; you never know what you have in common with people until you talk to them. Just because someone is tattooed, says the word fuck a lot, has a past, or is obsessed with horror films doesn’t make them a child molester or a murderer. They are probably just another lost and broken soul trying to survive this thing we call life.
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