The sight of a ghost in a spooky hotel or historic landmark makes for a great story, but when a spirit takes up residence inside your home it can turn into a nightmare. The term haunting means a place or person is inhabited or disturbed by a paranormal presence, usually the spirit of someone who died tragically or in an unexpected way. The spirits often appear in places where they had an emotional connection in life or a relationship to the land or structure, such as a home where a family member died or where a loved one committed suicide.
Most hauntings start out subtle with only the slightest annoyances such as the misplacing of objects, or things turning up in areas where they would not normally be found. Odd odors are another common first sign.
Other symptoms include hearing voices that can be heard whispering or even clearly enunciating, feeling like a dark shadow is following you or getting the chills for no apparent reason. Sometimes a haunting can cause the furniture to shake or the windows will break, but this is rare.
It is important to remember that a ghost is not always malevolent and will usually just want to be left alone. It is best to avoid talking about it and giving the ghost attention as this will only increase the activity. The best thing to do is keep your living spaces well-lit and use houseplants, gemstones and crystals in your home to create positive energy fields that discourage apparitions.