A haunting is the presence of an unwelcome spirit, ghostly image or strange sound. Often, these experiences are associated with the death of someone important or the location of a terrible event such as a battle or crime scene. However, they can also occur in places that are eerily peaceful, such as a graveyard or an ancient palace. It has been suggested that a haunting can be caused by a change in the atmosphere, electrical disturbances, chemical or magnetic interference or even carbon monoxide poisoning. Other explanations include an overactive brain (perhaps in response to fear), infrasound or simply environmental factors like vibration, temperature or humidity.
A ghost may be benign or malevolent, but they are almost always in some way disturbing. Frequently, they seek to scare their living hosts, but their intentions vary. Ghosts may be triggered by certain sounds, smells or movements and can also manifest as voices or full apparitions.
Poltergeists are often thought to be the most dangerous kind of haunting. This type of activity is usually accompanied by bangs and furniture moving on its own and can lead to the appearance of a full apparition. Poltergeists can be hard to detect and can cause a lot of damage, especially when it comes to the health of people in the home.
A common mistake is to assume that if you have unexplained noises or images it must be a ghost. It’s much more likely that it’s a raccoon or squirrel trying to find shelter from the rain or cold. Similarly, if you hear a scurrying in the floorboards at night it’s probably a mouse family and not a haunted specter.