Can psychic abilities be harmful to children?

[Baraka1]

I've been a long time lurker, this is my first post. While doing laundry, I caught this show on A&E: Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal. http://www.aetv.com/psychic-kids/

I realize there are a lot of 'ghost' hunter shows, and while I have found them entertaining and humorous (don't really believe myself), I was a bit concerned with one focused on children. In the one show I saw, apparently these folks reach out to 'psychic' kids, kids who claim see ghosts and they do a bit of psychic ghost hunting. These kids truly believe they are seeing ghost and although their parents do not have the experiences themselves, believe their children. The kids, of course, are scared by their experiences. My question is, can this be detrimental to these kids and what are these kids actually experiencing?

 

[dlgoff]

Didn't you ever have an imaginary friend? I think this might be what they are "observing". As to if it is detrimental; maybe, if their parents reinforce that they are actually seeing ghost. IMO

BTW welcome to PF

 

[Evo]

I don't think it's healthy to promote the belief in a child that they are "psychic" to this point. That doesn't mean that you should call the child a liar, I just wonder how many of these poor children were actually "fed" the idea in the first place.

I mean my mother used to tell me that we came from another planet, but I knew she was just being funny. :uhh:

 

[B. Elliott]

A friend of mine that's big into the ghost hunter shows mentioned it to be, but haven't gotten a chance to watch it since I don't watch a lot of television. Whats the age range for the kids on the show?

I mean my mother used to tell me that we came from another planet, but I knew she was just being funny. :uhh:

At least your mothers way of explaining sex to you as a child didn't involve telling you that all children are test tube babies. That's what a Korean friend of mines mother told him while growing up. That, and that all people are born from an egg just like a chicken. He believed this all the way to his mid teens... and he's about to get his PhD in gynecology!:uhh:

 

[Evo]

At least your mothers way of explaining sex to you as a child didn't involve telling you that all children are test tube babies. That's what a Korean friend of mines mother told him while growing up. That, and that all people are born from an egg just like a chicken. He believed this all the way to his mid teens... and he's about to get his PhD in gynecology!:uhh:

Oh, she wasn't explaining how "I" got here, she was explaining that my recent ancestors came from another planet and that the closet in the hallway where the hot water heater was kept was the "portal" to contacting the other planet. I spent many long hours wondering how I could open the portal.

 

[B. Elliott]

Oh, she wasn't explaining how "I" got here, she was explaining that my recent ancestors came from another planet and that the closet in the hallway where the hot water heater was kept was the "portal" to contacting the other planet. I spent many long hours wondering how I could open the portal.

:rofl: Ya know, that sounds a lot like how my father use to mess with me. One time I asked him what the little round circular metal things on the handles of steak knives were. (The nubs that help hold the grips to the knife). The reply that I got was, "The longer you press down on one, the sharper the knife gets." I was dumbfounded for days trying to figure out how that worked.:rofl:

 

[Baraka1]

I don't think it's healthy to promote the belief in a child that they are "psychic" to this point. That doesn't mean that you should call the child a liar, I just wonder how many of these poor children were actually "fed" the idea in the first place.

I mean my mother used to tell me that we came from another planet, but I knew she was just being funny. :uhh:

The adult 'psychics' on the show were re-enforcing their beliefs and calling them special and gifted. On the show they bring the 'gifted' kids together, so they don't feel so alone with their 'gift'.

There were two girls on the show I saw and they were both 12. One had fled her home with her mom due to a 'demonic' force, the other said dead folks visited her. The mothers of both children said they were afraid to seek psychiatric help due to fear that their children would be medicated or taken away. The kids seemed normal, well, other than the 'seeing dead people' thing. I felt the children really believed what they were experiencing and not making it up.

It appears there are many children like this as this is a series.

 

[Baraka1]

Didn't you ever have an imaginary friend? I think this might be what they are "observing". As to if it is detrimental; maybe, if their parents reinforce that they are actually seeing ghost. IMO

BTW welcome to PF

Thank you for the welcome.

Well, the kids in the episode I saw were both 12. I've only seen one episode, so I'm not sure of the range of ages. And yes, I did have an imaginary friend, but I knew he was imaginary. These kids claimed to see multiple 'dead people' and they are genuinely frightened. The 'expert' adult psychic re-enforced their belief, then took them on a pretty scary ghost hunt to one of the girl's old house. I mean, I don't believe in ghosts and I would have been a bit rattled, because, of course, there was a demon in the house. he he

 

[Evo]

I felt the children really believed what they were experiencing and not making it up.

False memories can be implanted, so it's no wonder that a parent telling a child these things would implant a "belief". This is sick.

 

[Evo]

I've watched more of the video. "psychic healing" "energy diagnostician" "metaphysical healer" "healing rocks" of the kid that thinks she's a psychic healer with the magic wand.

 

[bassplayer142]

Watch the movie the Sixth Sense and ask yourself if you wouldn't be freaked out as an adult either!

 

[HisBunny]

I've watched more of the video. "psychic healing" "energy diagnostician" "metaphysical healer" "healing rocks" of the kid that thinks she's a psychic healer with the magic wand.

Lol most TV shows out do everything and most are fake. I know that from my experiences as a child kids do see, hear and feel things more than most adults do. In order for most people to believe they have to see or have some kind of sign that something is there. Most older kids (including myself) try to shut off psychic abilities in order to stay "normal" but we want help some times because it's hard to deal with things that scare us sometimes. The're a type of metalic bead things that can help with pain because they react with the chemicals in your body. My mom had some to help with her RA. I know that some people can have a specific energy that can shut off cell phones and make watches not work, it also can be from your body chemisty and energy as well. I do believe that some psychics can cure certain pain and have many abilities that people are afraid of because it is unknown to them. Like if some one was to tell me i had aliens as family members... I'd be thinking that person was crazy lol. I have an open mind, a big heart and a fear of everything so nothing surprises me any more. Death has passed me by so many times, I've been in a car wreck with a semi truck and came out with a couple of scratches and so many other countless things and yet here i stand. So clear your mind one day stay up till 3-4 am and go sit outside or in your house with the lights off or go stay at a hotel and get the feeling of your surroundings. Many people actually experience paranormal activity everyday but ignore it because they believe it is all fake but sometimes there is no scientific reasoning behind how and why some paranormal things happen. Just a thought. Take it or leave it lol. I know that i have experiences and i know when I'm not having one, like florecent bulbs give off high emf and make you paranoid... that's in my basement and i know nothings down there it just gives off a creepy feeling lol so yeah sometimes people get freaked out like that but honestly psychic people can tell when something is there or when there isn't. I call it my cursed gift. The worst part of mine isn't seeing the shadows or figures or anything like that, i can handle all of that, but its having a dream some one close to me dies 2 years before they do and knowing nothing i can do can change that and some days i feel like I'm the cause of their deaths. Most psychics have different abilities some have less and some have more. All depended on how they use them.