The Psychological Reason Why October Feels So Liminal

There are liminal spaces everywhere for those with eyes to see: empty closets, hotel hallways, hospital stairwells. October. The month is arguably the most lived-in liminal space, one you can actually get yourself psychologically acquainted with before it slips away.

The concept of liminality was initially popularized not by TikTok “mall world” edits but by the anthropologist Arnold van Gennep, who developed the theory that certain rites of passage are necessary to move through various transitional phases in life. According to his theory, the rite of transition, or liminal rite, creates an uncomfortable feeling that leaves us seeking rationality and consistency.

Artists know that it is in this tension that the best insights are found and the best work is created. Horror fans wait all year to watch seasonally appropriate movies that trigger that safe, contained, and predictable kind of uncertainty. There’s something exciting about the unknown, even if it scares you. Maybe especially if it does.

There isn’t a singular scientific reason why October specifically tends to stir up this feeling. But there are some psychological and biological explanations. It’s a month that seems to point towards something, creating a state of anticipation without immediate resolution. There are environmental changes all around us: the days are shorter, the landscape is changing, and natural light is limited. All of this inevitably impacts the way we engage with our surroundings. 

In fact, some of this mental readjustment is happening without our explicit consent, since seasonal changes in daylight are strongly associated with sleep deprivation and changes in mood and behavior. In the depths of autumn, it’s more difficult to grasp the subconscious cues that help us organize time; the fact that we’re sleeping less on average probably doesn’t help. 

The landscape is changing as much as our approach to living. At this time of year the world is actively in transition, as some greenery clings on stubbornly and other trees have gone completely bare. Brisk mornings give way to sunlit afternoons. The interplay of light and shadow is more visually interesting.

Whether you’re the type of person to fully lean into spooky season or you prefer the height (and heat) of summer, there’s no denying the thrill of hope that October brings, promising cozier days and sentimental holiday gatherings in the very near future.