Another element is seeing apparitions. These can be shadowy figures or full - on ghost - like forms. Like the neighbor who saw the woman in white on the road. It's often a brief sighting, just enough to send a shiver down your spine.
Cold spots are also common. Some people report feeling a sudden drop in temperature in a particular area where they believe there is a ghostly presence. It's as if the ghost is draining the heat from the surroundings. This can add to the overall eerie feeling of the encounter.
One common element is the presence of strange noises. Like unexplained creaking, moaning, or footsteps. These noises often occur in old, isolated places.
Often, there is a sense of unease or dread in these stories. Take the Stanley Hotel for instance, guests often report feeling a general feeling of being watched or in danger even when there's no visible threat. Objects moving on their own is another element. In the Bell Witch Haunting, the Bell family experienced furniture being moved and items being thrown around by the unseen spirit. And many stories involve a history of tragedy or violence associated with the location, like the Myrtles Plantation which was a site of slave - related violence and now has numerous ghost stories.
One of the real - life ghost stories I've heard was from a friend who lived in an old house. She often heard strange footsteps at night when everyone was asleep. The steps seemed to be pacing back and forth in the hallway. Once, she even saw a shadowy figure out of the corner of her eye, but when she turned to look directly, it disappeared. She was so scared that she moved out soon after.
Common elements in real life ghost stories include unexplained physical sensations. For instance, you might feel a touch on your shoulder when no one is around. Electrical disturbances are also common, like lights flickering or appliances turning on and off by themselves. There may be a recurrence of events at a specific time, like every night at 3 am. And sometimes, there are smells that don't seem to have a source, like the smell of old perfume or cigar smoke in a place where no one has smoked for years.
One common element is the appearance of a former actor or theater worker. For example, the ghost of an old actress still wandering the halls of the theater where she once performed.
A family bought a new home. Their young daughter started talking about an invisible friend. She would say that this friend played with her at night. The family started to notice cold spots in the girl's room. They became convinced that there was some sort of ghostly presence, and they ended up calling in a paranormal investigator.
In real - life scary ghost stories, the time of night often plays a big role. It seems that most of these encounters happen at night, which adds to the spookiness. Another element is old or abandoned places. People often report seeing ghosts in old houses, empty hospitals, or derelict buildings. It's like these places hold some kind of otherworldly energy. And there's often a sense of unease or dread that comes over the person before they actually see or hear something strange.
One common element is strange noises. Like unexplained knocking or creaking sounds. It often makes people feel that there's something otherworldly present.
One common element is strange noises. Like footsteps or knocking when no one is around. Another is seeing apparitions, like shadowy figures or figures that look like people from a different era.
A common element is the presence of a goal or a dream. People in these life - changing stories usually have something they strive for. It could be a career change like Jack, or a physical transformation like Lily, or achieving financial stability like Tom. Another common aspect is the ability to step out of one's comfort zone. Jack left his old job, Lily started running which was new for her, and Tom explored coding which was not common in his family environment.