To ease your nerves, do something light-hearted or fun before the haunted house. Try going out to eat, spending time with friends, or watching a funny movie or TV show. Lots of people are scared before a haunted house, but find out afterwards that it wasn’t as scary as they thought it would be—and that they actually had a pretty good time. Tell yourself that that’s how it’ll be for you, too.
Ask your friend to stick with you through the whole haunted house and tell them you might need to grab them if you get scared. If you don’t have anyone to go with, try to make friends in line and join a group that seems nice. You won’t be as comfortable with them as with friends, but it’s better than going alone.
Try breathing in for 4 seconds, holding it in your lungs for 6, then breathing it back out through your mouth for 8 counts. Tell yourself that you’re breathing out your fear and tension. Whatever’s around the next corner, you can take it!
Try repeating a mantra in your head to keep yourself grounded, like “I’m OK. This is just pretend. ” Tell yourself this whenever you start to feel really scared.
Reminding yourself that you’re being brave can make you feel even stronger and more courageous.
You can do this if you’re having a panic attack, or if you just get too freaked out. There’s no shame in leaving the attraction early. Remember that you still took a risk and went inside, and that it’s OK that you weren’t quite up to it this time.
For example, you could hang out with friends, go out for dinner, or watch a funny TV show. If you get scared in the house, focus on these fun things you’ll be doing afterwards. You can say, “It’s OK, I’m almost done. I just have to get through this and then I’m getting ice cream!”
Dressing in black will also make it harder for the actors to notice you in the dark house.
If you get scared, tamp down on your reactions as much as you can. Instead of lurching back or yelling, try to just jump slightly and gasp. Take deep breaths and move slowly through the haunted house to stay in control of your reactions.
When something does pop out, diffuse the tension and lighten your mood by thinking something like, “Wow, big surprise!”
You might even be able to tiptoe past before the actors even notice you.
Think about how you react to various movies and video games. Make note of what scenes and themes make you the most nauseous and disturbed. This will let you know your fear and gore levels.
