Screamer Survival Strategy

     Hi everybody, this is my Screamer Survival Strategy. A strategy guide to help you survive just one of the many Internet fears which are screamers.

    The screamer evolved from a game often found in children's magazines or books in which a picture of an otherwise normal scene contains some unusual elements not typically found in that setting, or in reality. For example, the picture could be of a school bus, with "wrong" elements including one window containing a fishbowl instead of a child's head and bus wheels of donuts or pizza. The viewer is challenged to identify the full list of "wrong" things.

    Then along came the Internet and the screamer was born. A flash "game" was put up asking an innocent question, What is wrong with this picture. The picture was just a picture of a room. Simple. But, there was nothing wrong with the picture at all. Viewers would look at their monitors closer and closer to spot any mistakes. After 30 seconds, a picture of a black and white zoomed in photo of a woman screaming flashed in with a loud scream in the background, causing a considerable shock to most victims. Some pages carrying the flash even tell people to turn up their speakers to listen to "clues".

    Since that day, screamers began their forceful spread on the Internet. Many different screamers exist, all with different ways to scare you.

  Screamers can appear in many forms. Beware. Species include but not limited to:

• A "game" asking viewer participation to spot anything wrong within an image. After a couple of seconds, the screamer appears.
• A website. You'll be greeted with a blank page. After a couple of seconds, the screamer appears.
• An actual game. Usually simple ones like pong or a maze game. It looks innocent. After a couple of seconds of gameplay, a screamer appears.
• A "sad" video. The author tells you that it will make you cry. Usually, the screamer appears at the end of the video.
• A hypnosis video. Cool! The video claims to have similar effects of drugs. Usually at the end of the video, the screamer appears.
• Still images too can harbor screamers albeit without audio. A GIF animation pretending to be an image for example.
• "Wierd" videos (and audio). Usually with an odd title. It claims footage of aliens or odd happenings but ends with a screamer.
• Subliminal message videos. The screamer usually appears at the end of the video.
• More....

1. Before viewing a video or playing an odd game, always check the comments. You'll know if it's a screamer. But be wary, sometimes the commenter can also play along. He will post a reassuring comment that it's not a screamer or downright say that the video is funny, hard, was so much fun etc. But don't worry. If there's a ton of reassuring comments, it's not a screamer. If it's only 1 or 2 comments, be wary.

2. If you're trying to avoid screamer images, you can just turn off images in your web browser. Sure it'll suck but at least your safe. Or you can turn off images only  to read creepy stories on the Internet.

3. Thank god for friends and family. If you're scared, bait somebody else to "test" the video while you go do something else. Come back again for their reaction. It can be funny and informative. Or watch it together. If it's a screamer, you have company with you and you'll end up laughing together. For some reason, it doesn't work if you're alone. You just end up being scared.

4.  Just try to avoid videos that might be a screamer. Follow you intuition.

5.  When following a link, check out where it leads to first. If you hover over a link the link address will appear in your web browser. So you'll know if it's a prank site. Google up the address if don't recognize the link but don't press 'Images'. Searched screamer links in google images = X100 fear factor of a screamer.

5. And finally...... Don't be so paranoid and just enjoy it! After a week or two, it'll be a funny memory. It helps to have a friend to reassure each other that it's just a prank. If you're still afraid even  weeks after witnessing the screamer, I suggest immediate help. Remind yourself that it's just a prank.




And that's it! My Screamer Survival Strategy finished. Be safe and stay positive.