Interesting! I read a lot of horror, mostly Stephen King, as a teenager and young adult. Thinking about some of the points you raise might help me understand why I, as a mostly closeted gay person, enjoyed the genre so much then but not so much anymore.

In fact, it occurs to me that my infatuation with horror novels dropped off rather abruptly after I came out, found gay community, and entered into a relationship.

Perhaps that's coincidence, but this is something to think about.