Movies

5 Horror Movies That Will Leave You With a Phobia You Never Had Before

5 Horror Movies That Will Leave You With a Phobia You Never Had Before
Image credit: Warner Bros.

While some films exploit more common phobias, such as fear of sharks, others create entirely new ones, whether by accident or design.

Many horror movies are specifically designed to play on our deepest fears, from the most basic ones like, well, being murdered, to more specific phobias like arachnophobia.

Sometimes, however, they take it a little too far and inadvertently (or not) create entirely new phobias in unsuspecting viewers that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

So here are five horror movies that will leave you with a phobia you never had before.

Final Destination 2 (2003)

The Final Destination movie franchise has both exploited some common phobias, like flying in an airplane, and created some entirely new and unique ones with the help of the same very creative deadly accidents that happen on screen.

But perhaps the most impressive one happened at the beginning of the second film, when, after witnessing the deadly, high-casualty pileup, many viewers suddenly started changing lanes when driving behind a logging truck (which is actually a good habit to have).

The Strangers (2008)

As the title suggests, the movie follows a couple, played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, who are terrorized by masked strangers after arriving at an isolated summer home.

Once you've seen it, you may find that unexpected knocks on your front door are suddenly a lot more unnerving and frightening than they used to be.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The success of this 1999 horror film about three students who disappeared while making a documentary about the titular Blair Witch skyrocketed the popularity of the found-footage subgenre almost overnight.

It also made camping trips in the woods feel different for almost everyone who saw it, especially at night when it is pitch black outside your tent.

The Shining (1980)

Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Stephen King 's novel of the same name was full of iconic and scary scenes, one of which is when Danny Torrance encounters the ghosts of twins in the hallway.

Walking down an empty hotel corridor after this will definitely make you feel uncomfortable, especially if you catch a glimpse of someone standing at the end of it.

Psycho (1960)

Marion Crane being brutally stabbed by Norman Bates while taking a shower is not only one of the most iconic movie deaths of all time, but one of the most iconic movie scenes in general.

It also created intrusive thoughts in its viewers, making them suddenly nervous while taking a relaxed hot shower, because you never know if a murderer is hiding behind a curtain while you are naked and vulnerable.