For many, Halloween is an occasion to dress up in scary costumes and frighten the life out of each other. Carving out pumpkins, trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and horror movies all add to the sense of the macabre. But for those dealing with mental health challenges, Halloween can be a time of genuine fear and overwhelming dread. The holiday can trigger episodes of anxiety and depression. It can also heighten stress, social anxiety, or feelings of isolation.
Identifying these triggers is key to taking care of one's mental well-being.
So, how exactly does the spooky season affect mental health? Click through this gallery and find out how to cope with the dark side of Halloween.