25 “Interesting But Creepy” Photos You Might Not Be Able To Look Away From (New Pics)

The Interesting but Creepy subreddit has been around since 2019, but it’s still a very popular community, as it boasts 1,500 weekly visitors today. The group has a simple goal, as its about section states, “this subreddit is for all things you find interesting but creepy.” But that doesn’t mean that it’s boring by any means.

Community members are still sharing a wide variety of photos, screenshots, videos, and more that will disturb viewers. Almost nothing is off limits in this community, meaning that you might come across something that will give you nightmares after scrolling through. We hope that you won’t be traumatized by this list, though, just mildly disturbed and, above all, fascinated. 

So why exactly are people so captivated by disturbing content in the first place? Well, according to Haiyang Yang and Kuangjie Zhang at Harvard Business Review, one of the main reasons people consume horror content is to experience stimulation.

“Watching a horror video simultaneously activates both types of stimulation, with the most pleasure experienced at the most fearful moment,” they explain. “The biochemical inside our bodies also changes when we consume horror. Fright can trigger the release of adrenaline, resulting in heightened sensations and surging energy.”

Another reason why people tend to love horror is that it allows us to gain novel experiences. Hopefully, we won’t ever know what it feels like to live through the apocalypse or be hunted by zombies. But we can live vicariously through people fighting for their lives in a film or television show, opening us up to new experiences and emotions. Just because the story isn’t real doesn’t mean the emotions that we feel while watching it aren’t real. 

Creepy content also allows us to satisfy our morbid curiosity. If you’re a stable human being who’s mentally well, you probably wouldn’t ever consider harming another person or committing a violent act. But you might be curious about what drives other people to do these things. It can be hard to understand where these atrocities come from without doing some research or trying to get inside the minds of the perpetrators.

You might even derive pleasure from viewing disturbing content. But the circumstances have to be just right to do so. For example, you need to know that you’re physically safe while consuming this content to be able to enjoy it. If you’re actually scared for your life, a terrifying movie might feel a little too real. You also have to be detached from the content itself. If you’ve recently been in a horrific car accident and you see one portrayed in a movie, you might feel triggered and unable to immerse yourself in the story. 

To enjoy horror content, you also have to feel confident that you are in control. For example, you can turn off the movie. You can exit the haunted house. You can tell your partner to stop sharing their spooky story if it becomes overwhelming. If you have no control over the situation, you might actually end up terrified or believing that you’re in danger.

Are you enjoying these creepy yet fascinating images, pandas? Keep upvoting the ones that you find particularly disturbing, and let us know in the comments below what kind of unsettling content you enjoy consuming. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another list from Bored Panda featuring the same community, look no further than right here!