A psychological thriller is a subgenre of the horror/thriller genre. However, it incorporates other elements that would be seen in a mystery drama. They tend to focus deep on the stability of a characters mind, therefore having this character have to overcome disruptions mentally, rather than physically. The archetype usually involves a character finding 'the devil inside' themselves - the loss of innocence.
Themes of a psychological thriller include:
Reality - The quality of being real. Characters often try to determine what is true, and what is not, within the narrative.
Perception - A person's own interpretation of the world around him through his senses. Often characters misperceive the world around them, or their perceptions are altered by outside factors within the narrative (see Unreliable narrator).
Mind - The human consciousness; the location for personality, thought, reason, memory, intelligence and emotion. The mind is often used as a location for narrative conflict, where characters battle their own minds to reach a new level of understanding or perception.
Existence - The object for which something exists; an aim or a goal humans strive towards to understand their reason for existence. Characters often try to discover what their purpose is in their lives and the narrative's conflict often is a way for the characters to discover this purpose.
Identity - The definition of one's self. Characters often are confused about or doubt who they are and try to discover their true identity.
Death - The cessation of life. Characters either fear or have a fascination with death.
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