Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown (46 page)

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The Demon-Haunted World
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The Demonologist.
Bloomington, IN: iUniverse, 2002.

Appendix 1
What to Do If You Think You Are Experiencing Paranormal Activity

Don’t panic!

In 99.99 percent of all cases, whether the phenomenon is truly paranormal or not, the worst thing a person experiences is fear. Simply being frightened doesn’t mean you’re in any danger.

Do not use spirit boards or other means to communicate with spirits.

As illustrated in several cases discussed in this book, such efforts can actually attract spirits, and, in rare cases, lead to more dangerous activity. The spirit world is not a toy to be played with.

Seek natural explanations.

Creaking floorboards may be the result of heat coming on. Voices could be someone talking outside. As illustrated throughout this book, there are many natural explanations for what at first seems strange. Even in many true hauntings investigated by PRS, at least some of the activity is explainable.

Beware of pareidolia.

As described in this book, the human mind loves to find patterns, even when they’re not there, as in a shadow that looks like a figure, or a wind that sounds like speech. Don’t talk yourself into believing the supernatural is present when there may be other explanations, especially when you’re lying in bed. Human beings can easily slip in and out of dream states without even being aware of it.

Keep a journal of your experiences.

What is it? Where is it? When did it start? What time of day does it generally occur? How often does it happen? Is there any history of activity? Are others experiencing it as well?

Don’t be afraid to discuss things with someone you trust.

One of the major goals of PRS is to do away with the taboo of discussing these experiences. If something is genuinely happening, have faith that you will be believed.

On the flip side, don’t necessarily trust hired psychics.

There are many charlatans, some self-deluded, willing to prey on the emotionally vulnerable.

If you’ve followed the above steps and believe something is genuinely going on, contact the Paranormal Research Society. See our FAQ on the following page for more details and contact information.

Appendix 2
The Paranormal Research Society Services FAQ

This FAQ is frequently updated online at
www.paranormalresearchsociety.org/services_haunted.php.

Important Notice: Since December 10, 2007, PRS has received thousands of case requests and inquiries. At this time, we do not have the manpower to respond to all these requests, especially in a timely manner. Please note that the likelihood of getting a response within a month is very low. We are keeping a lookout for urgent cases, however. It pains us that we cannot respond to all the requests at this time, but we will do our best.

Some Frequently Asked Questions

What kinds of cases do you accept?

We accept all claims of paranormal phenomena. This includes, but is not limited to: spiritual and demonic hauntings, psychic ability, poltergeist phenomena, occultlike phenomena, angelic encounters, miracles, UFO sightings, alien abductions, monster and cryptozoology phenomena, etc.

How do you determine what cases you accept?

In accordance with our handbook and the Ius Scriptum policies, cases with the most severe or threatening activity take precedence. That is to say that claims of supernatural phenomena that involve clients who genuinely feel they are being threatened will get priority. Additionally, cases that can provide opportunities for research of scientific or moral benefit will also be considered a priority.

What is the process of getting an investigation?

We here at PRS are very sympathetic to all claims of supernatural activity, and we try to give our clients the benefit of the doubt. Anyone who watches our A&E television program,
Paranormal State
, can see this. That said, clients must be prepared to agree to
confidential
psychological evaluation from trained counselors before we can fully consider a case. If you already have professional specialists involved, then we may ask for permission to speak with them to rule out certain psychological and physiological factors for your protection. We are not here to judge, but we need to pursue certain avenues for ethical and scientific purposes. When we conduct interviews, we may ask very personal questions, such as asking about any history of drug or alcohol use, occult use, etc. (responding yes to any of these does not necessarily mean we won’t accept your case). Again, everything remains confidential, but we ask clients to be very open and honest with us so we can do our job to help you figure out what’s going on. It’s important for both you and PRS to consider natural, logical explanations first. We may also ask clients to submit to a criminal background check for the protection of the society and its members.
*

Keep in mind that each case is different and unique, so the guidelines on how we accept and pursue a case vary.

Clients who are being considered for an investigation will generally undergo a series of telephone interviews before the next step, which is a physical meet and greet. Information gathering and medical checks come next before the actual investigation. Some investigations might require an overnight stay. Overnight stays are done in order to observe the household environment while at the same time trying to witness paranormal activity. We try to embed ourselves with the clients and household so we can try to experience what the clients experience firsthand.

As you can see, the whole investigation process is very in-depth. We are selective with our cases because they are very time consuming.

How much does it cost to get an investigation from PRS?

Nothing. We do not charge clients for anything.

What will PRS do for me and the phenomena I am experiencing?

There’s a lot we will try to do. One, we can bring in scientific, medical, and paranormal specialists. We can also conduct historical research.
Most important, we’re here to listen without judging you
. We believe in the possibility of the supernatural and we’re here to help, whether it’s paranormal or not. We’re not here to debunk your claims or to simply collect evidence. Our goal is to try to help you understand what is happening. Sometimes we can find a logical, rational explanation. Sometimes we cannot. We will also work within the client’s religious, spiritual, and cultural beliefs. Despite the fact that PRS has a national TV show, we are quite capable and trained at keeping investigations discreet and confidential.

Do I have to consent to being on TV in order to get your help?

No, you do not. We still accept a certain amount of cases a year that are not taped or filmed in any capacity for the media.

Does distance affect your decisions about which cases you pursue?

Unfortunately, yes. We are not yet at the point where we can fly a team of investigators all over the country for every case. We are able to consider a few cases that are distant, but most of the cases we investigate are in the northeastern area.

C
ONTACTING PRS

Paranormal Research Society

P.O. Box 403

State College, PA 16801

e-mail: [email protected]

Web site: www.paranormalresearchsociety.org

Official Web site: www.ryanbuell.net

Acknowledgments

This book wouldn’t have been possible if not for the patience and commitment of Stefan Petrucha, who worked with me and helped me slay the deadline demons.

Additionally, the film crew, producers (Gary and Betsy), the executives at A&E (special shout-out to Elaine Frontain-Bryant), and the awesome people at HarperCollins all deserve a special acknowledgement for supporting the work that went in to this book.

Thank you to Michelle Belanger for taking the time to not only write a foreword, but to also read the book and share your thoughts.

Special thanks to my editor, Jennifer Schulkind, for being patient and supportive during this entire process, and to my lawyer, Richard Thompson, and manager, Curt Smith, for being amazing!

All the clients, guest investigators, and experts featured in this book deserve a special thank you. For the clients—thank you for allowing us to go in there and tell your story. Whether you realize it or not, you helped influence someone out there.

Lastly, this book had to tell some hard truths and honest perspectives. I’d like to thank my family for being supportive about my decision to open up about some particularly dark moments. And if you weren’t supportive, well, I hope that someday you’ll forgive me. I did it in the hope that one day, someone else who went through something similar will find encouragement in these pages.

About the Author

F
ollow Ryan Buell on his extraordinary journey as he seeks out the truth behind terrifying demonic disturbances, hauntings, and paranormal phenomena to solve unexplained mysteries that have been plaguing frightened families who have nowhere else to turn.

In
Paranormal
State, Buell gives readers a chilling, in-depth look at some of the most disturbing cases—including some that have never been aired—revealing startling new facts and incredible new discoveries. Buell relives the origins of the Paranormal Research Society—discussed here for the first time—and the strange path his life has taken since the show’s beginning. With unparalleled candor, Ryan discusses the intriguing mysteries, the difficult decisions, and the struggles with questions of faith, sanity, and the very concept of reality.

Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.

Copyright

Paranormal State, A&E and the A&E logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. © 2010 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.

All photos courtesy of A&E Television Networks, LLC.

PARANORMAL STATE.
Copyright © 2010 by A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST EDITION

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Buell, Ryan.
   Paranormal state: my journey into the unknown/Ryan Buell and Stefan Petrucha.—1st ed.
      p. cm.
   ISBN 978-0-06-176794-4
   1. Parapsychology. 2. Paranormal Research Society. 3. Paranormal state (Television program) 4. Buell, Ryan. I. Petrucha, Stefan.
II. Title.
BF1040.B75 2010
130—dc22
2010005748