Watch out for these Unexpected Downsides of Ghost Hunting

Sometimes Ghost Hunting is not all it’s cracked up to be.

So you want to be a ghost hunter. You’ve watched all the seasons of Ghost Hunters, including that confusing time when Grant took over the show. You’ve watched everything Travel Channel, A&E, Destination America, and Discovery + have to offer. You’ve even subscribed to your favorite ghost hunters on YouTube. Now it’s time to sign up for your first public ghost hunt. However, before jumping in full throttle it’s important to have some realistic expectations. Here are some unexpected downsides of ghost hunting.

A real ghost hunt is not a quick 30 minute episode.

1. Long Hours

In a previous post, I suggested that a public ghost hunt should be one of the first ways to go ghost hunting. Part of my reasoning was that if you needed to leave, you weren’t stuck there. Ghost hunts can last between 4-12 hours. If you are in a larger location, most likely it will take longer to cover all the territory. You quickly discover that the paranormal activity is not constant like on the shows, and these hours can tick by slowly. It’s bad etiquette to be on your phone, and your phone can mess with equipment, so you won’t have it as a social crutch. When I used to lead public ghost hunts, the number one complaint was how “boring” it was. If sitting silently in a dark room for hours waiting for any noise on a Saturday night is not your idea of fun, ghost hunting may not be for you.

1. The Weather
   

Always be weather prepared.

The weather can be as unpredictable as the paranormal activity at any given location. I have investigated from 17 degrees Fahrenheit to 100 plus. Rain, Snow, Sleet, and Sun, ghosts will keep on haunting no matter the conditions. It’s our job to be prepared. If going to a huge empty building in winter like Trans-Allegheny, Waverly Hills, or West Virginia Penitentiary, expect it to be bitterly cold inside. Bring clothing for the appropriate conditions. My best trick for keeping warm is air-activated hand and boot warmers. In summer, make sure you drink lots of water, and if outside, wear sunscreen. Trust me, there’s nothing more miserable than sitting through an investigation not dressed appropriately and exposed to the elements. 

1. Lack of Facilities
   

Make sure your location will have all the facilities you need.

It’s always important to research the weather, but it’s equally important to research the location itself. I learned this the hard way when going to a ghost hunt at a new location. This location had just opened up for paranormal investigations. There was one tiny problem: They had no bathrooms, and the portable toilet vendor had not showed up that day. While the men were able to make do with the woods, the ladies had to make trips to a nearby gas station, eating up valuable investigation time. Another unfortunate truth is that most locations are not ADA-friendly. Many of these locations no longer have functioning elevators or accessible walkways. These are things you may need to know before planning a trip. 

1. The People
   

You never know who you'll encounter on a ghost hunt.

Ghost hunting attracts all types of people from every spectrum of society. And you can be sure you will encounter all of them at a public ghost hunt. Most locations will keep you in a group of your choice at a ghost hunt, but if you are alone or with one other person, you will be grouped with other people. I think every experienced ghost hunter has at one time been grouped with a person who talks non-stop, or the one who uses loud and inaccurate ghost-hunting phone apps, or has been grouped with a bunch of people who scream at every noise. My personal favorite was being grouped with a husband and wife who played Enya music on their phone to calm the Civil War-era spirits. I wish I were lying. If possible, make sure you go with a group of like-minded individuals, but be prepared to encounter all walks of life. 

1. The Review
   

Hours of review are not the most fun.

The one thing I have found in common with all paranormal investigators is we dread the review. Remember, however long you are ghost hunting, you will have to listen at least that long to your audio and cameras. And the more recorders and cameras you have, you are easily multiplying a 5-hour investigation into many hours and days of review. You will hear the same conversations again and again. However, it’s all worth it when you get that one Class A EVP clip. 

These are just some of the potential drawbacks to ghost hunting. As a seasoned investigator, I know how to navigate many of these issues, but if you are new, it is important to keep these details in mind. No matter what, it's worth it in the end to have that spooky experience or capture amazing evidence.