October is the No. 1 time of the year for terrifying activities, from haunted houses to horror movies. But why do we keep going back for more?

“I like (being scared, it) gives me adrenaline,” sophomore Chirstian Garcia said. 

When you get scared your body reacts physically, your brain telling your nervous system to react by releasing cortisol and adrenaline which causes the ‘Butterflies’ in your stomach.

“I like the feeling it gives me in my stomach, and I laugh when I get scared so it’s a fun experience,” senior Alicia Gooseland said.

Some of the scariest things we’ve done we would still do over again.

“I slept in my grandmother’s living room because she had a bunch of weird dolls in there. I still do,” junior Matthew Gonzalez said

According to www.psychologytoday.com the main reason why we experience fear is a primal instinct to protect ourselves from real threats. But that doesn’t stop many of us from seeking out thrilling experiences.

“Cliff jumping, I’ve done it multiple times, but one time I almost landed on the bottom of the lake, because it was too shallow. I don’t regret it though,” Garcia said.

The reason that those scary moments boost our moods, instead of activating our fight or flight response, is because we know that it’s safe. 

“I went to this haunted house last year and the first half was really scary but then my friend told me she had epilepsy so I had to stop all the actors and stuff and we had to get out. I don’t regret it but I wish I could go all the way through,” Gooseland said.

Some however don’t like to be scared, which is what the response was originally made for.

“I think it’s because it activates their flight or fight response,” senior Kirsten Bourgeois said.

However, there’s some fears that seem like they don’t come from a primal instinct. 

“My irrational fear is definitely clowns,” Gooseland said.

Sometimes the outside world doesn’t help ease our fears.

“I was at a circus with my family and I was holding my baby cousin. A clown came up to me and asked me if I wanted a balloon animal. I said ‘yes,’ but I didn’t have any money so the clown said, ‘I’ll give you a balloon if you give me that baby.’ And it was so scary because I don’t think he was joking at all,” Gooseland said.