From creepy hotels to iconic movie locations, many places are associated with ghostly sightings and tales of paranormal activity. Some even offer paranormal tours that will surely frighten even the hardiest soul.
No matter your beliefs about paranormal phenomena, these haunted locations provide plenty of thrills. Without these scary sites, Halloween would be very different indeed!
Origins
People have always been intrigued by hauntings, or paranormal activity. Most often this involves spirits attempting to communicate or lingering behind in places they once called home.
Haunted houses can be any structure where unusual events have occurred, with Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary, California’s Winchester Mystery House and Lizzie Borden’s home being among the more notable haunted residences. Ghostly figures have also been reported across many castles, hotels and doll islands worldwide.
No matter your belief system, haunted houses are captivating places to visit. From providing a spooky twist on sightseeing tours to providing more in-depth historical context than what can be found on plaques or brochures, haunted houses offer something different than regular tour guide advice. Modern haunted house history began in 19th-century London where novel sideshow illusions and circus attractions introduced audiences to more macabre forms of entertainment such as Marie Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors collection of wax sculptures that revolutionized scare industry history a century ago.
Symptoms
Common signs of haunted places include unexplained noises, feeling watched and shadows that move about, as well as seeing shadows move about. But these symptoms could also indicate illnesses or environmental hazards – before attributing them to ghosts!
Signals that indicate you live in a haunted home include sudden temperature drops, the feeling that someone is standing behind you, and electrical disturbances such as lights flickering on and off or appliances turning themselves on by themselves. Ghosts have even been known to cause dramatic mood shifts!
If you’re unsure whether these signs are caused by ghosts, consider installing a camera in your house at night to see what shows up on film. Also look into any history in your area which could explain this phenomenon such as tragedies or accidents that might explain them; some even report having their pets sense the presence of spirits which cause them to hiss or bark at it!
Causes
An apparently haunted house may look like the setting for an exciting horror flick, but many of its symptoms could have natural explanations. Knocking noises and unexplained footsteps might be due to wind or mice; flickering lights and electrical disturbances, similar to what we see on Stranger Things could indicate ghost activity – or they might simply be caused by drafty windows or broken light fixtures.
Sometimes properties can be perceived to be haunted due to their history. Residual hauntings involving spirits revisiting events often associated with violent crimes or murders are more prevalent at homes which were previously the sites.
Pollergeists, in which a deceased’s spirit manifests by moving furniture and making unsettling sounds, have often been reported in older houses owned by those inherited from them. Though generally non-intelligent spirits, poltergeists may also be due to environmental or psychological causes like stress or depression.
Treatments
No matter your belief system, ghostly places can be fascinating places to explore. From haunted castles to hotels with an interesting past, these haunted destinations provide an exciting way to learn history first-hand.
Experiences can range from thrilling to scary – and can cause physical discomfort for those with phobias of haunted houses. Before venturing out alone to visit one, it would be beneficial to seek professional assistance as part of an antiphobic strategy.
Injury Risk at Haunted Houses
Haunted houses pose many dangers that can result in injuries to visitors, from collision hazards and exposure to toxic fumes to objects falling from overhead or sudden stops and overcrowded rides. Dark rooms increase this risk through accidental collisions or falls; flashing lights or fog machines may obscure safety warnings and cause visual impairment, exposing visitors to risks they should know about that lead to injuries. To reduce accident risks at haunted houses, visitors should wear comfortable shoes while being aware of their surroundings – to also consider avoiding rides which don’t meet this criteria and avoiding rides that don’t meet age appropriate rides which would best meet this need for their children. To reduce injury risks at haunted houses, visitors should wear comfortable shoes when visiting and avoid rides which might not suit their childrens age appropriate rides if possible as this helps avoidance can help protect visitors.
