Does anyone here have any concerns over the way many people are taking Ghost hunting as the new cool thing to do? I have the fear that disrespect will be rampart and conjuring up the unwanted will be overwhelming. Ghost hunting kits are sold all over the place and are selling like the old metal finders did. What do you think?

I know EXACTLY what you are talking about. Has me very concerned!! I have been into this ever since i was a child. My mother died when I was little and I've been hearing things forever. Thinking it may relate to her (Her urn is in my room). However, lately as i have been speaking to my friends about taking more classes, or investigating my own things more; suddenly all my friends who used to be TERRIFIED of what i spoke of for all those years, suddenly want to join me and put it all on YouTube. They ask me while they are giggling and joking about entities, and how cool the teams on TV are. They have NEVER been interested in this. Not my whole lifetime. They always thought i was so weird. and now it's "the cool thing." It infuriates me . This is not a joke, or play time. It's much more serious than that. And they can stir up things they don't even realize. I definitely agree with you!

I think that people that have the most experience should be in this, and the one's that are doing this for fun I know don't take serious should either get taught or leave it alone.. I've been seeing stuff and hearing people and noises since 3 and I still need to be taught, I would love to be taught, as my ma told me to take lessons get it stronger but who to trust..yes I do agree with you..

I'm in the same boat as you are Brittany, I have a group of friends like that too, even though I have always been interested in paranormal investigating. I think ppl need to know before they get involved that this field is and never was a joke, and exactly how dangerous it can get sometimes. Investigators put alot of time and effort and in most cases, funding into these investigations and it can be quite exhausting.

I personally think that's where our role and the role of this site comes into play. I don't think we should be discouraging others from investigating, but rather encouraging them to do so properly.

If we have a fear that others will go out there and pollute the ethereal landscape, then its our responsibility to promote and teach those who are hungry to learn.

You can never stop those who are just paranormal tourists, and out for a cheap thrill. Because they won't really care to learn. But this right here is your opportunity to teach those who are willing.

Rather than discouraging newcomers from it, remember that we all started out once. We have a large forum here, we have a great reservoir or knowledge right here. And we also have the eye of many of those who are first starting out. Why not put all that to use and teach, instruct, and inform instead. After all, its easier to steer running water than it is to try to stop it.

To me ghost hunting is when you and a bunch of people go to a place
maybe with a camera or not just to see what you can find.
you're really not looking for anything in particlar instead its more
about the fun of the hunt.
with Paranormal Investigation it;s quite different.you go in with a
plan you want results.by applying a scientific approach you hope to
find answers.

Newbies must be taught that knowledge is a weapon and must remember- fools rush in where Angels fear to tread.
People must be educated to the fact that ghosts, spirits, demons and any other entity can attach themselves to you and follow you home. They need to keep in mind and be open to the fact that if there are good spirits, then there are bad ones as well. Most times the evil entity starts out claiming to be the spirit of a deceased person or someone that died tragically. This way the evil spirit can sucker the unsuspecting ghost hunters into believing that they are helping a spirit by communicating with it. This gives the demonic or negative being more energy to manifest into something that the unsuspecting did not count on. The act in itself is to trick you into thinking it is friendly, and this can go on for some time, or at least until the negative entity or demonic force feels that it has your full trust.
I believe it is our duty to educate the public in the dangers that exist when investigating the paranormal. Anyone can grab a recorder, ask a question and get a response. If you do not know how to protect yourself, anyone can have their lives turned upside down by unseen forces.

What you call "Ghost Hunting" in that definition, I simply term as Paranormal Tourism. But that may be because I'm from a tourist state. (Florida)

I just want to be careful of using such terms as "Newbies" or devaluating the role of those just starting out. I just don't want to get into a situation where we divide into groups of those who have done this for years, and those who are not welcome. That I want to avoid, again because we all started out sometime. Also, one reason this site is here is to unite, not to divide. So although you're correct that training and caution is so very important, the very next step is to then provide that and be available to help.

As for spirits, human nature is human nature in life as well as beyond. You'll find good as well as bad, and as you said yourself those with intentions that are not so good will not come out and tell you "Stay away from me, I'm going to hurt you", but rather they will come as whatever it takes to gain your trust.

I think a great way to think of it is just as we teach our kids. Those new to paranormal investigation should approach it with the same restraint that we teach our kids. "Stranger Danger" just jumps to mind.

There are many who are hungry to learn, and rather than simply saying "Stay away", which we all know they probably won't do (few of us do, because of the draw to knowing the unknown), the best response is to educate openly.

LOL, I’m in Ft. Lauderdale
The term newbie (newcomer literally) indicates an inexperienced person in a certain context that shows the intention to improve.

"Ghost Hunting" isn't my term, it is what is used often on TV and the web so I used it for it's simplicity, sorry



IMO, If someone wants to become an investigator or wants to get involved in the paranormal, they should go with a team that has years of experience and is fully aware of the dangers out there and how to conduct themselves professionally and, most of all, safely.
Before signing up for one of the thousands of tours check out who is conducting it and if they are in it for the money or professional in the field.

I don't even like to call it ghost hunting, for some reason it kinda offends me, I like to refer to it as paranormal investigating because each time we conduct an investigation we are not out to hunt ghosts, in our group we are out to uncover the truth of the situation at hand...we never know what it is exactly that we are dealing with, it could all be made up, it could be a demon, a spirit, or even an angel, we don't know. So we use science and and technology to come up with a supported conclusion on what we personally think it is that we are dealing with, we secretly hope its ghosts but we just never know