10 Logical Explanations for Poltergeist Activity
👻 Are you curious about what causes paranormal disturbances?
Recently I wrote a psychological ghost-busting article on why some people see ghosts.
In this story let’s explore some logical reasonings for poltergeist activity.
The word poltergeist (poʊltərˌɡaɪst) is German and means noisy ghost or spirit.
In ghost lore, these energies are responsible for physical disturbances in an environment, from bangs to objects being thrown, moved or destroyed and even physical attacks on people.
Let’s take a look at some rational explanations behind this activity…
10 Explanations for Poltergeist Activity 👻
Looking at the core themes of what makes a poltergeist haunting from levitating and moving objects to electrical interference and physical attacks we’ll explore 10 likely explanations for the things that go bump in the night…
Levitating and Moving Objects
You’re watching tv, engrossed in the programme.
Then all of a certain the TV remote spins round and flies off the table.
Or you are arguing with a teenager when the lights start to flicker and objects start to randomly fall from a shelf.
Levitating objects has been well documented in poltergeist activity.
From glasses moving across the bar area in a pub, books flying off shelves in a library on their own to heavy objects such as cookers and refrigerators lifting from the floor.
Ironically in the home it seems to be the kitchen is the most commonly reported room for this kind of strange activity.
I have experienced some of this growing up. Such as draws opening all by themselves — yes in the kitchen!
The strangest was the bell incident…
My mother and I heard it ringing so went to investigate. Nothing seemed strange so we assumed maybe it was on the tv.
I went to go visit some friends, but as I closed the front door my mother watched in horror as the ball shot off the wall — and landed 1 to 2 feet away.
I heard the noise and came back into the house where I saw the bell had been pulled from the wall.
My mother still standing in the same location was just staring at the bell confused as to what just happened.
What could explain these impossible situations?
1. Vibrations
The house next door had builders in at the time of the bell incident.
The ringing of the bell could have been caused by the work they were doing at the time.
Loosening the bell from the wall. Shutting the front door may have been the final vibration that caused it to fall, but to jump 1–2 feet away, I can’t explain that sort of force.
2. Structural problems
I lived in an old Victorian house, that was once nicknamed the crooked house due to some subsidence problems.
Draws would randomly open and strange noises could be heard on a regular basis. These issues however, could be an indication of structural issues within older buildings.
Electrical Interference
I was arguing with my mother once when the lights started to flicker.
Another time I was in bed and had the side light on as I was reading a book. It was an old-fashioned lamp where you had to click and push up to turn on and click and push down to turn off.
The next minute I heard a click then the light went off. I have never shot out of bed so fast in my life!
Now I live in a modern house, but Alexia and Google will suddenly be activated and lights can still flicker!
What could be causing this type of activity?
3. Old wiring
Flickering lights in the older property can be caused by old wiring and in regards to the lamp, it could have been broken or not fully clicked switched.
4. Modern technology
Today, I can control the lights, tv and other things via Google home and a phone.
No matter the security setting hackers can gain access if they are determined and cause spooky-like experiences or even family members having a laugh
5. The voice on the speakers — an interference of another kind
My family and I started hearing disembodied voices on the radio. The radio was off! Although the power to the stereo was on.
Turned out the speakers were somehow picking up signals from taxis and even police radios.
6. Footsteps, bangs, knocks and rappings
You’re working from home, but struggling to concentrate as the husband is banging around in the other room.
You go to investigate, but then remember your husband is not working from home and the children are at school!
Or you could be watching tv when you hear some footsteps on the stairs, you go to take a look but no one is there!
7. The creaks in the walls and visitors in the attic
Older and even newer buildings can expand and move around, especially in different weather conditions. More horrifying can be the vermin in the walls, attic or basement areas.
We heard what sounded like footsteps walking around in the attic. What we discovered was one huge bird’s nest and a family of pigeons — I am pretty sure they wore boots!
Physical Attacks
There have been some well-documented physical attacks such as the Amherst poltergeist.
The story centred around 18-year-old Esther Cox, who lives with her sister and her family. According to investigator Hubbell Esther was subjected to a terrible traumatic experience.
Shortly after the incident strange knocking and bangs could be heard by the whole family and visitors. Esther started to become physically unwell.
Strange marks would appear on her body. Objects, witnessed not just by Esther, but others to would move on their own.
This is a case full of paranormal phenomena, deep psychological trauma and what a person’s state of mind could be capable of under severe distress and mental instability.
Whilst these experiences are rare and occur only in the most severe poltergeist cases. What causes them?
8. Parapsychology
In the field of parapsychology, poltergeist activity has been explained as a form of psychokinesis or telekinesis.
These terms refer to the direct influence of the mind on a physical object.
Through technology people now can move objects with their minds!
However, what if under severe distress the mind could produce enough telekinetic energy that it could impact the other energies around it?
Nandor Fodor (1930s), a parapsychologist believed that poltergeist disturbances were caused not by spirits of the dead or demons but by the living.
People suffering from intense anger, distress, hostility, and even sexual tension. Fodor demonstrated this theory in the ‘Thormton Heath Poltergeist’ case that occurred in England.
He witnessed many poltergeist incidents taking place in the house and believed that Mrs. Forbes was at the centre of this activity.
9. Geomagnetism Forces
Paranormal investigator Guy Lambert discovered that underground water seemed to exist under many of the homes subjected to poltergeist activity!
This leads back to the vibrations and structural movement theory as described earlier. Lambert studies showed links between geomagnetism forces, electrical devices and physiological changes within the brains of the individual.
Neuroscientist Michael Persinger (2001) also came to the same conclusion about the ability of changes in magnetic fields to impact the human brain and electricity and objects within that affected area.
Other scientists have also linked activity to freak air currents. Such as the events that occurred in Cape Cod in the 1950s.
Objects in an old house would regularly be found on the floor and a mirror would not stay up on the wall.
It turned out the strange phenomenon was being caused b a downdraft from the chimney!
10. Whilst Sleeping
There have been documented cases of people waking up covered in scratches these can be self-inflicted and linked to sleep conditions. Sleep paralysis is one example.
Sleep paralysis is a sleep disorder, that can be triggered by extreme stress. This phenomenon occurs when you start to wake up before your body is ready. So, you get stuck in a limbo-like state of being half awake and half asleep.
As you try to move and wake yourself up you may accidentally scratch yourself and as you are still stuck in a limbo-like state you may see and hear strange things.
Key Takeaways
This article has discussed some likely causes behind poltergeist activity.
Something that spiritual and scientific would both agree on is the power of energies.
Some of which we can explain, but others that offer no logical explanation.
I’d love to read about any paranormal experiences you may have had?
💠What are your thoughts or theories on poltergeist Activity? Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
References:
(PDF) The Neuropsychiatry of Paranormal Experiences (researchgate.net)
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