My apartment is haunted and my boyfriend doesn’t take me seriously, help!

La Daronne is the queen of not-so-stupid advice, covered with a large dose of more or less subtle humor. Here she is back to help a reader!

The question for Daronne

Dear Daronne,

My boyfriend and I just moved to a new city and found our dream apartment for rent: spacious, bright, with balconies, in the city center, but in a quiet street, for a very reasonable rent. In retrospect, I should have found it suspicious. I don’t know if I’m going crazy, but I think my apartment is haunted. I heard voices in my living room several times, even though my boyfriend was sleeping next door and we had no guests. Every night, at the same time, the floor creaks, I have the impression that certain objects change places, that wardrobe doors open or close by themselves. I already wasn’t reassured, but this morning the television was on when I woke up. My boyfriend tells me he may have forgotten to turn it off yesterday. No matter how much I tell him about my strange fears (I never believed in this kind of thing), he always has a good explanation and for him moving is out of the question.

Help !

Cora

Daronne’s response

My little Wednesday,

I don’t believe in paranormal or celestial forces. But I think some people may experience it, although one day science will surely be able to explain the phenomenon. Just as we once thought the earth was flat, we once thought that the physical manifestations of our cosmic energies were the spirits of dead people who had come back to haunt us. HAHA, anyway, what idiots we were in the 21st century…

We laugh, we laugh, especially me who lives in an apartment complex whose lack of charm would discourage the most homeless, but I know that for you the situation must be particularly disturbing. I will therefore help you in a serious and pragmatic way.

You need to be able to communicate with your boyfriend

I want to believe that even our life partners are there to follow us in our disappointments, or to witness them from afar, but tenderly conniving. Please don’t ever do this, I beg you, but just in case, I think if there’s anyone designated to help us hide a body, it’s our partner. Although, I insist, do not engage in this type of activity.

Therefore, I believe we can confide our fears, even irrational ones, to our partner and expect them to face them with us. I don’t know if you actually broached the topic with him, but believe it or not, it doesn’t change the fact that you, his partner, can no longer sleep and fear your apartment. Whatever the reason for this discomfort, the repercussions are troubling enough for him to pay attention to it.

I just asked Daron what he would do in a situation like that and he said: “I would think you were crazy, but I would be willing to move, just once.” I understand that given the imminence of the situation, your boyfriend cannot afford the same bluff as me.

In the meantime, you can note together the position of objects that could move, make sure you have turned off the television and closed the wardrobe doors, etc. Either he will be able to personally see that something abnormal is happening, or the small maneuver will have had the advantage of deterring the undesirables. You can also think of spatial solutions that are more reassuring for you, a curtain between the living room wall and the bedroom wall, a small light next to the bed or a lock on the door, without forgetting the quilt.

Call the pros (or tips from the pros)

If your doubts are confirmed and your boyfriend also begins to be convinced, you can move, here’s what I would do in your place. Then I will live far away and make my fortune from a local psychiatrist.

But you can also try methods… Alternatives. There are a surprising number of websites that explain how to get rid of spirits. You must first purify the house, for example with white sage (the one that cannot be found in supermarkets), smoking every corner of the house. Some stones are also recommended for warding off spirits, such as Tourmaline, Labradorite, Tiger’s Eye or Obsidian. Attention! Before placing it in your living room, you must first cleanse your stone, again with sage. Okay, you already have some. And recharge it by moonlight.

If neither purification nor Tom Thumb’s atmosphere deters your intruders, a site that is clearly a reference in its field suggests you talk to them. Everyone does what they want, but if I were you I would prefer to consider the last option: turning to a specialist. Of course, before I knew ghosts existed, I enjoyed these gugu and their vacuum cleaners. However, today I realize that these Wanabe Winchester brothers have always been one step ahead of the rest of us.

Less fun tracks

If you always have to keep an open mind (right?), these apparitions perhaps have a less romantic explanation. The Cartesian world is very ugly compared to the others. But here we must not ignore it: some diseases cause visual or auditory hallucinations and can impair cognitive functions. These hallucinations seem absolutely real to those who experience them, which can isolate them even more. In addition to everything else, I can only encourage you to consult a professional, even if only to discuss these apparitions which must be particularly difficult to live with.

Another hypothesis, which I hope is completely unlikely, is that of domestic violence. You haven’t given me any indication of your relationship, and if she’s a good person, I apologize. But sowing trouble in a partner’s mind before calling him a loser is a common manipulative practice among those guilty of domestic violence. Just in case, you can call 3919.

For my part, I wish he were a ghost. For many obvious reasons, but also because I, with my fear of dying, am happy to learn that even beyond that we continue to make java in the apartment until late. I’m leaving you, I have to sprinkle salt on my doormat.

The kiss,

Your Daronne

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