Have you ever felt as if someone was in the room with you when you were alone? It’s a spooky feeling that not everyone is keen to admit. Interestingly, there’s research that helps us understand this mysterious sensation.
Psychical Research and Historical Findings
Way back in 1894, the Society for Psychical Research conducted one of the largest studies on this topic. They found that one in every 43 people surveyed experienced visitations that seemed impossible to dismiss as mere chance. The study included cases of telepathy, premonitions, and other unusual phenomena, such as a nighttime presence warning a reverend away from a boat trip that later ended in drowning.
Modern Scientific Explanations
Nowadays, these experiences can be understood with the help of scientific models of the mind and body. For example, sleep paralysis, which affects around 7% of adults, has been linked to feelings of presence. During sleep paralysis, our muscles remain frozen while our minds are awake, and more than 50% of people with this condition report encountering a presence. Victorian-era presences were often comforting, whereas modern examples triggered by sleep paralysis tend to feel malevolent. Researchers suggest that waking up in such an unusual state makes people feel threatened, leading the mind to fill the gap by creating a feeling of presence.
Comparing Sleep Paralysis with Other Experiences
Another approach to studying these eerie sensations is to compare the feelings people report during sleep paralysis with those experienced by individuals with conditions like Parkinson’s or psychosis. Some studies suggest it’s unlikely to be a sleep-specific phenomenon, as other conditions can produce similar sensations.
Cultural Variations in Nighttime Visitors
Different cultures also have their own tales of nighttime visitors. The Portuguese have the “little friar with the pierced hand,” while in Nigeria, the Yoruba people tell stories of the “ogan oru.” These legends highlight how widespread and deeply rooted these sensations are across various cultures.
Neurological Triggers of Imagined Presences
Neurological case studies and brain stimulation experiments reveal that bodily cues can provoke feelings of presence. For instance, a neurologist created the sensation of a shadow figure in a woman’s mind by electrically stimulating a part of her brain located on the left side toward the top and back. Additionally, when people’s expectations about their senses are altered, it can make healthy individuals feel as though someone or something is present.
The Influence of Unnamed Emotions on Our Minds
There are emotions that we can’t always name, and they may shape these sensations in ways we don’t fully understand. One such emotion is “ellipsism,” a sense of melancholy about missing out on the future. This feeling has two meanings: a personal sadness about missing immediate future experiences, like not seeing one’s grandchildren grow old, and a more cosmic longing to glimpse into the future of humanity. From this perspective, ellipsism is a philosophical contemplation on the end of history itself. While we idolize the past in memory and the future as a figment of our imagination, we often miss the present moment.
Liberosis and the Desire to Let Go
Another such emotion is “liberosis,” the desire to care less about everything. As life gets harder with responsibilities, bills, and chores, sometimes people long to be carefree, like children. This desire to let go can feel like just wanting to play and not worry about everything. Imagine keeping a volleyball in the air with the help of friends, just for fun—that’s liberosis, a moment when you let go of worries and simply enjoy.
Onuma and the Bittersweet Joy of Resolution
Then there’s “onuma,” the bittersweet feeling of seeing things work out, yet realizing you can’t go back in time to tell your past self about it. It’s like reaching a long-awaited destination only to find you’ve left a part of yourself behind. The journey is complete, but you miss the friend who’s no longer by your side to celebrate.
Exilis: Frustration When Experiences Aren’t Understood
Sometimes we have deeply personal experiences that others just don’t understand, and this frustration is called “exilis.” It’s like showing a friend a funny meme, but they don’t laugh. Exilis is that moment when you’re sharing an experience, but the other person isn’t connecting with it. It takes effort to truly understand someone else’s feelings, and even if two people share an experience, they might see it differently. To cope with exilis, it’s helpful to remember that simply being heard can sometimes be enough, even if full understanding isn’t achieved.
The Call of the Void: An Urge Misinterpreted by the Brain
Have you ever stood on a high place and felt an odd urge to jump? This feeling, known as “the call of the void,” is surprisingly common and has nothing to do with negative thoughts. A 2012 study found that our brains send warning signals in potentially dangerous situations, like “Don’t touch the fire” or “Step back from the edge.” Occasionally, these signals are misinterpreted as an urge to jump, so next time you feel the call of the void, remember it’s just a normal, harmless brain quirk.
The Comfort of Repeated Stories and The Conjuring Effect
What about the urge to re-watch your favorite movie or listen to the same song over and over? This habit can actually boost well-being by connecting us with our past. Watching familiar shows provides a comforting blend of relaxation and stimulation, like reconnecting with an old friend. Repeated viewings meet our emotional needs by delivering the feelings we expect, which is why comedies are often more popular for repeat viewings than dramas or tragedies. Watching beloved movies or shows can also be therapeutic, allowing us to take a break from the overwhelming options available on streaming platforms, which often leads to the paradox of choice.
There’s also something called “The Conjuring Effect.” Re-watching a show gives us a sense of personal control over the outcome, as if we’re directing the characters. It’s deeply satisfying to see things unfold in familiar ways, like reuniting with the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy for the tenth time.
A Note on the Language of Emotions
Some of these scientific terms might sound new—and they are. They were created by the author of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, so you won’t find them in standard dictionaries. Just as Shakespeare introduced new words into English, these terms have become ways of expressing complex emotions. So, why not give them a place in our language too?
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