Scary Stories

I am not quite sure why, although I have a general theory, but I find that the more I watch, read, or listen to scary stories, the fewer nightmares I seem to experience.

For whatever reason, whether I just simply have a twisted mind, some latent aggression, or if it stems from long-term use of certain medications (*cough*Prednisone*cough*), I tend to have nightmares and even night terrors on a regular basis. I have lucid nightmares, I have sleep paralysis (which always occurs as a nightmarish experience) and have been known to have both auditory and visual hallucinations. 
Though when I have been watching horror films, they seem to stop. Or at least my nightmares are more normal - like spiders or bees or falling or something more run-of-the-mill.

My theory is that, unless my mind has something frightening on the external to focus on, up bubbles these demonic horrifying visions from within my own psyche. If I do not have an outlet, my mind comes up with its own versions of absolutely horrifying scenarios. Scenarios I have never heard of - scenarios I could not consciously think of.
Trust me - compared to what my inner mind seems to bring up, I will gladly take nightmares of being attacked by gigantic spiders or surrounded by angry bees or ravenous wolves. Those do not scare me. Much.

So, after a particularly soul-shattering nightmare last week, I began falling asleep while listening to a podcast: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. These stories have all been really cool to listen to, and oddly comforting.
They are stories.
I know they are stories.
My mind knows they are stories. So they become an external outlet. I have not had a nightmare since. Not even a regular one!
I hope it is effective in keeping my nightmares/night terrors away.
Otherwise I would have many more nights of being legitimately frightened to fall asleep.

How strange is that? I wonder sometimes if it is fairly common for people to feel in actual spiritual, even mortal, danger if they fall asleep.