It’s almost Halloween, meaning it is the time of the year when the paranormal is on everyone’s minds. And people all over the world celebrate all things supernatural.
The ancient stories and takes of ghosts, ghouls and poltergeists are of particular interest.
The term poltergeist comes from combining the two German words poltern, meaning crash and geist, meaning spirit or ghost. This is because you would be alerted to their presence in the area due to them making noise.
Reports of poltergeist phenomena date way back to the first century. Although the reporting is much less common than traditional hauntings. Due to the erratic nature of the poltergeist-assumed activity, the phenomenon has generated several major films and TV programmes.
So, for this spooky season, we have combined a list of the 7 most important things you should know about poltergeists.
1. Nobody knows or can agree on what they are.
Many parapsychologists have determined that poltergeists are a type of ghost or supernatural entity. They see them as responsible for not just physical disturbance but also for psychological disturbance. Others believe that what could be poltergeist energy actually originates from unknown energy. Examples include a living person or location.
As with many phenomena of paranormal nature, many sceptics prefer simple explanations. Such as people playing tricks or seeking attention as an explanation.
2. Poltergeists seem to have a gender preference.
Throughout the history of poltergeist hauntings, it has been noted that a female adolescent is involved. Who is often suffering from emotional turmoil when they begin to experience it.
But not all people who experience poltergeist encounters are teenagers. Research shows that the age of people reporting poltergeist-related experiences ranges from 8 to 78.
3. Some of the most famous poltergeists are debunked as fake.
Throughout history, many poltergeist sightings or reports have been debunked. That is due to the findings of blatant evidence of pranks. People have searched the apparent scene of the activity and have found evidence. Such as nylon threads attached to light fixtures. And paintings that apparently started swinging due to paranormal activity.
4. It is common for Poltergeists to move your stuff.
The pattern of Poltergeist phenomena begins with small in most cases. With incidents that you would not recognize as paranormal on their own. Like bizarre sounds or objects moving without memory of you doing so. Such as your keys or your phone moving from their usual place. Poltergeist activity can last from months to several years in some cases.
Ghosts are often triggered by making alterations to the house. Or from a new family moving in. Many reported incidents in England begin once a new family arrives.
5. Some researchers believe emotional stress can cause increased activity.
Ghost hunters and paranormal investigators have noted that poltergeist activity is a manifestation of the intense emotions of troubled people. Which increases in times of great stress.
This is known as Spontaneous Recurring Psychokinesis. And it suggests that the stress and pent-up energy of certain people going through a traumatic time can even project outward. It can project into the physical environment, producing the activity linked to poltergeists.
6. Some believe poltergeists are the spirits of the dead.
The most common belief about poltergeists is that the spirits of the dead are responsible for the activity. Many of these people believe that people who experience a ghost or spirit have underlying psychic ability. They can communicate with a being from another world, a power not possessed by every person. This aligns with the belief that consciousness, or a person’s soul, survives beyond bodily death.
7. Sceptics put a lot of paranormal activity and sightings down to misinterpretation.
The most common argument against paranormal activity being real is that people may misinterpret things. And see things as they would like rather than how they really are. When they believe a place is haunted, they seek evidence to confirm this.
Many unknown sounds and happenings could be put down as a paranormal encounter. Much poltergeist activity can be due to an inaccurate perception of natural phenomena. For example, it’s not always a haunted house or a ghost. Strange noises and knocking may come from an electrical device or boiler pipes.