Do You Have Spooky Feelings?

October is one of my favorite months. I love the changing leaves, the Halloween decorations, and stories that make me glance twice down a dark hallway. I still remember a night last October when I was reading alone, and the soft creak of the floorboards made me pause. Even my sweet Noodles (best puppy in the world) took notice. For a moment, I felt as if someone else was standing just out of sight, even though I knew I was by myself. Of course, not every spooky feeling comes dressed up for the occasion. Sometimes, they arrive as goosebumps in an empty room, a dream about someone we miss, or the calm sense that a familiar presence is nearby.

If you have had a moment like that, you have company. In a 2025 YouGov survey, 35% of U.S. adult citizens said they had perceived a presence or unknown energy, and 38% said they believed ghosts exist (Ballard, 2025). A separate Pew Research Center survey found that 34% of U.S. adults said they had felt the presence of a deceased relative in the previous year (Tevington & Corichi, 2023). These numbers tell us what people reported. They do not tell us what caused the experiences, and Pew did not ask whether respondents understood them as supernatural.

So, what do we make of a spooky feeling? One person might look for a draft or a creaky floorboard. Another might understand the moment through a spiritual lens. Someone else may simply say, “I’m not sure what that was, but it meant something to me.” There is space for curiosity in all of these responses. If you are interested in exploring a moment like this, you might start by noticing how your body felt or what thoughts came up. Journaling about the experience or talking with someone you trust can offer fresh perspectives. Drawing, writing, or even walking in the place where the feeling happened might help you reflect on what the moment means to you. Allow yourself to be curious rather than rushing to explain or dismiss what you noticed.

Our minds are skilled at noticing patterns and making sense of what we experience. Expectations can shape how we interpret an uncertain sound or sensation, especially if a place already has a ghost story attached to it. Psychologists use the term motivated reasoning to describe how our hopes, concerns, and beliefs can influence which explanations feel most convincing (Kunda, 1990). This is a very common tendency, and not a reason to dismiss anyone’s experience. Whether someone hopes for a spiritual explanation or a more ordinary one, each person brings their own expectations to the moment.

Research on paranormal belief is more complex than a Halloween headline might suggest. Beliefs about spooky feelings and the supernatural also vary across cultures, with different traditions and stories shaping how people understand mysterious experiences. A systematic review of 71 studies found some associations between paranormal beliefs and certain thinking styles, but the findings varied and had important limits (Dean et al., 2022). These results cannot tell us whether any one person’s experience was supernatural. They also do not give us reason to make assumptions about someone’s character or well-being based on what they believe.

Some spooky feelings are tender ones. Someone grieving might sense a loved one nearby, hear their voice in a dream, or find comfort in a moment that is hard to explain. An interdisciplinary review found that experiences involving a deceased person are reported during bereavement and can be comforting, distressing, or both (Kamp et al., 2020). However, if someone understands the experience, it deserves a thoughtful response.

This Halloween, you might enjoy a mystery and be curious about it. You can check out the tapping at the window and still appreciate the shiver it gave you. You can hold hope in a comforting experience without needing to convince anyone else. And you can listen with kindness when someone shares a story you might understand differently.

If an experience becomes frightening, frequent, or starts to interfere with daily life, talking with a mental health professional can help you explore it in a supportive setting. For example, you might consider reaching out for support if you find yourself losing sleep over a spooky feeling, feeling anxious or afraid to be alone, struggling to concentrate on daily tasks, or if a sense of presence makes it hard to feel safe at home. These are signs that extra support could be reassuring and useful, and you do not have to face them alone. Otherwise, perhaps the most helpful question for a spooky feeling is a gentle one: What did this moment mean to me?

A Final Reflection

The next time a moment gives you goosebumps, you might pause before deciding what it means. Notice what you felt: fear, comfort, curiosity, or perhaps a little of each. You can look for an explanation and still appreciate the mystery. If the moment reminds you of someone you love, you can hold that meaning close. However you understand your spooky feelings, I hope this Halloween gives you space for wonder, kindness, and just the right number of chills.

Happy Halloween. I hope your October brings just the right amount of mystery.