When the Paranormal Becomes Personal – Stage 1: Casual Dismissal

Part 1 of a 9-Part Series of The Human Journey From Dismissal to Acknowledgement

Most people do not expect to encounter anything they would describe as paranormal. Unexplained experiences are assumed to belong to stories, television programmes, or the lives of other people—not to ordinary homes, workplaces, or families. When something unusual first occurs, it is almost always dismissed, rationalised, or quietly ignored.

This blog series explores what happens when that dismissal no longer works.

Written from the perspective of an average, previously sceptical individual, each post examines a distinct stage in the psychological and emotional journey that can unfold when unexplained events persist. Rather than focusing on belief, the series focuses on impact—how confidence gives way to unease, how control is gradually lost, and how everyday life and relationships are affected.

These posts are intended to offer clarity, reassurance, and recognition to those who may see themselves reflected in the stages described, and to underline that uncertainty is not weakness, and seeking help is not an admission of belief, but a practical response to a real problem.

Stage 1: Casual Dismissal – “There Must Be a Normal Explanation”

At the outset, the average person does not frame unusual events as paranormal because doing so simply does not align with how they understand the world. Their everyday life is governed by routine, logic, and cause-and-effect. When something odd occurs, it is immediately absorbed into that framework and rationalised without much effort.

A strange noise in the night becomes a building settling or a passing vehicle. A fleeting shadow is dismissed as poor lighting or tired eyes. Objects that are not where they were left are attributed to distraction, forgetfulness, or to someone else in the household moving them. Electrical oddities—flickering lights, malfunctioning devices, unexpected power loss—are blamed on wiring, weather, or ageing appliances. Each explanation feels reasonable, familiar, and reassuring.

Crucially, this stage is not marked by fear. Instead, there may be mild irritation, fleeting curiosity, or even amusement. The person might roll their eyes, shrug, or make a passing comment before carrying on with their day. The idea that these experiences could be linked, meaningful, or external to normal physical causes simply does not occur to them.

Ghosts, hauntings, and paranormal activity are culturally filed away as fiction, folklore, or entertainment. They belong to horror films, ghost-hunting television programmes, or stories told by other people—often people perceived as more suggestible or less grounded. As a result, even when something feels momentarily unsettling, the individual instinctively reassures themselves that everyone experiences odd moments from time to time and that it would be irrational to read more into it.

Emotionally, this phase is characterised by confidence and a sense of normality. The person feels firmly in control of their environment and its interpretation. They trust their understanding of reality and their ability to explain what happens around them. There is no sense of threat, no urgency, and no perceived problem to solve—only the quiet assumption that the world remains exactly as it always has been, predictable and knowable.

This confidence is what makes later stages so destabilising. The dismissal here is not careless or foolish; it is entirely human. It is the mind doing what it is designed to do—preserving stability, avoiding unnecessary fear, and maintaining a coherent picture of reality.

Help, if Needed.

If you or someone you know repeatedly dismisses strange experiences while quietly feeling unsettled, early guidance can prevent escalation. Confidential help is available from Paranormal Rescue, which operates as a sort of fifth emergency service, addressing incidents that fall outside the remit of police, fire, medical, or breakdown services. When unexplained disturbances disrupt normal life, Paranormal Rescue provides calm, structured, evidence-based support.

Written by Brian Sterling-Vete, PhD and Helen Renée Wuorio, TM, RM.

Founders of the Paranormal Rescue Organisation - www.ParanormalRescue.com

Brian Sterling-Vete is a veteran science-based paranormal researcher, field investigator, and author with decades of experience researching unexplained phenomena.

Helen Renée Wuorio is a Tarot Master, Reiki Master Teacher, and author specialising in intuitive perception, historical symbolism, and experiential consciousness research.

Together, they head Paranormal Rescue, a global organisation offering a unique and discreet emergency assistance service and support for those dealing with complex, malevolent and occasionally dangerous paranormal situations.