From my experience, most ghosts are supremely uninterested in the living. Essentially, they're just regular people, without bodies. They're often stuck in some sort of time bubble, replaying some event or emotion endlessly, seeking resolution. Most of them don't even realize that they've lost their bodies. It's rather sad, really.
If you find yourself bothered by an apparent ghost, try talking to it. It might take a bit of effort on your part to get through to it, if it's preoccupied with it's own concerns. The good news though is that often, once you've made contact, the spirit realizes it's current state and is able to let go and move on. Certainly not always, but it's a good first step to try.
Also, try hard to control your instinctive fear reaction. Ghosts can certainly cause a kick of adrenaline because they are spooky, but they really can't hurt you. Even if it's the ghost of an axe-murderer, there's not a whole lot it can do without a body. Manifesting in the world of form is difficult for most of them, unless there's a lot of extreme energy going on.
Most children are naturally more sensitive, and so will be able to see/feel/hear them easier than most adults. Even a child as young as three years old is old enough to take a pro-active approach to a spirit. If there are children who are aware of the haunting, it’s safe to have them get involved in attempting contact with the ghost. They might have better luck getting through, after all. Tell the ghost about what's going on. Ask it to either depart or cease bothering you. Do it politely. No sense in being rude just because the person is currently non-corporeal. Try to be helpful, try to stay open to what you sense, and stay calm. Treat it as an adventure, and you will begin to lose your fear.
~Flame RavenHawk
June 2, 2003