Before Contacting A Paranormal Investigator

While the world has a good supply of skeptics who bah humbug even the possibility of paranormal events taking place, most of us believe in at least the possibility of such mysterious phenomenon existing, regardless of what belief system we embrace.  In fact, it's now considered by many people to be pretty 'cool' to say you have your very own ghost, and with the rise in popularity of such TV shows as 'TAPS' and 'Most Haunted', the possibility of your home being haunted is viewed with less ridicule in our day.

This can be a two-edged sword for investigators of the paranormal field. On the one hand, people are more likely to at least consider the possibility that spirits do exist and they do hang around in some areas. On the other, it opens the door wider to both unscrupulous people who think it is a great lark to perpetrate fraud in this area, as well as encourage the mindset of some people to insist that what they are experiencing is definitely paranormal in nature, rather than be willing to consider the most likely possibility that what is happening has a rational explanation.

Keep that in mind as you determine whether or not you need to get outside help, so that you will understand WHY a good team wants the information they ask for, and why they proceed with caution.

That being said, here are some things to consider, and even to do for yourself, prior to contacting any paranormal investigators if you think your home is haunted.  Don't hesitate to look for help, but these simple actions may help you find some peace of mind until that help gets there...

1.  Try to rule out any possible reasonable explanations for the suspected paranormal activity.

This means you use some common sense first, and see if there is a real world explanation for the event(s) rather than automatically assuming it's paranormal in nature.  While whatever is happening may well be paranormal in nature, and no good investigator is going to humiliate you by ridiculing you or discounting out of hand what you are experiencing, getting totally freaked out does no one any good. Take some deep breaths, stay as calm as possible, try to maintain a positive mindset, and check out a few things.

For cold spots, you need to verify exactly where your central air vents are located, which way the vents are pointed, see if there are any openings around electrical outlets or switch plates, make sure all your windows are in good shape with no gaps around them, and so forth.

For strange lights, make sure you aren't seeing car lights or other light sources being reflected off various reflective surfaces. You'd be amazed how many things in your home can reflect, even distort, normal sources of light.

Strange sounds? Keep in mind that every home reacts to temperature changes and settles a bit on its foundation. Wood expands and contracts as it gets warmer or colder. Metal will make tiny creaking noises as it also reacts to changes in temperature.  The older the home, the more likely you are to hear such normal noises. And you need to note, as well, if you think you are hearing voices, whether or not the neighbors might have a TV or radio playing louder than usual, or if sound may be carried from another source further away.

Are your lights and/or appliances turning off and on?  Then the first action you should take is to consult an electrician. This is as much for safety as for ruling out any paranormal source.  A short in any electrical circuit could well lead to a fire, something none of us wants to have happen! Electricity is not something to mess around with. Be safe, make sure all your electrical outlets and cables and so forth are in good condition. If nothing is found, then you can at least have the peace of mind in knowing your family is safe from harm that could arise from electrical shorts causing a fire or getting someone electrocuted.

If you feel dizzy or strange in certain parts of your home, or experience strong odors, make sure you don't have open containers of cleaners or other solvents. Some chemical compounds used in various cleaners and paints and the like can actually cause a person to hallucinate, and they are a real health hazard. And if you forgot about that scented candle you left in the pantry, maybe you just got a good whiff as a reminder! ;)

Try your best to rule out any possible natural explanation.  This will be the first step any legitimate paranormal investigator takes, as well, and it's wise to for people to check up on these things, anyway, for safety and health reasons, so by taking this step yourself, you can either reassure yourself that nothing is going on outside the realm of normal events, perhaps find and fix a potential health hazard, or by ruling out natural explanations, you can give yourself more confidence in seeking outside help in verifying the activity.

2.  Keep a log of events.

Set up your own notebook to keep a journal of the events as they occur.  Note the time of day, the temperature, who was in the home, did anything seem to trigger the event (such as remodelling or moving furniture around or perhaps a family disagreement), what actually took place, and sign and date it.  This way, should it turn out that there is a good chance an actual series of paranormal events are taking place, you will not only have your own documentation to back up your statements when you go to get the help of a paranormal investigator, you will become more actively involved in understanding what is happening. That alone can go a long way towards giving you and your family some peace of mind, rather than sitting there feeling helpless when strange things happen.

It's up to you how long you do this. You may want to go ahead and get some help after you have satisfied yourself that there are no physical explanations, and by all means, you should do so. It only takes a short time to evaluate your surroundings to determine any physical problems that may be causing the situation. If you can find none, then go ahead and get the help you need. Documenting it just helps you to remember details, gives you some peace of mind in being proactive on the situation, and assists you in being better able to describe what is happening. 

3.  Don't discuss the events in detail.

There is a problem called cross contamination of evidence, used many times in reference to witness accounts.  The more you and your family discuss details of the events, the more you influence each other's perception of those events. While it's perfectly normal to discuss in general what's going on, it's best if each of you simply record in your journal(s) the details of what happened, then if you do pursue getting outside assistance, you will have a better record of what actually happened, rather than vague recollections of the events that might be colored by what you heard someone else say they heard or felt or saw. 

4.  Dealing with children in a possible paranormal situation...

If there are children involved, we don't want to frighten them unnecessarily, neither do we want them to feel that they cannot trust their own perceptions. Should your children come to you with stories of scary events or having seen something they cannot explain, the best course of action is to simply reassure them that you believe them, it's okay, and to not be afraid. Reassure them that you will take care of it, and that can go a long way towards minimizing their own fears when they see you being calm and rational about the whole situation.

Children pick up very quickly on any fear their parents are feeling, so deal with your own fears in as rational a way as possible, and be a responsible parent by not causing your children to be afraid. If you freak out and run out of the house screaming, for example, that wouldn't help to reassure them! This is why you are keeping a rational record of events, in order to help you put everything in perspective and keep you from feeling as though you are totally helpless, which will also ease whatever fears your children may feel.  You'll also be setting a positive example for them in dealing with unexpected events in life in a sensible and rational manner, always a good thing in this unpredictable thing we call life!

5.  Don't tell anyone of an ongoing investigation.

If you decide to pursue the situation further by seeking help from paranormal investigators, do NOT go around telling all your neighbors and friends and even family about it.  This is not to make it sound like having a paranormal investigation in your home is somehow shady or wrong.  Rather, there are some real concerns about what the consequences can be.

Shows like 'TAPS', which I enjoy every bit as much as others do, have made the hunt for ghosts an entertaining event in some people's minds, which could possibly make the idea of your home being researched an irresistable attraction to some to come and watch.  But the majority of researchers have no desire for such attention, and in fact, should a whole lot of people show up, it could definitely make the investigation extremely difficult, if not downright impossible.

Larger groups will have expensive equipment they are setting up, equipment that could be damaged, even destroyed, by curiosity seekers clambering around the area. And common sense would dictate that, the more people you have around, the harder it will be to get good, corroborating evidence of paranormal activity.  How can you even take any good pictures, much less any good voice recordings,  if every time you turn around, someone is in the way and a bunch of people are chattering? Again, common sense should prevail!

Good investigators want to do a good job, will respect your privacy and keep your case confidential, not turning your situation into a three-ring circus. It's only fair that you, in turn, respect the work they are trying to do, to help you determine whether or not there is paranormal activity in your home.

6.  Prepare for repeated visits.

Of course, the investigation will be conducted when you and the group can agree on the best time, taking into account everyone's work schedules and individual situations.  But unlike TV shows, where you see an investigation performed in one night, in the real world it takes many, many nights and even days of doing research to obtain the information needed.  And whether you realize it or not, those TV shows were recorded over many weeks, then condensed down to run in the time allotted.

This is also another reason I encourage you to keep your own written record of anything that occurs. Even if you do a quick check of your home, find nothing physical to explain the events, and immediately get help, the ensuing investigation will take a bit of time.  By keeping a good record, you will be helping the investigators keep track of the situation when they cannot be there, thus giving them more important information on what is happening, or not happening, in between their visits.

So always keep in mind the fact that ghosts and the paranormal do not perform on command, therefore it may take some time. Many factors can be at work, from the time of year to the temperatures inside and outside the area, even including factors such as magnetic fields and things we have yet to determine as having an influence on such events. Therefore, you can expect to have the investigators make several visits to your home during the course of a good investigation, so it's best to be prepared for that.

7.  Educate yourself.

Knowledge is power, and will help to alleviate any feelings of helplessness, so get as educated yourself on the various theories regarding paranormal events and what investigators do as you can.  You will find many differing theories, but keep in mind they are just that, theories. No one's theory is hard core proven at this date in time, but at least it will help you to better come to terms with the strange things happening in your own home. 

This knowledge will also help you to better determine if an investigative group is legitimate or if they are just some thrill seekers. While ghost hunting is a fun hobby in many ways for anyone involved in such activity, as the possibility of capturing on film or tape some possible paranormal evidence can be very exciting, a legitimate group will temper their enthusiasm with compassion for what you and your family are going through, and they will treat your concerns with respect as they conduct their research in a professional manner.

Even researchers may occasionally get momentarily 'spooked' by a startling event, that is purely human nature.  But a researcher with a serious desire to investigate the paranormal will do their level best to not frighten you or your family further and make your situation worse by acting like an idiot, running and screaming from a supposed haunting! If you are unfortunate enough to have such a thing happen, I suggest you get rid of them and find someone with a bit more maturity and experience in researching the paranormal, and chalk it up to a lesson learned.  There are a lot of good groups around, just do your homework and see if they have a good reputation for sensible conduct.

Bottom line, when all is said and done, let common sense prevail.  Ghostly events tend to strike some chord in humans that put us off balance, these are not events we expect to encounter in a 'normal' lifetime. But like any other event in our lives, staying calm, learning as much as we can about it, and using common sense can go a long, long way towards dealing with and resolving any event in our lives....even a haunted house!