Sleep Paralysis

[JJ-Klein]

I never really understood it until it happened to me about 6 months ago. It also happened again just last night. Each time the scenario has been slightly different, but I 'wake-up' and feel like i'm in danger. I have never felt such utter terror. The first time I could sense an evil man who was just out of my vision. Last night, something was around my throat and was trying to choke me.

The worst thing is you can't move a muscle. I'm screaming and screaming at myself to just move something, an arm, a hand, a finger, but nothing works. I then try screaming for help but my voice doesn't work. After a minute or so the paralysis breaks and I can finally move and realise i'm not in any danger. Its not even like a normal nightmare, its much worse.

I've read its not that uncommon. Anyone had similar experiences?

 

[oakpope]

Absolutely. It happens to me from time to time. I think it is linked to acute anxiety. Do you suffer from it ? Maybe you should talk to your doctor. Since I take xanax it never happened again to me.

When that happened, I didn't really know at that time that I was in a depression. For me it is a major symptom.

It is really upsetting, the feeling of being in danger (for me it is the feeling of stranger in my bedroom coming closer and closer) and not being able to move a single muscle. I really believe it is totally in the head, and once again anxiety driven. Maybe for you it isn't depression, maybe you'll have a test sometimes in the future, or something very stressful happened or will happened.

Don't hesitate to consult a doctor.

Take care

 

[refujiunderground]

happens to me randomly ever since i was 14. the most creepiest feeling ever. last summer however had to be the worst one though. i'm not making this up but i remember having one of those episodes and i felt like someone was trying to open my mouth. i could feel my jaw muscles being stretched. i dunno but i think someone was trying to shove a dick into my mouth. then some days or weeks later, i forgot. i went through the same thing where i was sleeping on my stomach and it felt like someone was trying to pull my pajamas off. even though my memory is still shadowry on this, i could have swore that i felt something or someone trying to play with my ass because my asscheeks was getting spread out or fondled. i didn't feel anything going up my asshole even though i could feel like something was trying to make its way into it or it was stretching. i don't believe in ghost or any of that shit either. i didn't see anybody in my room though.

 

[oakpope]

Refuji : If you're trying to mock the OP or to imply it's made up, I have news for you : you're an asshole !
If not you're just an idiot.
If it was an attempt at humour, it failed. It is a serious issue.

sorry, but today I have not the energy to put up with this
if someone wanted to report me, I'll understand and accept the consequences.

 

[refujiunderground]

^ If you're trying to mock the OP or to imply it's made up, I have news for you : you're an asshole !
If not you're just an idiot.
If it was an attempt at humour, it failed. It is a serious issue.

sorry, but today I have not the energy to put up with this
if someone wanted to report me, I'll understand and accept the consequences.

if you're talking to me, i'm NOT making this up. i actually made a thread about it elsewhere on another website a year ago when it actually happened. if you want me to pull it up for you so you can see that i'm not making it up, i'll gladly show you.

f*ck it, here it is. http://forums.projectcovo.com/showthread.php?t=3627941 it's a bit more detailed.

 

[oakpope]

^gentlemen, I think I can shed some light on this matter.

You all seem to be describing "night terrors" along with "sleep paralysis". Since I have studied sleep architecture to a good degree, I think I can explain some of it.

Sleep paralysis and night terrors occur when the brain goes through the various stage of sleep, in particular REM. What happens here is that part of the brain goes asleep, while the limbic system stays awake.

Victims of this disorder often report alien abduction experiences, and also what seem to be out-of-body experiences. I know most of you won't feel comfortable discussing those particular experiences in here due to ridicule, but if you do experience these symptoms, please be advised that they're perfectly normal.

Most often, sufferers of sleep paralysis and night terrors suffer from a depression, as well. They don't yet know why.

Some scientific research was done that suggests that, in many cases, the sleep architecture of the victim is "out-of-sync". There exists a known protocol to correct this condition, but the patient has to have a lot of time and discipline. The condition takes about six weeks to correct.

The same protocol shows significant promise for combating depression, as well. The patients that respond to the treatment report a near-permanent cure with no remission of the condition.

I hope I was able to help.

The problem is, it really doesn't feel like a dream or a nightmare at all. I can remember perfectly what I experience during these "paralysis". And it's extremely upsetting.

Could you describe the protocol that you wrote about please it's interest me a lot.

 

[oakpope]

if you're talking to me, i'm NOT making this up. i actually made a thread about it elsewhere on another website a year ago when it actually happened. if you want me to pull it up for you so you can see that i'm not making it up, i'll gladly show you.

f*ck it, here it is. seriously, some creepy weird sh!t happened to me in my sleep last night. - ProjectCOVO.com Global Forum

ok, please accept my sincere apologies. I was the asshole.

 

[JJ-Klein]

Interesting. I do have a history of depression though haven't had a serious bout of it in a few years. I normally don't suffer anxiety but have been under a lot of stress lately with my thesis so would say i'm more anxious than usual.

Also i'm not saying there was a ghost or anything in my room. Just that during the sleep paralysis, the hallucination is so strong that I can feel (and believe) something is there. Once I snap out of it I realise that it wasn't real though.

 

[oakpope]

yes, it's exactly what I experienced as well. As it's dark, it's only a feeling of danger and that I must move but I can't, even a finger. Is it an hallucination ? I had not thought of that, perhaps ! What's strange is that I don't really feel a 'snap' moment between the paralysis and the 'it wasn't real and I can move again'.

 

[rareboy]

One of my worst experiences was a few years ago when for God knows what reason, I was sleeping on my back with my hands on my chest and my fingers locked.

I dreamt that I had a Gryphon sitting on my chest, squeezing the breath out of me and woke up absolutely panicked.

But I couldn't even unlock my fingers and free myself when I awoke.

I was panic stricken to the point where my heart rate just shot up and I yelled out loud.

Worst.

Night's.

Sleep.

Ever.

 

[oakpope]

Interesting..because I suffer too from 'sleep translation' : naturally I don't go to sleep at the same hour every day. It shifts and I can go to sleep at 18, or 20 later 04, later 08 even midday, it changes constantly (which is handicapping for work, thank god for alarm clock )

 

[streetblackcock99]

Happens to me about 3/4 times a month, thats when I can see the dead.

 

[TheLyingGame]

yes. And was most definitely the scariest thing i've ever experienced. Imagine opening your eyes to a 'shadow man' coming out of the wall above your head, and not being able to move.... i actually thought i was going to die. thankfully, It has only happened once!

 

[borednew]

it happened to me once like seven years ago. It definitely wasn't a pleasant feeling at all, and I wouldn't go through it again given the choice, obviously, but it is really not a big deal.

 

[GamerBear]

It's very scary to experience. I think it happened a lot to me last year not sure what the cause might be, I no longer have them for almost several months now. But it usually only happened when I was up North in Oregon. It would be like 4am or 5am when I had them I would be sleeping my eyes open can't move or open my mouth but I was able to make a sound inside my mouth and that woke up my husband and he would shake me, it took a couple of times to wake me up but when I woke up I would feel like as if I was coming out of water opening my mouth and trying to breathe.

I have been trying not to think about it because when I do I end up having panic attacks of falling asleep so I didn't have to experience this shit, I seriously hate it.

 

[chrisw87]

I've heard many people talk about their experiences with sleep paralysis and find there is always a few common themes;

1. A feeling of dread, horror, etc.
2. Hallucinations, usually involving someone choking them/holding them down or standing over them.

You have to admit, the human brain is interesting AND fucked up

 

[GamerBear]

I've heard many people talk about their experiences with sleep paralysis and find there is always a few common themes;

1. A feeling of dread, horror, etc.
2. Hallucinations, usually involving someone choking them/holding them down or standing over them.

You have to admit, the human brain is interesting AND fucked up

I've never had hallucinations at all or even the feeling of someone choking me that must be a whole new level. I remember watching a program about Ghosts of Hawaii and they say that a spirit chokes them at this hotel. The first thing that came to mind was that they were experience sleep paralysis and most likely thought that a ghost was responsible for the choking.

I've only experienced the feeling of dread and horror. The feeling of not being able to move is scary, sometimes I even get the feeling that it might be permanent but I know I just need to calm down and let my body wake up.

 

[JJ-Klein]

I've heard many people talk about their experiences with sleep paralysis and find there is always a few common themes;

1. A feeling of dread, horror, etc.
2. Hallucinations, usually involving someone choking them/holding them down or standing over them.

You have to admit, the human brain is interesting AND fucked up

The more i've read about it, the most interesting it is. Its strange that so many people have the same hallucinations, I wonder why that is. A lot of people think science is just trying to explain the experience through hallucinations but its actually demons and thats why everyone experiences the same thing. I don't believe that but find it bizarre nonetheless. I would have presumed that a persons hallucinations are personal/subjective to their life experiences, culture, thoughts etc. Afterall an hallucination is a creation of the mind so why do thousands of people's minds conjure up the same thing.

 

[streetblackcock99]

mmhmm, I hear about the choking thang alot, I've never experienced that,

anyone else see dead people during SP ?

 

[freefall]

^gentlemen, I think I can shed some light on this matter.

You all seem to be describing "night terrors" along with "sleep paralysis". Since I have studied sleep architecture to a good degree, I think I can explain some of it.

Sleep paralysis and night terrors occur when the brain goes through the various stage of sleep, in particular REM. What happens here is that part of the brain goes asleep, while the limbic system stays awake.

Victims of this disorder often report alien abduction experiences, and also what seem to be out-of-body experiences. I know most of you won't feel comfortable discussing those particular experiences in here due to ridicule, but if you do experience these symptoms, please be advised that they're perfectly normal.

Most often, sufferers of sleep paralysis and night terrors suffer from a depression, as well. They don't yet know why.

Some scientific research was done that suggests that, in many cases, the sleep architecture of the victim is "out-of-sync". There exists a known protocol to correct this condition, but the patient has to have a lot of time and discipline. The condition takes about six weeks to correct.

The same protocol shows significant promise for combating depression, as well. The patients that respond to the treatment report a near-permanent cure with no remission of the condition.

I hope I was able to help.

It's very important for me to emphasise the bold points. It might seem very horrifying, but it's completely harmless. Of course if you have repeated attacks and you seem to be very disturbed from it, a psychiatrist and/or neurologist might help.