How to Calm Down After Reading or Watching a Creepypasta

Co-authored by Rebekka Mars

Last Updated: March 17, 2023 References Approved

Creepypasta are internet scary stories or videos. While some of them are so bad that they are laughable, others can be extremely terrifying. If you've read or watched a Creepypasta and are scared, you may want to calm down afterwards. Start by taking your mind off the content. Remember happy moments and ground yourself in the present. Ease your fears by remembering the stories are not real and finding ways to laugh off the horror. Certain actions, like exercise and deep breathing, can also keep you calm.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Distracting Yourself

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Remember happy moments. After you finish reading Creepypasta, try to think happy thoughts. Distract yourself by recalling the happiest, most carefree moments in your life. Place your attention here instead of going over the scary stories in your mind.^{[1]
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- Think about moments when you were your happiest and having a lot of fun. Relive and reimagine fun moments in as much detail as possible. Close your eyes, for example, and remember the peaceful beach day you had with friends a few weeks ago. What did it smell like, sound like, feel like, and so on?
- You can also think about lighthearted media, or even watch something lighthearted. What's a movie that always calms you down? When reeling from fear over Creepypasta, maybe you can remember moments from your favorite childhood movie. See if you can find clips from this movie on YouTube.
2
Listen to calming music. Make a playlist of your most calming songs. Choose things with a soothing beat and lots of calming instrumentals. Pick songs that are uplifting and have a happy message. Pop in your headphones and listen to this mix, making a point of focusing on the music. This can help distract you from the distressing stories.^{[2]
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- If you're experiencing the physical effects of fear, like a rapid heartbeat, music can help with this as well. Your body's rhythm naturally adapts to the sound of music. If you listen to a slow-paced song, your heartbeat may slow down and your breathing may return to normal.
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3
Ground yourself in the present moment. After reading or watching something scary, it's easy to let your mind wander. Instead of remaining calm, you may replay a frightening scenario over and over again in your mind. It can help to take in the present moment. Grounding yourself in the present can really help ease fears.
- Take in your surroundings. Notice how you're connected to your present surroundings.
- For example, what are your feet doing? Pay attention to how they're touching the floor. Pay attention to how your back and buttocks feel in your chair. This will help keep you in the present and prevent you from indulging in scary thoughts.
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Imagine calming scenarios. Think about something relaxing, even if it's something unrealistic. Imagine yourself floating on a soft, fluffy cloud. Picture yourself flying over your neighborhood. Let your imagination run wild.^{[3]
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- Your imagination can get the better of you after watching scary media. You may imagine running into a scary character from a Creepypasta, for example.
- Instead of letting your imagination take you down a scary path, force it to think of something pleasant. You can even invent a happy story for yourself. Imagine yourself running into a pleasant fictional character instead of a dangerous one, for example.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Easing Your Fears

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Accept your fears. It may sound strange, but accepting your fears can help you get over them. If you try too hard to push fears out of your mind, this may backfire. Trying too hard not to think about something can make you think about it more.^{[4]
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- If you try to force yourself out of a fearful mood, this may create more anxiety. You may say something to yourself like, "It's just a story. You need to grow up and relax." If you find you don't relax, you may feel frustrated with yourself, leading to more stress and anxiety.
- Instead, just acknowledge you're upset. Take a moment to accept the situation and deal with it from there. Think something like, "I'm scared because I read a story about a ghost. Now, I'm jumping at small noises in my home. It's scary, but that's okay. I can watch something else to calm down."
2
Remind yourself the stories are imaginary. While you know logically the stories are made up, when you're scared it's sometimes hard to remember this. Keep reminding yourself what you read is not real. While stories like Slender Man can seem compelling, they were made up by users on the Creepypasta website.
- Think to yourself, "This story is imaginary. The characters cannot hurt me."
- Look at your fears from a rational perspective. In reality, you honestly have nothing to fear. The characters in the stories are not going to harm you, as they don't exist. Keep telling yourself this.
3
Laugh it off. Humor can help you confront your fears. Instead of pushing them away, which can backfire, you're facing your fears head on. Find a way to laugh at the Creepypastas you've read. You will find your anxiety lessens greatly if you laugh off the stories.^{[5]
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- Think about Slendy and Jeff going to ballet class, or smile dog getting his teeth whitened. Look at whatever story you've just read, and find a way to make it humorous. It can be something as simple as imagining a character doing something ridiculous or stupid.
- You could also watch videos that make fun of Creepypasta. You can find these videos online. Google something like, "Silly Creepypasta" or watch people comically reading the stories and laughing.
4
Re-frame your thinking. If you're having trouble calming down, it may be how you're looking at the situation. Instead of dwelling on your fear, examine it. Find a way to reassess the situation in a more positive light.^{[6]
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- For example, you're scared because you read a story about a murderer. You keep thinking about it, even though you don't want to.
- Think of an explanation for your fear. Think about what you're really scared of. You're scared of danger, like most people.
- Do not beat yourself up over this. Instead, think something like, "It's good and healthy to be afraid of danger. Being watchful for danger can protect me. Even though I don't really need to be afraid right now, this could be a positive in the future."

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Taking Action to Calm Down

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Slow your breathing. Simply being aware of your breath can help you calm down. After reading a Creepypasta, do some basic breathing exercises to ease your anxiety.^{[7]
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- Breathe in through your nose. Make sure to channel your breath so your stomach rises.
- Then, exhale slowly through your mouth.
- Repeat this 10 times. You should notice yourself becoming increasingly calm.
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Tense and relax your muscles. Muscle relaxation is another simple way to ease tension. If you're having trouble unwinding, try tensing and releasing your muscles to ease anxiety.^{[8]
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- Move from your head to your toes. Tense muscles, like your shoulders, for a few seconds and then release them. Move downward, until you've reached your toes.
- If you're stressed, your muscles naturally tense up. By consciously tensing them and releasing them, you're relieving yourself of some of the physical feelings of stress.
3
Write down your thoughts. If you can't get a Creepypasta out of your head, journal about your feelings. Pull out a notebook and pen and pencil and write. Purge your feelings about how and why the story scared you. Do a free write until you can't think of anything else to say. Jotting down your thoughts can help you get them out of your system.
- For example, you can start with something like, "I'm so scared of the story I just read. It was about a woman who can talk to spirits, and it was just so disturbing."
- Continue venting your thoughts. For example, "I don't really think spirits are real, and if they are they probably won't hurt me. But I'm still nervous, which is frustrating."
4
Get some exercise. Exercise can reduce anxiety. If you're unable to relax after reading Creepypasta, do something physical. This can help ease your fears.^{[9]
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- Go for a walk or run.
- Go for a bike ride.
- Do some jumping jacks or light cardio in your living room.

Warnings

If you're prone to nightmares or night terrors, you may want to limit your exposure to Creepypasta stories.

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You might not want to watch or read it again. Sometimes you'll just get more scared.

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