Do you believe in the spirits, in the ghosts? If you want to believe, you just have to look an abandoned house , if possible the most creepy, squeaky and old you can. With almost total security we can tell you that you will see spirits and that, according to some researchers, seeing spirits is directly related to toxic mold which can accumulate in old buildings.
According to a survey conducted in 2009, 18% of adults say they have seen a ghost at some time in their life. It is not only that they have felt or heard it, but that they have seen it. So seeing spirits should not be so strange ... Let's see what this phenomenon has to do with mold!
The relationship between seeing spirits and toxic mold
Shane Rogers, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University, has an idea of what is really behind these visions. According to Rogers, When the mold is reproduced, it creates spores in the air that can then get into your respiratory system.
The 2009 study indicated that there could be some relationship between toxic molds and symptoms such as movement disorders, delusions, dementia, disorders of balance and coordination, even with the fact of seeing spirits. All this translates into this strange sensation, something spooky, that we can feel in those kind of places.
Rogers stated that:
"I have had interest in ghost stories, paranormal exploration and shows and other things for a long time" and added
"Back in graduate school watching these programs, I thought: 'God, some of these places that you are going to enter are pretty dirty and moldy. I wonder if there is some kind of connection "
See spirits or inhale fungi?
So, do we see spirits or do we breathe mold spores that rot in an old building due to inadequate ventilation and the air is in poor condition? Either of the two things does not seem too nice, right?
The truth is that being in a creepy place could prepare the environment and have you susceptible enough to believe you've even seen Casper walking in front of your eyes.
Spirits vs Dirt
To date this connection between the spirits and the toxic mold that arises from dirt and neglect is only at a speculative level and there is no scientific evidence to support it.
"Apparitions are widely reported phenomena that are not well researched," says Rogers.
"They are often reported in older built structures that can also have poor air quality. Similarly, some people have suffered from depression, anxiety and other effects of exposure to biological pollutants in indoor air that they breathe. We are trying to determine if some declared occurrences may be linked to specific pollutants found in indoor air. "
But, as we mentioned, prolonged and continuous exposure to mold can not only be the cause of seeing spirits. Also, and much more dangerous, it can be the cause of strange and very dangerous diseases.
Some people who suffer from this exposure, are diagnosed with mental diseases and, often, ignored for believing that their symptoms are invented. Certainly, the toxins that are released from mold are so peculiar and strange, and their effects can be so varied and extensive that it is very difficult for doctors to give a diagnosis of mold poisoning. That obviously makes treatment difficult and the exposed people do not stop suffering its consequences. In a 2011 interview, Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker went on to say that mold toxins can be more toxic than pesticides and even more so than heavy metals and can affect even a large number of cells in our body.
But, once again, the hand of man makes things worse. In the 70's a fungicide was created to fight the fungi of crops. It certainly wiped out most of them, however, those that survived became highly toxic and resistant molds. That same fungicide would also apply, in the 70s, to painting, trying to avoid the growth of mold on wet walls of public buildings or schools.
With the creation of this fungicide was allowed, as we said, the uncontrolled growth of some very dangerous fungi and the result of that is that we are now more exposed than ever to these substances so harmful to our body, and much more predisposed to see spirits.
As you could read, the theme of mold is no joke and goes beyond seeing spirits. The physical consequences can range from chronic fatigue, migraines, muscle cramps, numbness and tingling to cardiac arrhythmias and insomnia. In short, an extensive list of symptoms and this is because the spores of mold can settle in many different parts of the body.