A lot of people have watched some sort of paranormal TV show like Ghost Adventures or Ghost Hunters (being the most popular 2) and think "wow being a Paranormal Investigator looks really cool." They don’t realise there is a lot more to than just running around in night vision yelling into the darkness. I have touched on this before in previous articles but here are some things you may not know about us Paranormal Investigators.
We have full-time jobs/lives
Investigating for the majority of the field is considered a hobby. We actually lead normal lives. A lot of us have full-time jobs, families and households to run. This is something we do in our spare time. It is not uncommon to have to move around work commitments and organise babysitters just to be able to attend an investigation or event!
We don’t get paid
Unless you are Zak Bagans with a major TV deal, you will not see any significant money hitting your pocket. Investigators shouldn’t be charging you to attend an investigation in your home when you have asked for help. If they are – run in the other direction because they are not there to help you! Some people do make some money when they are hosting public investigations, but they will be lucky to turn a profit after the high costs of hiring a venue and public liability insurance etc. Content creation means there is new revenue opportunity through ads and support platforms such as Patreon. Even though you are paid for your content contribution, in most cases is still not enough to be able to leave the day job! It is usually just enough to fund your passion! There are a lucky few who have managed to make a career out of it and kudos to them because it is a full-time job in itself to be able to do that. You may also be surprised to hear that many of your favourite television personalities also have full-time jobs in very 'normal' industries because quite simply, it doesn't pay the bills!
We LOVE history
There is always a story behind every location. It is usually a dark history and that is what draws us in. You can find us on our weekends off looking at old articles, reading books and even visiting locations just for fun. Why? Because we love the old buildings and the stories of the people that lived there.
Check out my article: Does the paranormal field help salvage our history?
We spend our weekends off from investigating doing paranormal stuff
Whether it is research, blogging, doing podcasts, writing webinars you will find most investigators fill their spare time away from investigating doing still paranormal stuff. Whether it is reviewing old evidence, reading books or testing equipment, if we aren't out on an investigation, we are still thinking about it! The guilty pleasure on a weekend? Watching the paranormal television shows and throwing a pillow at the TV out of frustration! Ultimately, the mind of a paranormal investigator never switches off.
Check out my article things you can do if you have no paranormal investigations
It costs a lot of money
Whether you are just a casual investigator who attends a few investigations a year or you do it every weekend. It costs money. You have to pay to access a location, public liability insurance, equipment, petrol. The current cost of petrol probably doesn't help! Once you have all of your equipment, you would be surprised how many batteries you go through each investigation. While paying to attend a public investigation can sometimes seem costly, it is nothing compared to the cost if you were to try and do it yourself. Either way, you are paying for something.
Check out my article: paranormal investigating on a budget
The paranormal community can be a bit bitchy
I suppose it is like anywhere. You are not going to like everyone you meet and it is the same in the paranormal. I guess it seems like it is amplified sometimes. There are limited locations and you have a lot of groups all trying to get into the same location. There is jealousy because one group got on the radio while another didn’t. You have to put all this crap aside and just do your own thing. It is easier said than done as the more you become known in the community, the more drama seems to follow.
A lot of the time, nothing paranormal actually happens
Depending on what kind of investigator you are (whether you focus on sensations, feeling or just using equipment), you will find a lot of nights, stuff just doesn’t happen. The stuff that does happen, you could debunk. Many nights I have spent up to 10 hours sitting in dark rooms where not a thing has happened. Not a single light on any piece of equipment has gone off, not a single strange feeling or noise. It can be disheartening and boring but it just makes it so much more exciting when the good stuff really happens.
We will do some crazy things all in the name of paranormal
Lock us up in a dark gaol cell, pop us in a morgue freezer, strap us in a straight jacket in an abandoned mental asylum, we are usually up for pretty much anything all in the name of paranormal. There are some things that we will never speak of but we will go to great lengths in our search for the paranormal!
You will meet lifelong friends
You may think no I won’t. I sure thought that way and it just happened. You are putting yourself out there and you will attract similar energy to yours. You will get along like a house on fire. Your regular friends probably don’t understand the whole ‘paranormal thing’ so the friendship you have with any paranormal people you meet will actually become quite special. Some friendships will come and go and you will find you aren't friends with the same people you were 5 years ago as you evolve. Again this is true to real-life experience.
We don’t just investigate at night
This is another thread I have discussed before, but paranormal activity can happen anytime anywhere. We only do it at night for logistical reasons and to be able to run a more controlled investigation. There is no hard and fast rule that says you can’t do it during the day, just know your surroundings so you can take that into account.
Check out my article Lights On VS Lights Off - Daytime VS Night time
We are actually fairly normal people
The subject of paranormal is a bit taboo sometimes and people automatically assume you must be a bit strange. The reality is that we aren’t. The funny thing is, when you tell someone you are a paranormal investigator, watch people flock to you with their ‘ghost stories’
Paranormal Investigators are not just limited to ghost hunting
The word paranormal covers a large range of areas. It is not just ghost hunting. It can extend to other areas such as UFOS, Cryptids, psychic abilities, extrasensory perceptions, extraterrestrial life forms …. basically anything supernatural. You don’t have to be limited to just one. Just have an open mind, it can be pretty ignorant to say yes there is life after death but the thought of extraterrestrial life is just silly.
We are happy to help
If someone reaches out for help because they are having trouble in our homes, if we can’t help you, we will put you onto someone that will. If you have a question about the paranormal we are really happy to answer. What most of us don’t like however is when you ask us to review your photos and then you get upset if we tell you it isn’t paranormal. It is really frustrating and feels like a kick in the teeth. Don’t ask something if you are not prepared for the truth.
We LOVE LOVE LOVE what we do
We are a pretty passionate bunch. You have to be to give up your social life, your weekends, your cash and time with your family and friends to sit in a dark cold room on a Saturday night. But we do so very willingly and we absolutely love it. If we come across a bit too full on or passionate, it is just because we love what we do so very much.
I hope I have shed a little bit of light. We are very approachable people and not the weirdos delegated to the back of the room. We find beauty in the darkness and most of all we have all found a bit of family in this crazy paranormal world. Jump on board, there is room for everyone!
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