Have you ever suddenly noticed a strange smell, had little things disappear and show up somewhere else, or do your lights and doors seem to have a mind of their own? These are some of the common things associated with a haunting.
In Massachusetts, real estate that is haunted is considered to be "psychologically impacted". That is, because no matter what you see on TV or read or hear, nobody knows what a haunting really is, why it happens, or what the effects are. Everything about hauntings is theory, but having grown up in a haunted house I can tell you that once you rule out the idea that your mind is playing tricks on you (which in some cases can certainly happen) you begin to believe in ghosts. Usually it's something you can live with and need not fear.
Throughout all the literature, and there are a lot of experts out there with theories, there are several common threads that taken alone or together seem to indicate that a ghost is present. I'll share them with you now, not in any particular order of importance. Remember, too, that there are often natural explanations of phenomena and it is important to look for these and not assume the cause of anything strange must be paranormal.
1. Unexplained Noises... in old horror movies of old they used to have the sounds of chains dragging to indicate a ghost. In actuality the noises can be very ordinary but puzzling. After living in your house for a while you get to know the typical noises that are present in your home, especially with the changing of the seasons. Sometimes our imagination gets the best of us and we think these are signs of a ghost presence. What you would be looking for are things that are not typical, the most common being footsteps, banging/knocking/scratching sounds, objects being dropped, furniture being moved around, and doors opening/slamming.
2. Objects unaccountably moving... This covers several types of odd happenings - a picture falling off the wall, a book being across the room from the bookshelf or even witnessing an object moving on its own against gravity. Things kept in one room may show up in another. Doors may open or close on their own. When you do have it happen you'll know it, i.e. you're absolutely certain you left the door open and you hear it shut or even rarely you'll watch it open or shut. It is very important in this category to rule out natural causes such as vibrations, drafts, unlevel floors/doors, gravity etc.
3. Electricity and gadgets have a mind of their own. Lights, TV's, radios, and other gadgets going on or off by themselves can be frightening and could be paranormal They could also be due to faulty electrical circuits or switches, power surges or faulty electronics. Related to this is a faucet turning on and off by itself with no natural cause like a bad washer or loose handles. The real "tell" in this category is that it happens even after having a service person inspect it, and it happens many times.
5. Sightings... these can be anything from a real-looking person who fades away to a shadow out of the corner of your eye to an amorphous misty shape. It is very easy for the eye to trick the brain and we think we see something (especially in our peripheral vision) that is not there. Elephant trainers have this happen a lot with adolescent elephants, they "see" ghosts and scare themselves, which can be dangerous. This phenomena is the least trustworthy of all the things associated with a haunting, and can usually be explained by tricks of light, a natural source like car lights casting shadows, or just your imagination. Orbs are the digital interpretation of light reflecting off dust. They are not spirits. Legitimate sightings of full bodied apparitions are very rare. A bit of trivia, until the early 1900's ghosts were reported to be dressed in contemporary dress for the time in which they were seen, it was later in the century that people began reporting sightings of old pirates, roman legionnaires, and soldiers in civil war garb.
6. Your pets start acting strangely ... animals are considered to have heightened sensitivity to ghosts. Their hearing and eyesight are so superior to ours that I have to believe that their sensitivity to things otherworldly could also be very true. The most obvious "tell" is that the animal won't go into a room, cowers, barks or growls for no reason, or seems to be watching something that you can not see.
7. Pockets of cold air where they shouldn't be ... beyond the obvious open window, leaky insulation, and draft, these phenomena are featured in many reality shows and horror movies. The presense of a sudden, extreme temperature change in any direction, hot or cold, has long been associated with ghosts. If you've got one you may want to have an energy audit by the gas or electric company before you jump to any conclusions. If you still have it after an audit and corrections are made you could very well have a ghostly visitor.
8. Unexplainable smells... typically perfume/cologne or tobacco smoke that come and go. Researchers have concluded that our sense of smell is very closely tied to our memory. If you occasionally smell pleasant or really unpleasant odors that smell like household items that you do not use, strong floral perfumes, rotting meat, or something burning, this could be a strong clue that you have paranormal activity. Uexpected smells often occur in combination with other phenomena, such as footsteps or shadows and while very hard to prove, is considered highly indicative of ghost activity.
No matter what strange activities you are experiencing, the odds are that your house probably isn't haunted. There are usually perfectly natural and rational explanations for almost everything in my list. Every other cause for the happenings should be ruled out before the explanation of ghosts is seriously considered. If you do come to the conclusion that your house is haunted, don't panic - the general consensus in the literature is that ghosts are not there to hurt you. It appears that in most cases, the current and past residents can learn to peacefully coexist!
