A good scare is hard to shake.

• Position: Memory - Brief article

Enjoying a good scare may seem like fun at the time, but the aftereffects can be frightening, reveals communications specialist Glenn Sparks, author of Refrigerator Rights: Our Crucial Need for Close Relationships and Rolling in Dough: Lessons I Learned in a Doughnut Shop.

"Most people who say they enjoy a good scare don't realize that it isn't the fear they enjoy. Instead, some enjoy the relief that they made it through or the feeling that they have conquered the experience. This feeling of mastery is especially common with adolescent males. Being scared is also an adrenaline rush that some people report as a positive experience."

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As for the aftereffects of a fright, "Almost any adult can remember back to a scary movie or television show that caused so much fear that the emotional upset lingered for a few days, weeks, or months. Some may even still be haunted years later and express regret that they ever viewed the film. That is not healthy."

These feelings also can upset daily...