The first night my husband and I spent in our new home was such an exciting time. We were so happy to be embarking on the home ownership journey, and dog-tired from trying to get it set up. As we lay in bed our first night in our home, we couldn’t sleep a wink. We heard every creak the house made, so much so it sounded like footsteps in our attic were constantly scurrying across the floorboards. My husband bravely poked his head up there just to make sure nothing was awry, and we were lucky that there truly wasn’t. I could see how someone would write off those noises, but every now and then they do indicate a larger problem … and not just a critter roaming loose in the house.
There have been plenty of cases where that bump in the night was made by someone who was secretly living in the most remote parts of a home. It actually happens a lot more than you think.
TikToker Chloe detailed a harrowing story on the social media platform about just that.
@cspooner.25 #mentalhealth #scary #storytime ♬ original sound – C H L O 🖤
LAD Bible reported that the 31-year-old mom experienced a real case of someone living in her loft when she lived in an apartment as a 20-year-old in Kent, England, with her 2-year-old daughter. Only, no one believed her.
She was originally watching TV in her apartment in Gravesend when she heard inexplicable noises in her loft. But after she raised her concerns, everyone from her neighbors to her friends didn’t believe her, which Chloe says was likely due to to the fact that she was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time.
According to UK publication LBC, her neighbor even investigated and reassured her that no one was there. So naturally, she sought medical help for what she thought were hallucinations.
“When I saw the doctor, I told them ‘I think someone’s in loft and that there people coming in and out my house.’ I truly believed it,” she explained.
Doctors went as far as putting her on antipsychotic medication that Chloe says left her feeling drained and not like a “real person.”
Chloe told LBC that after two months of being on the medication, she saw a man unlatch the attic door “blatantly.”
“He was staring at me and I ran downstairs to my friend screaming for help,” she recalled.
Chloe finally called the authorities and learned that her neighbor was gaslighting her. “He was talking down everyone, saying he didn’t hear anything,” she explained. “But he knew there was someone there. He was helping him, giving him food and letting him use his bathroom.”
She watched the police take the intruder away, but never heard any follow up to the story.
People were floored hearing her story.
Her comments section was full of a variety of opinions, but people were largely sympathetic to her harrowing tale, and were generally horrified her fears weren’t taken seriously.
“As much as you were struggling at that stage it makes me so sad no one helped you,” said one follower.
“That’s just not even funny really,” noted another. “He could have done anything to you! And as for the neighbor who gaslit you… I take it you’re away from there now? Never diminish yourself because of your mental health, you’re still a person of worth no matter what’s going on.”
The truth is, a lot of people living with a serious mental health issue simply aren’t believed when it comes to reporting crimes. Historically, people with SMIs are more than 10 times more likely to be victims of a violent crime than the general population, as per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Sadly, Chloe’s story is not a unique one.
What the young mom experienced is a phenomenon called “phrogging” that plagues both renters and homeowners. The practice is basically living inside someone else’s dwelling undetected, and there can be a variety of motivations. These types of invaders are different from squatters in that they leap from home to home. While some simply need a place to live, in other extreme cases people are actively stalking homeowners. While there are no formal numbers available of phrogging incidents per year, in 2022 the Lifetime series Phrogging: Hider in My House featured 20 stories of the phenomenon in 10 episodes.
According to Crime and Investigation, phroggers live by a “code” in which they are meant to coexist alongside homeowners peacefully and undetected. They reportedly have a “take what you need” policy, and are supposed to leave the area they inhabited exactly as they found it. However many do reportedly break that supposed code.
Regardless, there are a few preventive measures and appropriate responses to handle this type of incident. For one, install cameras in areas like attics and basements. Take note of any patterns that involve missing items, like food and drinks, and call local authorities if you believe someone could be phrogging in your home. For your safety, you should not initiate contact.
