Psychological Horror Writing Prompts

You're lying in bed when you hear a noise coming from the closet. You slowly get out of bed, heart racing, and open the closet door to find a grinning skeleton inside.

What would happen if you were suddenly able to read people's thoughts?

1. A woman begins to suspect that her husband is not who he says he is. 2. A woman finds herself being followed by a strange man. 3. A woman starts to believe that her house is haunted.

A young woman discovers that her visions of horrific violence are actually premonitions of real-life crimes that she is powerless to stop.

It's 4 a.m. and you're lying in bed, trying to sleep. But you can't. You keep hearing strange noises coming from the other room. You're too scared to check, but you can't just ignore it. What do you do?

What would happen if you lost your grip on reality?

What if you woke up one day and everyone you knew was gone?

1. Write about a character whose mental health is deteriorating. 2. Write about a character who is haunted by a traumatic event from their past. 3. Write about a character who starts to see and hear things that no one else can.

1) what if you found out that your memories were all fake? 2) what if you discovered that you were actually a character in a book or movie? 3) what if you realized that you were trapped in a dream? 4) what if you realized that you were actually dead?

psychological horror writing prompts: 1) A young woman is institutionalized after a stint in a mental hospital. She's convinced that the hospital is out to get her, and that the staff are all in on it. 2) A woman is plagued by visions of her dead sister, who she failed to save from a fire when they were children. 3) A man starts to believe that he's being followed by a dark force, and that it's only a matter of time before it catches up to him. 4) A woman is terrorized by a nightmare in which she's chased by a disembodied set of footsteps. 5) A man is haunted by memories of a traumatic event from his childhood that he's tried to repress.

You're sitting in your therapist's office, discussing your latest fears and anxieties. Suddenly, the door opens and a faceless figure wearing a white lab coat steps into the room. The figure doesn't say anything, but simply stands there staring at you. You can't move, you can't speak, you can't scream. The only thing you can do is sit there and stare back at the figure. What does it want?

A woman is haunted by visions of her dead sister, who she killed when she was a child.

You wake up in a cold sweat, panting and disoriented. It feels like hours since you closed your eyes, but the digital clock on your nightstand says it's only been minutes. You try to shaking off the feeling of unease and lay back down, but your heart is pounding and your mind is racing too fast to allow you to fall back asleep. The next time you wake up, the digital clock reads 3:33am. You've been trapped in this nightmare for hours, with no end in sight.

A woman wakes up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. She is terrified when she realizes that she is not alone in the room.

What drives a person to madness? Is it something in their past? Something in their present? Or is it something that they can't even see?

1. A woman is haunted by nightmares of her family being brutally murdered. 2. A young girl is terrorized by a clown that only she can see. 3. A mother begins to suspect that her son is possessed by a demon. 4. A man starts to believe that he is being stalked by a serial killer. 5. A woman starts to think that she is losing her mind when she starts seeing things that no one else can see.

You're at your therapist's office, discussing your recent panic attacks. Suddenly, your therapist's face changes. They become distorted, their eyes black voids. They open their mouth, revealing long, sharp teeth. You're paralyzed with fear. What's happening?

You're lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, when you suddenly hear a voice coming from the other side of the room. It's soft and gentle at first, but then it starts to get louder and more persistent, until you can't ignore it anymore. The voice is telling you to do things... things that you know you shouldn't do. What do you do?

A woman is being treated for severe anxiety and depression at a psychiatric hospital. She's been there for weeks, and her condition is slowly deteriorating. One night, she hears a voice calling to her from the other side of the door to her room. The voice is whispering her name, and when she looks through the door's peephole, she sees a figure in the hall, shrouded in a black cloak. The figure is beckoning to her, and she can't resist its call. She opens the door and follows the figure into the darkness.

What would happen if you were locked in a room with your worst fear?

A woman begins to suspect that her husband is not who he says he is. As she starts to investigate his past, she realizes that he may be a serial killer.

Your therapist tells you that your multiple personality disorder is actually caused by repressed memories of past lives.

You're sitting in your therapist's office, discussing your week. Suddenly, your therapist's face distorts and they lunge at you with a knife...

You're at a party and you see someone across the room. You can't help but feel drawn to them, even though you don't know them. You start to feel like you're being suffocated by an invisible force. You have to fight the urge to scream as you feel yourself being pulled towards the person.

What if you discovered that your family was cursed and that every generation produced one sociopath?

What would happen if you discovered that your therapist was secretly manipulating your memories?

1. A young woman starts to believe that her house is haunted after she starts seeing strange shadows out of the corner of her eye. 2. A mother starts to worry that her daughter is possessed after she sees her talking to an invisible friend. 3. A man starts to think that his coworkers are trying to drive him insane after they start playing mind games with him. 4. A woman begins to think that she is being stalked by a vengeful spirit after she starts finding strange objects in her home. 5. A family starts to fear that their home is cursed after a series of eerie and unexplainable events start occurring.

What would happen if you woke up one day and found that your memories were gone?

A woman's husband mysteriously disappears one night, leaving her alone in their house. She starts to experience strange things happening around her, and starts to believe that he is still there, watching her.

1. A woman hears strange noises coming from her attic late at night. Soon she begins to feel like she's being watched, and she starts to fear for her life. 2. A man starts to experience terrifying hallucinations after being in a car accident. He starts to see people following him and hearing voices telling him to hurt himself. 3. A woman is being stalked by a man who she thought was her friend. She starts to notice strange things happening around her, and she starts to fear for her life.

1. You're at a party when you notice a strange man in the corner, watching you. 2. You're home alone when you hear a noise outside your window. 3. You're in a dark alley when you see a figure following you. 4. You're in a empty house when you hear footsteps in the upstairs hallway.

You hear a noise in the middle of the night. You get out of bed to investigate and find your child standing in the doorway, covered in blood.

You've been locked in a room with only your own thoughts for company. The walls are lined with mirrors, and you can't help but gaze at your own reflection. But the longer you look, the more your reflection changes. It starts to contort and twist, until you're looking at a monstrous version of yourself. And as you stare in horror, the reflection begins to step out of the mirror...

You're in therapy, trying to come to terms with a lifetime of trauma. But your therapist seems to be hiding something sinister. Is she trying to help you... or destroy you?

After years of therapy, John seems to have finally put his demons to rest. But when he starts seeing horrifying visions of his dead father, he realizes that the past is never really gone.

You're lying in bed, trying to sleep, when you hear a noise coming from the closet. What could be making that noise? Is it something sinister, or is it just your imagination?

You're at a party when you spot someone you thought you saw die years ago. They smile and walk over to you, and you realize with horror that they're not human.

You're at your therapist's office, discussing your recent anxiety attacks. Suddenly, your therapist starts shaking uncontrollably and foaming at the mouth. You back away in terror as she starts convulsing on the floor...

1. A woman begins to suspect that her husband is not who he says he is. 2. A young woman starts to believe that she is being followed by a sinister presence. 3. A mother starts to think that her daughter is possessed by a demon. 4. A group of friends begin to suspect that one of their own is a murderer. 5. A woman begins to feel like she is losing her grip on reality.

1. A woman is haunted by memories of a past life that she can't forget. 2. A man is driven to madness by the voices in his head. 3. A woman is stalked by a ghost from her past. 4. A woman is caught in a nightmare that she can't escape from. 5. A man is possessed by a demonic force that compels him to kill.

What would happen if you couldn't tell which of your memories were real, and which were fabricated?

You're at a party and you see someone you know. You chat for a bit, but you can't shake the feeling that something is off about them. They seem...different. As you talk to them, you realize that their eyes are glassy and lifeless, and their smile never reaches their eyes. Something is definitely wrong. You start to back away, but they grab your arm, almost like they know what you're thinking. In a slow, mechanical voice they say, "Don't go."

What would you do if you began to see things that weren't there? If you started to hear voices that no one else could hear? If you started to believe that you were going crazy?

You're at a party when you see her. She's standing in the corner, wearing a white dress. Her eyes are black voids. You can't shake the feeling that she's watching you.

What would happen if you realized that the person you love is actually a figment of your imagination?

What if you found out your therapist was manipulating your memories?

1. A woman is convinced that her dead husband is trying to communicate with her from the other side. 2. A man starts to believe that his reflection is actually a separate entity trying to take over his life. 3. A woman begins to suspect that her daughter is not who she says she is. 4. A man starts to think that his coworkers are secretly plotting against him. 5. A woman is convinced that her house is haunted by the ghost of her deceased mother.

What would happen if everyone you loved died?

What would happen if you were unable to tell the difference between reality and your own imagination?

What would happen if someone found out your darkest secret?

1. A woman is haunted by memories of a past life she can't remember. 2. A man is driven insane by the guilt of a horrific accident he can't remember. 3. A woman is stalked by a demon she can't shake. 4. A man is possessed by a demon and starts to believe he is the demon. 5. A woman is haunted by the ghost of her dead sister.

Your protagonist is a young woman who has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation. She is diagnosed with schizophrenia and placed on involuntary hold. While there, she begins to experience strange and terrifying hallucinations. The doctors and nurses tell her that the medication she is taking should help to improve her condition, but the hallucinations only become more intense. She soon realizes that the hospital is not a safe place for her and that she must find a way to escape.

You're sitting in your therapist's office, discussing your recent struggles. Suddenly, you realize that you're not alone in the room anymore. There's someone else sitting in the corner, watching you...

You are a therapist who specializes in helping people who have experienced traumatic events. Your latest patient is a woman who was recently in a car accident. She seems to be doing well in therapy, but you start to notice that she is fixated on the idea that she is going to die soon. She starts to have panic attacks and becomes increasingly paranoid. Her behavior starts to scare you, and you start to wonder if she is truly getting better or if she is just getting worse.

What do you do when you realize your therapist is manipulating your emotions?

What if you began to see things that weren't really there? What if the line between reality and fantasy began to blur, and you couldn't be sure what was real anymore?

What would happen if you saw a therapist, but they knew all of your deepest, darkest secrets?

What if you found out that your memories were all a lie?

What would happen if you couldn't tell what was real and what was just in your head?

You're at a party when you notice somebody across the room. They're attractive, but there's something off about them. You can't quite put your finger on it, but you get the feeling that they're dangerous. You start to feel like you're being watched, and you can't shake the feeling that this person is stalking you.

What would happen if you woke up one day and your reflection was gone?

You're at a party when you notice someone watching you from the shadows. As you move closer to them, you realize that they're not really there...

You're at a party when you notice one of the guests is wearing a mask. They're also wearing a long black cloak and you can't see their face. As you watch, the masked figure moves around the room, observing the other guests. You can't help but feel like you're being watched too.

The family had always been close, but when the youngest daughter began to experience terrifying hallucinations, they realized something was very wrong. Is she descending into madness, or is something more sinister at work?

You're lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, when you hear a scratching noise coming from the other side of the wall. It's loud and relentless, and it's driving you insane. You can't take it anymore. You get up and investigate, only to find that the source of the noise is a hole in the wall. And on the other side of that hole is a pair of eyes, staring back at you...

What would happen if you woke up one day and everyone you loved was gone? What if you were the only person left in the world?

You're at a family reunion and you start noticing that your relatives are starting to act strange. They seem distant and cold, and they're constantly staring at you. You start to feel like you're being watched, and you can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.

What would happen if you suddenly remembered everything from your past lives?

You're at a party when you notice somebody across the room watching you. They don't look away when you meet their gaze, and you start to feel uneasy. Suddenly, you feel like you're being suffocated. You look down and see that their eyes have morphed into black holes, sucking the life out of you. You try to run, but it's too late. You feel your body being sucked into the void and scream as you disappear into the darkness.

You're at a party when you notice someone you don't know in the corner, watching you. They never take their eyes off you, no matter who else is in the room or what you're doing. You start to feel like you're being suffocated by their gaze. Who is this person, and why are they fixated on you?

psychological horror You're at a party when you see someone you know across the room. You say hello and start to chat, but quickly realize that something is off. They seem disinterested in what you're saying, and their eyes keep darting around the room. Suddenly, they lean in close and whisper, "I can see inside your mind. I know what you're thinking."

1. You wake up in a dark room with no idea where you are or how you got there. The only thing you can hear is a deep, steady breathing coming from the corner. 2. You start to notice that people you know are disappearing - first your friends, then your family. One by one, they all vanish without a trace until you're the only one left. 3. You're being followed. You don't know who or what it is, but you can feel its presence stalking you through the deserted streets. Everywhere you go, you can feel its eyes on you, waiting to make its move.

What would happen if you were unable to tell what was real and what was just in your head?

You are lying in bed, trying to sleep. But you can't. You keep hearing strange noises coming from the closet. You're afraid to open it, but you have to find out what's inside.

What if you found out that your therapist was only prescribing medication to you because it made them money?

You're in your therapist's office, discussing your recent nightmares. Suddenly, your therapist's face distorts and contorts, and they begin to speak in a deep, growling voice. "I can help you with your nightmares... but first, you must do something for me..."

What would happen if you couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't?

A woman is haunted by a spirit that she believes is her dead husband.

You're home alone when you hear a knock on the door. You open it to find a stranger standing there, asking for help. They say they're being followed by a monster and beg you to let them in. You have a choice: let the stranger in and risk whatever creature is following them, or turn them away and risk the monster coming after you. What do you do?

You're at a therapy session when your therapist suddenly dies. As you leave the room, you notice the door to the office is locked. You try the knob, but it won't turn. You're trapped inside with the body of your therapist. What do you do?

A woman is haunted by memories of a past life in which she was brutally murdered. Every time she tries to forget about it, the memories come back to haunt her.

You're at your therapist's office, discussing your progress. Suddenly, you realize your therapist is a cannibalistic serial killer. What do you do?

You're sitting in your therapist's office, discussing your recent dreams. In them, you're being chased by an unidentified assailant. But as you describe the dreams in more detail, you realize that the attacker is always wearing a mask...a mask that looks disturbingly familiar.

What would happen if you could never forget anything?

You're at a party and you see someone you know. They seem off, almost like they're not really there. You approach them and they start talking to you, but their eyes never meet yours. They keep talking and you can't help but notice the streams of blood running down their face.

What would happen if you took a personality test and it revealed that you were a sociopath?

You're at a party when you notice someone watching you from across the room. They don't seem to be blinking. As you start to feel uneasy, they begin to walk towards you.

While lying in bed, you hear a faint scratching noise coming from the closet. As you get up to investigate, the noise gets louder and more frantic. You slowly open the closet door to find a disheveled, wild-eyed woman scrabbling at the back wall. She turns to look at you with an expression of pure terror, and you realize that she's trying to claw her way out of the closet...into your bedroom.

A woman walks into a therapist's office, talking about her recent dreams. She's been having nightmares of being chased by a dark figure, and every time she wakes up, she feels like she's being watched. The therapist tries to help her understand her dreams, but the more they talk, the more the woman realizes that the dark figure is actually herself.

You're lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, when you hear a voice coming from the closet. The voice is soft and calming, but it starts to say things that make you feel uneasy. What does the voice say?

The broken family. The sudden death of a child. The dark, hidden secrets. The unspoken taboos. These are the things that drive us mad.

You wake up in a sterile white room. You don't know how you got here. You try to stand up, but you're strapped to a gurney. A door opens, and a figure in a white lab coat comes in. They start to wheel you out of the room...

What would happen if your worst fear came true?

A woman is lying in bed, wide awake, when she hears a voice inside her head. The voice tells her to do terrible things...

You're sitting in your therapist's office, telling them about your week. Suddenly, you realize that you've been talking for hours and your therapist has stopped responding. You look up to see that they've fallen asleep in their chair. As you try to leave, you realize the door is locked.

You're at a party when you notice somebody across the room. They're watching you. Intently. It's unnerving, but you can't look away. As you start to feel uneasy, you realize that you don't recognize this person. You start to walk towards them, but they turn and disappear into the crowd. You can't find them anywhere. And then you realize... you don't know anyone at this party.

You're in a therapist's office, discussing your recent nightmares. The therapist asks if there's anything in your life that's causing you stress. You tell them about the new medication you're taking for anxiety, and how it's been making you feel weird. The therapist seems troubled and asks if you've been having any suicidal thoughts. You tell them no, but you start to wonder if that's really true.

What would happen if you were to wake up one day and find that everyone you knew and loved was suddenly gone? How would you react? Would you be able to cope?

You're walking through a dark forest at night, when you hear something following you. You turn around to see a black-eyed child staring back at you, grinning.

You wake up in a psych ward with no memory of how you got there. The doctors tell you that you've been committed for your own safety. You're not sure if you believe them, but as the days go by you start to realize that the other patients are more than just a little bit off. You start to wonder if maybe you are too.