Samuel Campos: Forests and Mountains

After learning about the positive impacts of nature walks on mental health, particularly how forests can reduce depression and promote peace, I started thinking about the other side of the coin. Not all encounters with nature are calming sometimes forests and mountains, like the Appalachian range, evoke a very different emotional response. Instead of tranquility, they can generate fear, unease, or even outright terror. But why? Forests are often seen as symbols of mystery and danger in folklore and media. Unlike the controlled environment of a park or garden, dense forests and rugged mountains feel wild and unpredictable. Their towering trees block out the sun, creating shadows and obscuring what lies ahead. The Appalachian Mountains, in particular, carry a weight of cultural and historical unease. Their vastness, remote hollows, and dense woods have been the setting for countless ghost stories, myths, and modern internet legends like the "Appalachian Trail Horrors." Some of these stories tap into primal fears of the unknown, isolation, and the sense that something might be watching from the shadows. The internet has amplified these unsettling images of forests and mountains, with forums like Reddit and YouTube channels dedicated to sharing eerie tales of "things that shouldn't be there." The backrooms, cryptids, and tales of missing people in national parks play on our fear of getting lost or encountering something beyond human understanding. Horror media uses these environments effectively because they isolate characters and strip away the safety of civilization. A house is haunted? You can leave. But deep in a forest or high in the mountains, escape isn’t always an option. Working in or exploring these environments can change how someone perceives them. A hiker may see the forest as a challenge to conquer, while a park ranger might view it as a workspace with rules and dangers to navigate. Over time, familiarity can replace fear with respect, but for some, the unease never fully disappears. I wonder, as more people grow up seeing nature through the lens of horror films or creepy internet stories, will it affect their desire to explore the wilderness? On one hand, it might make people more cautious, which could be beneficial for safety. But on the other, it could lead to a disconnect from nature, with fewer people willing to hike, camp, or work in these environments. There’s a balance to be found between acknowledging the real dangers of the wild and remembering its beauty and healing power. Maybe the key is education—learning to respect the forest without fearing it entirely. But it’s hard not to wonder: Will future generations embrace the outdoors as a source of peace, or will they continue to see it as a place to avoid, filled with unknown terrors?

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