A crisis apparition is a vision of a person undergoing extreme emotional trauma at the time of his/her appearance. Crises include, but aren’t limited to: disease, severe injury, or death. These apparitions appear to loved ones during or shortly after the crisis.
The theory is that the dying or severely injured individual sends a psychic S.O.S. to their loved ones, which is received up to a day after it is sent. This isn’t a ghost, but the telepathic energy emitted during a time of extreme emotional distress, which is not always immediately followed by death. Some crisis apparitions occur when the individual is still alive, such as during an attack or illness.
A crisis apparition is a one-time occurrence. If you experience this, there is no need to remove a ghost from your house, because there is no ghost. You may choose to cleanse the negative energy from your home, which can be done by burning sage. Crisis apparitions are non-dangerous and disappear moments after the vision ends.
The Paranormal Network provides more detailed information about different types of apparitions, including the scientific basis for how they are formed.
Visit the Personal Ghost Stories blog where people recount their personal experiences with crisis apparitions.