WEIRD OR WHAT - Paranormal Mysteries

SyFy - Original Air Date: 5/14/13

A woman in San Pedro, CA, calls paranormal investigators in to investigate strange events, including apparitions and even physical attacks.  She believes that an evil entity is in her attic.  One investigator reports being strangled during the investigation (and there's a fuzzy photo), and a strange oozing substance from the walls is identified as human blood plasma.  One investigator believes the trouble all started with a Ouija board seance.  Loyd Auerbach, former president of the Psychic Entertainers Assoc., believes that the woman herself was a poltergeist agent -- a "haunted" person, similar to an epileptic seizure, affecting the world subconsciously when repressed rage builds up.  (He also believes in psychokinesis.)  He notes that the events followed her when she moved -- though subsequent tenants also experienced strange things.  John Huntington, professor, believes that infrasound, low frequencies inaudible to humans, may have built pressure waves causing residents physical and psychological distress.  (As someone who has trouble sleeping when car engines are running outside, I can attest to low frequency noise making life difficult.)

A Connecticut housewife heard voices in 1992 and believed herself to be possessed.  Bruises appeared on her body, with no apparent medical explanation.  The Catholic church decided she was possessed and preformed an exorcism.  After 16 exorcisms, she died of cancer, which some believe was caused by demons.  Psychologist Christoper Rosik believes she had dissociative identity disorder (split personality).  He believes that religious ritual can repress such symptoms ... at least, for a time.  Reverend Bob Larson, self-proclaimed exorcist, disagrees.  He thinks demonic possession is real -- and common.  He believes that (supposed) speaking in languages foreign to the "possessed" is proof.

Teenager Fae Jackson believes that ghosts talk to her, and have since she was 10.  She sometimes sees up to 5 at a time, and they only come when she's alone.  When the family seeks advice from local mediums, they convince the family that Fae has a gift, and she works to "master" it.  Author Karen Good believes that children can see ghosts, but adults lose this "ability."  She believes that everyone has this ability and its root lies in the pineal gland.  Jack Rourke believes that parents can (perhaps unknowingly) encourage this fantasy in children, through positive reinforcement.  The child gains the reward of extra closeness with their parent(s), and the parent gains more control over the child through their shared experience.  One paranormal researcher believes that people who see ghosts have different eyes that can see more infrared than the rest of us -- and ghosts show up in the infra red.  (No explanation of why IR cameras aren't overflowing with ghost images.  And no evidence that children see further into the infrared than adults.)

Another decent episode of this series, which is distinguished by having rational explanations along with paranormal mythology.