Trauma impacts everyone in different ways, the same as how our disabilities show outwardly.

I was diagnosed with schizophrenia in the fall of 2019. I knew something was "wrong" with me, how I heard things and witnessed sights that no other could experience. Before this, haunted houses scared the wits out of me, I would cry and be frightened that I was experiencing another episode. 

Haunted houses were no longer scary after the diagnosis. I knew that the actors, props, everything was fake. Many people think that schizophrenics are "crazy" and undoubtedly mentally unable to be shown things like scary movies, haunted houses, or even hospital visits. Yet, I believe differently. 

These settings show us that we aren't the only people who see spooky things in real-time. True, it can be triggering for some; avoiding the limelight of flashing lights and scary costumes.

But for me, haunted houses are my solace.