The Mental Health of Ghosts

The other day while sitting behind my desk at work, out of the blue came an odd thought. I started to think of what I would do if there were suddenly paranormal activity around me. What would my co-workers do? Perhaps my stapler was tossed to the ground, or my computer monitor knocked off its stand. But then I began to think of why? Why would a ghost or a spirit, depending upon your preference, resort to such an outburst? I quickly jotted down “mental health of ghosts” on a Post-It Note and put it in my wallet. The topic was something I wanted to discuss.

We have all heard that cliché story of an angry man who continues to haunt the house he once lived in by throwing objects or moving furniture…etc. Perhaps you have also heard a tale that’s repeated in locations throughout the world of a scorned lady who roams the corridors of a hotel looking for her lost love. But what if the paranormal activity is directly related to a ghost or a spirit’s mental illness they once had in their physical body?

Let’s begin with two made-up haunting scenarios:

Agoraphobia

A ghost named Mabel is said to haunt an old Victorian house which had later turned into a Bed and Breakfast. Mabel, the original owner of the house, took her own life in 1949. Depending upon the version of the story that one hears, Mabel was depressed because both of her parents died from influenza, or she was distraught because during World War Two her fiancé was killed. Also, both versions mention that she got to the point where she never left her home.

Now let’s focus on her mental state that only her doctor knew about. Mabel suffered for years from agoraphobia. The Cleveland Clinic defines agoraphobia as when people “are afraid of common daily activities like being in an open space outside, riding public transportation, crossing a bridge or being in crowds like at a shopping mall or concert. People with severe agoraphobia are afraid to go out of their homes.”

Guests have reported doors slamming, bed coverings pulled off while they are sleeping, objects were thrown about, and obnoxious odors.

Schizophrenia – Paranoid Type

The ghost of a man named Craig is said to haunt a building located in the middle of a city’s downtown area. Craig, who was homeless and suffered from schizophrenia when he was alive, was shot and killed by police in the basement of the building. A tenant had called the police when she discovered Craig was secretly living in a storage room where he entered in and out of through an open window.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines schizophrenia as “a chronic and severe mental disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. Although schizophrenia is not as common as other mental disorders, the symptoms can be very disabling.”

Tenants of the building have reported doors locking by themselves, blinds and curtains shutting on their own, lights being turned off or lightbulbs exploding. The activity seems to escalate in the days following the presence of a uniformed police officer in the building. People in the town repeatedly tell the story of how Craig wants revenge against police officers for causing his death.

Taking the Illness with Them

Psychiatrists and psychologist have pointed to a fair number of factors that may lead to a person having a mental illness. The factors may include environmental, gene inheritance, trauma, or drug use. A serious question which may be needing to be asked; could any of these factors somehow embed mental illness into souls or energies?

Is there a possibility that those with a mental illness can take the disorder with them to the next plane of existence?

Anti-psychotics, SSRI’s and other medicines are prescribed to relieve the symptoms of mental illness. But what if someone on the other side still has their mental illness? How do they cope with their symptoms?

Going back to the scenarios listed above, could it be that the ghost of Mabel feels extreme anxiety by thinking the B&B guests are crowding her in the very place she found sanctuary? Is she throwing objects, pulling covers off beds, slamming doors, or manifesting obnoxious odors in a desperate attempt to get the B&B intruders to leave? Is the paranormal activity related to severe panic attacks that the entity is still experiencing?

With the overwhelming sense that others are out to get him, could it be that the ghost of Craig locks doors and shuts the blinds and curtains in a desperate attempt to protect himself? Is the presence of a police officer triggering his paranoia causing him to desperately try to hide by turning the lights off or breaking light bulbs?

It seems perfectly reasonable that one would be relieved of their physical body’s pain and suffering after they have died, but what if mental illness is more than just a physical brain disorder? Could an inherited mental illness-causing gene carry spiritual DNA in addition to its physical DNA?

As more people continue to study the paranormal with instruments scientifically, I believe we should also consider investigating the psychological aspect of purported paranormal activity.