Health · Mental Health · 2 days ago
Why unresolved tragedies keep drawing people back
People may keep following tragic stories because they want to understand what went wrong and how to stay safe.
Psychologists call this pull toward frightening events morbid curiosity.
When investigations or trials leave questions unanswered, people may keep checking for updates.
The article says constant attention to these stories can also unsettle people.
A Psychology Today article examines why people keep following distressing news stories, describing the pull as morbid curiosity.
The article says frightening stories can let people mentally practice recognizing danger from a safe distance.
It argues that unresolved cases can hold attention because people seek closure and keep checking for new information.
The article also says people may feel drawn to tragedies when the circumstances resemble ordinary situations in their own lives.
It notes that staying informed about these cases has left some clients feeling dysregulated and needing therapeutic work to return to baseline.
- Who
- People who follow distressing news stories, including the article's clients, colleagues and friends.
- What
- A Psychology Today article explores psychological reasons people feel compelled to follow tragic and unresolved cases.
- When
- Published October 9, 2026; the cases discussed include events from 2024 and 2026.
- Where
- The cases discussed are in Massachusetts, New York, Mississippi and Texas.
- Why
- The article cites threat learning, a desire for closure and identifying with familiar circumstances.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Researchers have a name for this pull—morbid curiosity—and they describe it as an ordinary human trait.
When a story stays open, the mind keeps circling back, refreshing the feed in case the answer has finally arrived.
A tragedy becomes personal when we can see ourselves, or someone we love, inside it.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Article publication
- October 9, 2026
- Lindsay Clancy trial
- The Massachusetts murder trial ended in a mistrial in September after jurors could not agree on criminal responsibility.
- Cornell lawsuit
- A lawsuit alleges that seven Cornell University fraternity members sexually assaulted a fellow student in 2024; the accused deny criminal responsibility.
- Nolan Wells
- The 18-year-old went to Horn Island with friends on the Fourth of July and did not return; his family was still seeking answers months later.
- Daniel Erving
- The 18-year-old drowned in Texas in April after jumping into a lake with two companions, who were charged with tampering with evidence.
Sources
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