Psychological horror movies are a special breed of terrifying, working in ways that can be more disturbing than basic jump scares. These films deploy unsettling slow burns that make their way into the recesses of our minds where they can cause terror for literally days after. While these movies probably don’t feature ghosts or witches, these psychological horror features first and foremost tap into human anxiety and paranoia. The fears can be as simple as being followed by a stranger or as complicated as a supernatural being who definitely wants to kill you. If you want to wrap your head around a mind-bending fright, Netflix has a vast library of films that’ll unleash all of your deep-seated fears. If you’re looking for an edge-of-your-seat thrill that will last with you for a long time, you’ve come to the right place.
From “Bird Box” to “In the Tall Grass” to modern classics like “It Follows” and brand-new releases like “The Stranger,” here are the spookiest psychological horror movies that Netflix has to offer — and we won’t tell anyone if have to keep the lights on while you watch!
— Additional reporting by Hannah Abrams and Kalyn Womack