Signs your house is haunted

[sadie1263]

THE SIGNS OF A HAUNTING

The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truly have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut that occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.

Here's a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunted:

Unexplained noises - footsteps; knocks, banging, rapping; scratching sounds; sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud.

Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing - most often, these phenomena are not seen directly. The experiencer either hears the distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing (homeowners get to know quite well the distinctive sounds their houses make) or the experiencer will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture, like kitchen chairs, are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will the experiencer actually witness the phenomenon taking place.

Lights turning off and on - likewise, these events are seldom seen actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the experiencer knows they were not left that way. This can also happen with TVs, radios and other electrically powered items.

Items disappearing and reappearing - this phenomenon, which we have dubbed "the DOPler Effect" (DOP = Disappearing Object Phenomenon), has been examined in the article "The DOPler Effect." Others have called this "the borrowers" phenomenon, and it's the familiar experience of not being able to find a regularly used item - say, your set of car keys - which you believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they're gone and you look high and low for them with no success. Some time later, the keys are found - in exactly the place you normally put them. It's as if the object was borrowed by someone or something for a short time, then returned. Sometimes they are not returned for days or even weeks, but when they are, it's in an obvious place that could not have been missed by even a casual search.

Unexplained shadows - the sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, usually seen out of the corner of the eye. This phenomenon has also been discussed in some detail in "Shadow People." Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while other times they are less distinguishable or smaller.

Strange animal behavior - a dog, cat or other pet behaves strangely. Dogs may bark at something unseen, cower without apparent reason or refuse to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be "watching" something cross a room. Animals have sharper senses than humans, and many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely tuned also. (See "Animals and Ghosts" )

Feelings of being watched - this is not an uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many things, but it could have a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular part of the house at a particular time.

[sadie1263]

I think I have mentioned it.....but we bought the house next door to my parents 19 years ago. My parents built their house and we moved into it when I was six months old. The people that owned my house were like grandparents to me.....they moved to be closer to their kids and that's when we got their house.

No strange things went on in this house until the lady we got it from passed away. Since then......just randomly strange things have been happening.....months will go by with nothing....and then just a few things....and then quiet again.....almost like she just comes to check on us......we have lights in the kitchen that pop on during the middle of the night....have actually been awake and seen that happen.....a picture of one of our kids that fell from a high place and was on the ground without the glass breaking......the dogs appear to be looking or listening to someone.....fed the dogs the other day...and a piece of dog food landed near me......the bowl was in another room....things moved...

Wondered if anyone else had experiences like this.....

[Hunny]

I grew up in a house that was built in the 1860's. Quite a few people moved in and out of it during its time, including one guy who committed suicide. I was told when we got there it was haunted. But maybe you have to believe in ghosts to see one? I didn't experience anything at all. I didn't believe the stories, and saw no evidence.

My neighbors on the other hand, oh they believed! And had stories. ...sounds, footsteps on the stairs, things moving, the wife getting a hand up her dress when no one was there. Stuff like that. But like I said, I never believed any of it. I just thought their imaginations were getting the best of them.

[sadie1263]

I have probably always been open to the idea.......I have no evidence that it is the woman that used to live here.......but it never happened until after she passed away. She was a funny and wise woman with a sense of humor......I can imagine her making the rounds to check on people or places that were important to her. I hope I get to do it........

[sadie1263]

Couldn't find my pic on here so here it is again.....The Menger Hotel in San Antonio TX look on the 2nd floor on the left

[Deleted]

I dunno about my house; far as I can see it's not haunted but I know there are some weird ghosts in the woods because I've seen them!

I think they come from the time of Matthew Hopkjins because they were seemed to be withcehs.

[sadie1263]

We still have lights that randomly turn on during the night.....and our alarm system beeps......it is only supposed to do that when the front or back door is opened...but no one will be near either one of them and it beeps every now and then.....