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Monsters on the Couch: The Real Psychological Disorders Behind Your Favorite Horror Movies
Horror movies can reveal much more than we realize about psychological disorders—and clinical psychology has a lot to teach us about horror.
Our fears—mortality, failure, loneliness—can be just as motivating as our wishes or desires. Horror movie characters uniquely reveal all of these to a wide audience. If explored in an honest and serious manner, our fears have the potential to teach us a great deal about ourselves, our culture, and certainly other people.
From psychologist, researcher, and horror film enthusiast Brian A. Sharpless comes Monsters on the Couch , an exploration into the real-life psychological disorders behind famous horror movies. Accounts of clinical syndromes every bit as dramatic as those on the silver screen are juxtaposed with fascinating forays into the science and folklore behind our favorite movie monsters.
Horror fans may be obsessed with vampires, werewolves, zombies, and the human replacements from Invasion of the Body Snatchers , but even many medical professions may not know about the corresponding conditions of Renfield's syndrome, clinical lycanthropy, Cotard's syndrome, and the misidentification delusions.
Some of these disorders are surprisingly common in the general population. For instance, a number of people experience isolated sleep paralysis, a disorder implicated in ghost and alien abduction beliefs.
As these tales unfold, readers not only learn state-of-the-art psychological science but also gain a better understanding of history, folklore, and how Hollywood often—but not always—gets it wrong when tackling these complex topics.
Our fears—mortality, failure, loneliness—can be just as motivating as our wishes or desires. Horror movie characters uniquely reveal all of these to a wide audience. If explored in an honest and serious manner, our fears have the potential to teach us a great deal about ourselves, our culture, and certainly other people.
From psychologist, researcher, and horror film enthusiast Brian A. Sharpless comes Monsters on the Couch , an exploration into the real-life psychological disorders behind famous horror movies. Accounts of clinical syndromes every bit as dramatic as those on the silver screen are juxtaposed with fascinating forays into the science and folklore behind our favorite movie monsters.
Horror fans may be obsessed with vampires, werewolves, zombies, and the human replacements from Invasion of the Body Snatchers , but even many medical professions may not know about the corresponding conditions of Renfield's syndrome, clinical lycanthropy, Cotard's syndrome, and the misidentification delusions.
Some of these disorders are surprisingly common in the general population. For instance, a number of people experience isolated sleep paralysis, a disorder implicated in ghost and alien abduction beliefs.
As these tales unfold, readers not only learn state-of-the-art psychological science but also gain a better understanding of history, folklore, and how Hollywood often—but not always—gets it wrong when tackling these complex topics.
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Published October 17, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 14, 2024
This book was such a fun read!! The academic analysis was easily digestible :) and gives a whole new appreciation for horror tropes. The historiography of medicine as tied to horror tropes and thorough breakdown of how psychological disorders informed horror mythology brings a whole new understanding to our human fascination with death and the macabre.
June 21, 2025
A very fun and informative read, would recommend!
April 3, 2024
Dark, twisted, horrifying realities in this book. Studying WHERE myths of monsters began and how they relate to the human psychology was fascinating. The author had a light, appropriate, sense of humor when writing about such difficult ideas. From clinical lycanthropy and vampirism to sleep paralysis demons and cannibals, humans are certainly disturbed and misunderstood, and this books makes it easy to consume.
March 11, 2024
Great read! Insightful and I loved the author's satire and dark comedy that kept the content engaging without being disrespectful. A tricky fine line to walk. I'll definitely be watching horror movies through a different lens and recommending this to horror movies fans I know.
August 28, 2023
This was an interesting read that I got the opportunity for as a proof. I review horror films while also enjoy reading when I find time. This is an academic approach to real conditions and mental diagnosis while using as well as exploring films that feature different topics. Brian Sharpless has a fun approach that uses both his expertise, research and analysis. Adds a dimension that I want to bring into my own reviews now.
Won’t be for everyone but I’d recommend it to those interested in the ‘truth’ behind things we see in the movies or take a realistic look at the wildest ideas
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Won’t be for everyone but I’d recommend it to those interested in the ‘truth’ behind things we see in the movies or take a realistic look at the wildest ideas
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5
July 6, 2024
This is an awesome book for a horror movie fan or psychology buff! So much information about psychological disorders, presented in an interesting and funny way. The material had the potential to be boring and it wasn't in the slightest. I'm going to have to rewatch some movies after this education. The footnotes were some of the best parts. I couldn't stop telling my friends all of the fun and creepy facts!
December 7, 2023
I enjoyed this book thoroughly.
It made me want to learn more about various disorders and the inspiration of horror movies.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about the movies and the folklore and some history behind some and possible inspiration.
It made me want to learn more about various disorders and the inspiration of horror movies.
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about the movies and the folklore and some history behind some and possible inspiration.
December 30, 2023
What an absolutely amazing book. I couldn't be happier with this mix of psychology, mythology, pop culture, history, and science. So well researched and written. Like reading a movie and every chapter just makes you want more. Highly recommended to horror fans and psych majors alike. 10/10
November 20, 2023
Wasn't what I expected and was trying too hard.
February 15, 2024
Dark, psychologically insightful, and a little bit funny.
January 13, 2025
Let's hear it for library displays! I came across this book whilst browsing the nonfiction section, and couldn't resist the premise. Discovering the author is a clinical psychologist who is more interested in what makes people tick rather than treatment (necessarily) was a pleasant surprise - I chose this as my undergrad major for much the same reason. So this book started out on a high note for me, but unfortunately the further on we went, the worse it got.
I really enjoyed section one, the discussion of the "classic" monsters that originated not in Hollywood horror films, but in cultural folklore: werewolves, vampires, zombies. There is a survey of the folklore/myths were these creatures originated; their use in horror films, both silent and not; and the clinical pathologies that could be associated with these monstrous behaviors.
Part two moves into the author's area of expertise (sleep paralysis) as well as misidentification syndromes and delusions. There is less discussion of history and culture, and more discussion of psychology, which is fine. I didn't find the author to be nearly as open-minded as he claimed to be, especially when it comes to the possibility of supernatural/paranormal elements such as shadow people. I guess I've watched too much Dead Files to completely buy that there isn't a thin line between the "real" world and the spiritual realm and that everything we sense that we can't explain is automatically a hallucination. The discussions to be had in this section were interesting, especially regarding the films and how much the filmmakers may have been aware of the actual pathologies they display in their work. Not being a big horror fan, I was surprised to learn that Wes Craven is apparently very astute, and likes to draw on real-life phenomena when writing his pictures.
The third section moves into the taboo, discussing cannibalism and necrophilia in particular. Apparently there are many different levels of both of these, and the psychology major in me enjoyed this immensely. However, the link to the horror films under discussion is tenuous as best, and I really found myself disagreeing with the author especially when it came to the necrophilia chapter. Sorry, I just don't believe that keeping the ashes of loved ones (human or pet) counts as "everyday" necrophilia that "anyone" can practice. He spends as much time arguing the differences between phobia, philias, and the over-pathologizing everyday behavior that I was frankly surprised that he considered it. (And also apparently doesn't consider consuming the ashes of relatives to be cannibalistic.) There is little clinical evidence on display, which the author admits to, so this only weakened his central argument. This section was a huge letdown IMO.
The concluding chapter is also pretty weak, as it doesn't really tie together the thesis of the book - he instead spends some time daydreaming about other horror ideas that could be mined from the field. I found that a little tasteless, TBH.
If he had continued in the vein of section one for the whole book, I think he could've constructed a stronger case for even those monsters/behaviors that aren't deeply encoded in our cultures or folklore. And frankly, the third section could've been left out completely and nothing of value would've been lost, since he never managed to tie in these horrors with the others in a sufficient manner.
I really enjoyed section one, the discussion of the "classic" monsters that originated not in Hollywood horror films, but in cultural folklore: werewolves, vampires, zombies. There is a survey of the folklore/myths were these creatures originated; their use in horror films, both silent and not; and the clinical pathologies that could be associated with these monstrous behaviors.
Part two moves into the author's area of expertise (sleep paralysis) as well as misidentification syndromes and delusions. There is less discussion of history and culture, and more discussion of psychology, which is fine. I didn't find the author to be nearly as open-minded as he claimed to be, especially when it comes to the possibility of supernatural/paranormal elements such as shadow people. I guess I've watched too much Dead Files to completely buy that there isn't a thin line between the "real" world and the spiritual realm and that everything we sense that we can't explain is automatically a hallucination. The discussions to be had in this section were interesting, especially regarding the films and how much the filmmakers may have been aware of the actual pathologies they display in their work. Not being a big horror fan, I was surprised to learn that Wes Craven is apparently very astute, and likes to draw on real-life phenomena when writing his pictures.
The third section moves into the taboo, discussing cannibalism and necrophilia in particular. Apparently there are many different levels of both of these, and the psychology major in me enjoyed this immensely. However, the link to the horror films under discussion is tenuous as best, and I really found myself disagreeing with the author especially when it came to the necrophilia chapter. Sorry, I just don't believe that keeping the ashes of loved ones (human or pet) counts as "everyday" necrophilia that "anyone" can practice. He spends as much time arguing the differences between phobia, philias, and the over-pathologizing everyday behavior that I was frankly surprised that he considered it. (And also apparently doesn't consider consuming the ashes of relatives to be cannibalistic.) There is little clinical evidence on display, which the author admits to, so this only weakened his central argument. This section was a huge letdown IMO.
The concluding chapter is also pretty weak, as it doesn't really tie together the thesis of the book - he instead spends some time daydreaming about other horror ideas that could be mined from the field. I found that a little tasteless, TBH.
If he had continued in the vein of section one for the whole book, I think he could've constructed a stronger case for even those monsters/behaviors that aren't deeply encoded in our cultures or folklore. And frankly, the third section could've been left out completely and nothing of value would've been lost, since he never managed to tie in these horrors with the others in a sufficient manner.
June 4, 2024
Absolutely one of the best non fiction I have ever read. His insights into the world of psychology disorders was amazing
June 1, 2024
You may think you’re a monster…but maybe you just need help…or therapy…
Monsters on the Couch: The Real Psychological Disorders Behind Your Favorite Horror Movies by Brian A. Sharpless examines various horror monsters or stories from movies and explains their potential examples in real life…
Let me just get out of the way that I was jntiallly angry that Creature form the black lagoon wasn’t originally included here (and impossible sample as a socially awkward or involuntary celebrate personality type), but that was before I found that the book went beyond universal monster examples.
Anyway…
The book provides various examples drawn from horror movies. It supports the common tropes of these movie monsters and situations by providing other literary, folklore, and real world examples of the phenomena. Afterwards, it provides a psychological diagnosis (sometimes giving an alternative from what I expected).
The book covers werewolves (specifically zoanthropy where a person believes they are an animal, rather than the typically suggestion of lunacy), vampires (clinical vampirism also known as renfield’s syndrome), zombies (Cotard's syndrome where you feel you might not truly be alive), imposter syndrome (either Capgras syndrome or Fregoli syndrome), nightmare demons (Sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome), cannibals, and necrophilia (various versions).
It was a fun read.
Monsters on the Couch: The Real Psychological Disorders Behind Your Favorite Horror Movies by Brian A. Sharpless examines various horror monsters or stories from movies and explains their potential examples in real life…
Let me just get out of the way that I was jntiallly angry that Creature form the black lagoon wasn’t originally included here (and impossible sample as a socially awkward or involuntary celebrate personality type), but that was before I found that the book went beyond universal monster examples.
Anyway…
The book provides various examples drawn from horror movies. It supports the common tropes of these movie monsters and situations by providing other literary, folklore, and real world examples of the phenomena. Afterwards, it provides a psychological diagnosis (sometimes giving an alternative from what I expected).
The book covers werewolves (specifically zoanthropy where a person believes they are an animal, rather than the typically suggestion of lunacy), vampires (clinical vampirism also known as renfield’s syndrome), zombies (Cotard's syndrome where you feel you might not truly be alive), imposter syndrome (either Capgras syndrome or Fregoli syndrome), nightmare demons (Sudden unexplained nocturnal death syndrome), cannibals, and necrophilia (various versions).
It was a fun read.
April 1, 2025
Fantastic, gimme 14 of 'em.
February 7, 2024
After I read a few pages of this book, the Monty Python catchphrase "And now for something completely different" came to mind. I learned a lot about many bizarre psychological disorders that have inspired a wide variety of scary characters found in horror films. The author, a psychologist who loves horror movies, presents a level-headed and fairly well-written description of the disorders and, often with humor, explains how they relate to the long history of horror on the screen.
January 27, 2024
*4.5 stars
July 9, 2024
An excellent analysis on the impacts that real psychological disorders have on horror movies. From clinical vampirism to necrophilia, this book goes over a variety of different disorders and diagnoses. The author approaches these illnesses with empathy and lightheartedness to really get us to think about the how society and media influence each other.
November 7, 2023
A fun, frightening, engrossing, and educational read.
October 10, 2024
incredibly informative for people studying psychology and fans of horror movies, of which i am both. extra points for having bela lugosi on the cover.
August 9, 2024
I was skeptical going into this, but it turned out to be quite enjoyable, well written, and fun. Along with the analysis, we get the history and traditions behind these crazy creatures as well as a thorough look at the movies that made them famous.
November 27, 2025
(5.0 Stars)
This was fun! Tons of great information delivered by a witty, snarky, and enlightening author. The audiobook did a great job too!
This was fun! Tons of great information delivered by a witty, snarky, and enlightening author. The audiobook did a great job too!
October 15, 2025
I love this book so much, I got it from the library, but I think this might be a staple I need in my house. This combines alot of my favorite things and is so awsome.
February 21, 2024
Very interesting book
June 9, 2025
4⭐️ actually so freaking good!! i randomly came across this book in the film section of one of my local libraries and i’m so glad i did! one of the best nonfiction books i’ve read without a doubt, so interesting and made me want to keep reading (as a horror fan this book was particularly interesting and awesome to me) sharpless also approaches these taboo topics with the perfect level of compassion and professionalism mixed with quirky humor and entertaining tidbits. I would definitely be interested in reading more of his work!
January 26, 2024
Definitely more for psychology people and less for horror movie people, but still very enjoyable!
February 22, 2024
"Welcome to Monster Talk, the show about monsters. I'm Blake Smith (and I'm Karen Stollznow)."
https://www.monstertalk.org/
Do those words bring joy to your heart when you hear them on your podcast feed? Then get this book by one of their guests! From the Acknowledgements:
"There are some people who need to answer for this book. Being a petty man, I will not shoulder all the responsibility. First, I would like to blame my uncles Ernie and Tom for exposing me to horror movies at such an early age. I suppose that built "character," but it had other deleterious consequences." Ah, a Gen X upbringing. Here's a video rental card: have at it!
The entire book is lighthearted in tone, compassionate towards the people suffering from the maladies, and invited us to see how horror movies play on very real fears.
Chapter headings include:
- Clinical Lycanthropy: the Werewolves (and Were-Gerbils) among us.
- You Suck? : Vampire movies and Renfield's Syndrome
- I am the Walking Dead: Cotard's Syndrome and Zombie Movies
- This is Not My Beautiful House. This is Not My Beautiful Wife: Horror movies and the Misidentification Syndrome.
- Demons, Aliens, and Shadow People: Sleep paralysis as a new subgenre of horror
- Are You Gonna Eat That? : Cannibal movies and vararephilia
If you want to try sleep paralysis for yourself and see what all the night-hag, shadow people, or alien abduction fuss is all about, he even gives helpful hints! Be jet-lagged/over-tired. Have a heavy meal and a little too much booze at bedtime (alcohol pushes REM sleep towards morning when you are waking up). Watch a documentary about sleep paralysis, and sleep on your back!
"And, to state the obvious, this information is purely for enterntainment purposes. If you are foolish enough to do any of the things described in this book, the responsibilty lies squarely with you, not me, not the publishers, or my ninja giraffe." (the author's very own sleep paralysis demon).
https://www.monstertalk.org/
Do those words bring joy to your heart when you hear them on your podcast feed? Then get this book by one of their guests! From the Acknowledgements:
"There are some people who need to answer for this book. Being a petty man, I will not shoulder all the responsibility. First, I would like to blame my uncles Ernie and Tom for exposing me to horror movies at such an early age. I suppose that built "character," but it had other deleterious consequences." Ah, a Gen X upbringing. Here's a video rental card: have at it!
The entire book is lighthearted in tone, compassionate towards the people suffering from the maladies, and invited us to see how horror movies play on very real fears.
Chapter headings include:
- Clinical Lycanthropy: the Werewolves (and Were-Gerbils) among us.
- You Suck? : Vampire movies and Renfield's Syndrome
- I am the Walking Dead: Cotard's Syndrome and Zombie Movies
- This is Not My Beautiful House. This is Not My Beautiful Wife: Horror movies and the Misidentification Syndrome.
- Demons, Aliens, and Shadow People: Sleep paralysis as a new subgenre of horror
- Are You Gonna Eat That? : Cannibal movies and vararephilia
If you want to try sleep paralysis for yourself and see what all the night-hag, shadow people, or alien abduction fuss is all about, he even gives helpful hints! Be jet-lagged/over-tired. Have a heavy meal and a little too much booze at bedtime (alcohol pushes REM sleep towards morning when you are waking up). Watch a documentary about sleep paralysis, and sleep on your back!
"And, to state the obvious, this information is purely for enterntainment purposes. If you are foolish enough to do any of the things described in this book, the responsibilty lies squarely with you, not me, not the publishers, or my ninja giraffe." (the author's very own sleep paralysis demon).
September 20, 2024
An interesting read. Dark, funny, informational all while avoiding the easily passed line into disrespect for those suffering from such disorders. While I don't agree with some of his connection speculations I do think they are wholly interesting to think about and discuss. There's of course some bias, but the author is open to other speculation and interpretations and is up-front that his biases are also themselves speculation often-times. He tries to ensure the reader knows which of the writing is speculation and which is studied scientific findings. I very much appreciate the distinction and the open discussion he has with the findings.
January 18, 2026
This book was yet gain another incredibly sweet gift from my coworker 🤍
In this book, psychologist and horror extraordinaire, Brian Sharpless, explains the psychological disorders behind some of the most notorious horror movie monsters.
This book is completely fascinating as a horror lover. I have watched scary movies since I could first utter a clear sentence. I have also always been intrigued by psychology. There really is no surprise that this book would fascinate me.
Sharpless explains a variety of horror movie creatures. Most fascinating to me are the vampires and werewolves. Their associated syndromes are strange yet captivating. I never was one for zombie tales though the except is exceptionally written!
The author describes the psychology behind modern horror, such as Nightmare on Elm Street which I completely tore through. A fascinating disorder described is Capgras syndrome wherein one believes known individuals have been replaced by someone/something else 👀 think Stepford Wives.
In the final section, he describes modern horror acts, such as the forbidden eating of certain things/people and performing certain unspeakable acts upon those no longer with us.
I will say there are several movies references that I was not familiar with yet will be adding to my to-be-watched list! The movies I did recognize felt like coming back home to but with a new understanding.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with a macabre interest in horror movies with an interest in the mind’s inner workings!
In this book, psychologist and horror extraordinaire, Brian Sharpless, explains the psychological disorders behind some of the most notorious horror movie monsters.
This book is completely fascinating as a horror lover. I have watched scary movies since I could first utter a clear sentence. I have also always been intrigued by psychology. There really is no surprise that this book would fascinate me.
Sharpless explains a variety of horror movie creatures. Most fascinating to me are the vampires and werewolves. Their associated syndromes are strange yet captivating. I never was one for zombie tales though the except is exceptionally written!
The author describes the psychology behind modern horror, such as Nightmare on Elm Street which I completely tore through. A fascinating disorder described is Capgras syndrome wherein one believes known individuals have been replaced by someone/something else 👀 think Stepford Wives.
In the final section, he describes modern horror acts, such as the forbidden eating of certain things/people and performing certain unspeakable acts upon those no longer with us.
I will say there are several movies references that I was not familiar with yet will be adding to my to-be-watched list! The movies I did recognize felt like coming back home to but with a new understanding.
I highly recommend this book to anyone with a macabre interest in horror movies with an interest in the mind’s inner workings!
October 5, 2025
Ever wondered what vampires, zombies, and Freddy Krueger can teach us about real psychological disorders? 🧠💀
In 'Monsters on the Couch,' psychologist Brian Sharpless dives into the science and folklore behind our favorite horror films — revealing how fear, folklore, and mental health collide.
Read the review here: My Review
#HorrorBooks #Psychology #BookReview #Gifted #MonstersOnTheCouch
In 'Monsters on the Couch,' psychologist Brian Sharpless dives into the science and folklore behind our favorite horror films — revealing how fear, folklore, and mental health collide.
Read the review here: My Review
#HorrorBooks #Psychology #BookReview #Gifted #MonstersOnTheCouch
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews