What makes a scary ghost story so frightening in a scary ghost story?

The atmosphere plays a huge role. If a story is set in a spooky place like an old, abandoned house or a dark forest, it immediately gives off a feeling of dread. Also, when the characters in the story are helpless against the ghost, it adds to the fear. It makes the reader or listener feel like they could be in the same situation and be powerless too. In addition, unexpected events like sudden noises or apparitions popping up out of nowhere can startle and terrify.

One reason real scary ghost stories are so scary is that they often seem to break the laws of nature. Ghosts can pass through walls, appear and disappear suddenly, and interact with the physical world in ways that are impossible for living beings. Take a story where a family's furniture moves on its own. There's no logical explanation for it in our normal understanding of the world. This violation of what we consider normal and possible makes these stories truly terrifying. Also, the psychological aspect of it, how it makes us question our own beliefs and safety, adds to the fear.

The unknown factor. In personal ghost stories, we don't know what the entity really is. It could be a spirit from the past or something we can't explain. That mystery creates fear.

It's often about the violation of the natural order. Ghosts are supposed to be dead, but they are still around in these stories. Their presence challenges our understanding of life and death. They might be associated with some unfinished business or a tragic past, which makes them both mysterious and terrifying.

The innocence of children is a big factor. When we think of children, we think of purity and vulnerability. So, when a child becomes a ghost, it's a disturbing contrast. It goes against our normal perception of children being safe and alive.

The sense of helplessness is another key. In these stories, the victims often can't do much to stop the hauntings. In the Amityville Horror, the Lutz family tried various things but still couldn't get rid of the evil presence. This lack of control over the situation is terrifying. Also, the idea that the supernatural can invade our normal, safe spaces, like our homes, as seen in many of these stories, is really scary.

The atmosphere in these stories is usually very gloomy and desolate. Take the story of the lost boys in the cemetery. The setting of a cemetery at midnight is already a very spooky place. And then adding the figures of the ghostly children makes it even more terrifying. The combination of the eerie setting, the tragic backstories of the children (usually involving death and suffering), and the fact that they are in a state between life and death makes these stories extremely frightening.

Extremely scary ghost stories are frightening because they play on our deepest fears. Fear of the dark, fear of death, and fear of the supernatural. They often involve elements that are out of the ordinary, such as a ghostly figure that appears suddenly. The stories also create a sense of dread by building up suspense. You know something bad is going to happen, but you don't know when or how. This keeps the reader or listener on edge, making the story truly scary.

True scary ghost stories are frightening because they tap into our fear of the unknown. We don't fully understand what ghosts are or if they truly exist, so the idea that there could be an otherworldly entity lurking around is scary. For example, in stories where people hear strange noises at night and can't explain them, it plays on our natural fear of the dark and the unseen.

It's also about the atmosphere they create. These stories usually take place in spooky locations like old cemeteries, abandoned buildings, or dark forests. The idea of being in a desolate and often dark place and having a supernatural encounter is enough to send shivers down anyone's spine. For instance, a story set in an old, dilapidated mansion deep in the woods, where a person hears unexplained noises coming from the attic while they're all alone at night.