The r/oddlyterrifying subreddit was created back in March 2021 and currently has 3.1k members. Meanwhile, the r/oddlydisturbing online community has been running since October 2014 and has 2.9k dedicated followers.

Though both groups are fairly niche, the content they feature is enrapturing. The pics that the members of both communities share really manage to capture a deep sense of foreboding and unease. And it’s not always clear why.

While some images are frightening in a more subtle, traditional sense (e.g. creepy masks and scary faces that play around with the idea of the uncanny valley and inhuman predators hiding in the dark), others focus more on creating reactions of disgust and revulsion through allusions to body horror.

In short, there are very likely to be at least a few images that make you stop and go ‘nope!’, no matter how much of an experienced internet veteran you might be. For instance, yours truly doesn’t mind biological horror all that much. But weirdly inhuman-looking masks and mannequins make me wanna grab my crucifix and speed-dial the local exorcist. Meanwhile, someone who has arachnophobia might find images of hairy spiders with long legs to be far scarier than anything else.

One reason why people enjoy scary stories, creepy videos, and bizarre internet content is that they let them explore feelings of fear and unease without posing any genuine danger. It's all the benefits of a real run-in with danger without the risks. You get to satisfy your curiosity from the safety and comfort of your own home, classroom, or office. That's why the true crime genre is so popular.

We generally feel a greater sense of unease when there’s a sharp contrast between a scary object and a fairly normal background. Or, in other words, we’ll find a creepy mannequin far more horrifying if it’s placed in an otherwise innocent-looking home than in an occult shop, a mannequin factory, or a haunted-looking home. If we know to expect creepiness, we won't be as frightened as when we're taken completely by surprise.

A while ago, Dr. Stephanie Lay from the Open University explained to Bored Panda how the uncanny valley works and why we might find something like mannequins to be creepy. Her work focuses on mismatches in information and how near-human faces trigger the uncanny valley effect.

“I looked specifically at facial expressions, and found that faces where the expressions we incongruent (such as a smiling mouth but fearful or angry eyes) were most associated with feelings of unease and disquiet, as well as being perceived as less than human,” she explained to us during an earlier interview.

“So, I think that even once faces start to look more realistic, there will still be an uncanny response if other aspects of the entity’s behavior or appearance aren’t as realistic: for example, even with a well-modeled human-like face, if the entity’s voice, movement or body language don’t convey the same emotional message, we’ll still find them unsettling,” the expert said.

Nuno Albuquerque, the Head of Treatment at the UK Addiction Treatment Group, previously told Bored Panda more about how phobias work.

“Phobias are among the most common anxiety disorders and are often developed following a negative or traumatic experience or in some cases, from learned or copied behavior from parents or those close to them,” he said during an interview, earlier.

“If parents or people of influence have anxiety about dogs, for example, then it is more than likely a child growing up with them will also develop the same irrational reaction around dogs,” he said.

"Unfortunately genetics and learned behavior can trickle into the development of other behaviors and disorders, such as substance misuse, eating disorders, or unhealthy relationships with food, as well as gaming and gambling,” the expert warned.

"Regardless of how a phobia originates, overcoming them can be difficult but is possible. It's important to recognize if more than one person is suffering and encourage all to participate. Gradual desensitization or self-exposure to the cause is encouraged,” he told Bored Panda.

“A more complex and long-term phobia may need similar treatment given to someone with an anxiety disorder or mental health illness; counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy or psychotherapy are all good options to explore."