# Scared To Death **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 2, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374 "2004-01-02T21:26:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RealSynthetics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b2d939/32.png) [@RealSynthetics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealSynthetics)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/1 "2004-01-02T21:26:35Z")
Is it actually possible to be “Scared To Death?” -Duncan ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2004, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/2 "2004-01-02T23:03:51Z")
Welcome to the SDMB. Good question. [http://www.warphead.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=351](http://www.warphead.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=351) > [@](#): > > A man was found dead in his seat at a cinema in the Indian capital after the late-night screening of a horror film which the director has warned could pose a health risk to those of a nervous disposition. I can’t guarantee if this is real, but apparently there is some evidence that points to yes. (I searched on snopes and didn’t find anything.) ---
**Author:** ![Blackeyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f6c823/32.png) [@Blackeyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackeyes)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/3 "2004-01-03T03:08:48Z")
I am not a biologist, but I took the class in high school. My running theory is as you become scared your stress level increases -a lot- and your pulse increases to a dangerous level (you’re past most mere scares after all) as your heart rate does too. Eventually one or both will give out and hit another condition that will kill you. I think. I’d like to hear if I’m near the mark at all. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/4 "2004-01-03T03:20:37Z")
Hmmm, I would guess if someone is frail or has a weak heart, it can happen. There was an elderly woman here in Pittsburgh who died of a heart attack when she and her husband were attacked by burglars who entered their home posing as employees of the gas company. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/5 "2004-01-03T03:38:14Z")
Frail people often die of heart attacks during natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, etc. Presumably they’re stressed to death which amounts to scared to death. It also sometimes happens after car accidents or minor airliner almost-crashes. Fear can also trigger hyperventilation, which can quickly exhaust a weak person and, if sustained, can really mess up their blood chemistry. Can a healthy 20-year old be scared to death? I doubt it. But can someone with a weak constitution, such as elderly, inform, etc., be scared to death. Sure thing. At least that’s my decidedly NON-expert opinion. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/6 "2004-01-03T05:23:05Z")
Physiologically, what happens when one is frightened, catacolamines are dumped into the blood stream. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are 2 of them, both are strong vasoconstrictors. If one’s coronary arteries are partially occluded with plaque, the vasoconstriction can cause blood flow to the heart to cease, depriving the muscle of oxygen, causing damage, causing non function. Ending in death. ---
**Author:** ![Pandybat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Pandybat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pandybat)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/7 "2004-01-03T07:32:47Z")
So is it possible for one’s hair to turn white after a traumatic incident as well? ---
**Author:** ![miss\_smartypants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@miss\_smartypants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_smartypants)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/8 "2004-01-03T07:54:43Z")
Well, Pandybat…I don’t think so:). I am a nurse also and I’ve got to go along with everything Picunurse says. Not that I know any of it anymore, mind you. But it does sound like something I may have learned in nurse’s training many years ago. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/9 "2004-01-03T08:03:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pandybat \* > \*\*So is it possible for one’s hair to turn white after a traumatic incident as well? \*\* I’ve heard that this can happen to a very limited extent, but not totally white, despite the romantic cliche in literature. ---
**Author:** ![trabi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@trabi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trabi)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scared-to-death/222374/10 "2004-01-03T15:05:26Z")
[Can hair turn white overnight from fright?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_315b.html)