Why do people go to creepy places and what happens to their psyche afterward?

Everyone experiences grief in different ways: some prefer not to remember it, while others, on the contrary, seek to immortalize the memory of the tragedy. Some want to feel a sense of involvement in what happened – they are attracted to mystical places, cemeteries, abandoned camps. Surprisingly, traveling to eerie sights attracts many tourists. But for what do they go to the most sinister corners on the planet?

What is dark tourism?

Dark tourism is a relatively young trend, which involves visiting places and historical sites known for serious tragic events. The concept itself was introduced in 1996 by the staff of Caledonian University. Literally translated from English it means “black tourism” or “dark tourism”. The most striking examples of dark tourism – Alcatraz prison in the United States, the Holocaust Museum in Auschwitz in Poland, Novodevichy Cemetery, the abandoned city of Pripyat in Ukraine.

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After the explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986, locals began to be evacuated a day later. Since they were informed that they would eventually be able to return, all belongings were left in the houses. Now no one lives there and by visiting the place, you can plunge into that atmosphere and the horror that the residents of the city experienced. Tourists come here to see the past lives of people through the broken windows. It is forbidden to take things from there or touch anything.

Pripyat

Why do tourists visit tragic places?

The most expected question – for the sake of what some are willing to travel hundreds of kilometers to plunge into the atmosphere of horror? According to a psychologist, there are several reasons.

The need to tickle their nerves

Psychologist-consultant, member of the international organization IPACT, coach, energy therapist.

It is based on a passion for strong deep emotions as an opportunity to live through personal trauma, unspoken pain and latent aggression. The mechanism of psychic self-regulation always leads a person to assimilate all parts of their psyche, including those that are considered undesirable. Thus, anger and rage are considered dangerous in society, and few people are interested in how a person will deal with these emotions if they suddenly arise.

The desire to live through the tragedy as part of the historical heritage

For example, Jews often visit Holocaust museums around the world to commemorate their affected ancestors, the psychologist explains. They feel a sense of belonging to that grief. There is such a concept – genetic memory: in this case, it perfectly explains the desire of Jews to realize themselves as part of their people, repeatedly persecuted and exterminated.

To feel their own superiority

Veronica: As a rule, this need is carefully hidden and not felt by the person himself. Simply after visiting a cemetery, for example, he will feel more alive than before. This is a very subtle moment, which speaks about the inner workings of the ego and the desire to assert oneself at the expense of those who were once in a much worse position.

Pathological need

Perhaps the most rarely encountered, if you do not take into account borderline states. According to the psychologist, it can be neurotic disorders, psychosis, schizophrenia. Such people are characterized by an inadequate craving for death, rejection of life, the desire to go deep into their inner darkness.

Holocaust Museum in Auschwitz

How does dark tourism affect the psyche?

Veronika: From the point of view of a mentally healthy person, there is nothing attractive about places where murders were committed, disasters and tragedies took place. If it is a one-time situation, which is necessary to realize one’s involvement with one’s people (for example, a Holocaust museum), then such a situation can be considered therapeutic. But in case of a regular craving to visit such places, it is quite possible that it is connected with psychological trauma.

In any case, everything depends on the stimulus. A healthy person, for example, from a trip to relatives in a cemetery can only become easier. And while visiting historical places, he can learn something new and interesting for himself, which also will not negatively affect his condition.

If, however, a person observes an unhealthy attraction to places of tragedy and has mental problems, then another trip will increase neuroticism. The state of a person can vary from euphoric to depressive. In this case, it is better to exclude such trips.