“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make it so, right in the middle of it lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce.” - Natalie Goldberg
I experience sleep paralysis as well. It is typically an evil voice whispering in my ear really fast..something out of a scary movie. Or spiders either crawling all over me or dropping down from the ceiling onto me. When it's the evil voice, I have this icy chill all through my body and I lay there completely paralyzed. I always feel like I'm awake.
Who knew horror-movie sleep paralysis was so widespread? Huh.
I've had night terrors since I was a kid. This started happening to me as an adult (late 20's). I was convinced it was a demon or something in my house. Until I googled adult night terrors after one of my spider nightmares. The demon thing is really common. I was shocked and relieved!
I experience sleep paralysis with some frequency, but only twice did I ever hallucinate along with it - most times I feel like my eyes and mouth are glued shut and I'm dying because it feels so hard to breathe. I have to force myself to shake my foot or something so I can get out of it. It's scary, and it sucks.
I also believe in ghosts, though, and would be more inclined to think that's what I was experiencing in your circumstances. Creepy!
I experience sleep paralysis with some frequency, but only twice did I ever hallucinate along with it - most times I feel like my eyes and mouth are glued shut and I'm dying because it feels so hard to breathe. I have to force myself to shake my foot or something so I can get out of it. It's scary, and it sucks.
I get sleep paralysis too but I've never hallucinated with it. Instead my brain knows I'm awake but I can't move or talk. I have to either force myself to calm down and settle back into sleep, or work really, really hard to move my arm or leg to wake up. I hate it.
@snipsandsnails, no advice on your ghost. That doesn't sound like sleep paralysis to me at all. Since you were awake and all, LOL.
Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? This might be what's happening. I have stories like this - always during the night - and it's because of sleep paralysis. You think you're awake, you hear and see things, but you're not, you're really dreaming.
Sleeping on my back, being overly tired or having napped during the day bring this on in me. It's scary, but it happens so often for me, I just try to count to 10, and fall back into a deeper sleep, or wake up completely.
I do this at least once a week. Mine always involves spiders, ants, or snakes. The ants and spiders are crawling all over me and I can see/feel/hear them, or the snake is dangling over my face from the ceiling. I finally wake up all the way as I'm freaking out and sitting up straight in my bed.
It happened to me once with the dementors from Harry Potter. I was laying in my bed and they were hovering over my bed just about to suck my soul out and I couldn't scream or move or anything I was just stuck there for what seemed like hours, and then I woke up in a cold sweat.
B12 suppliments really helped that and my night terrors.
I've also had sleep paralysis. It started right after I moved into the dorms my freshman year and lasted through my mid-twenties. I haven't had an episode in a few years now, but I got really good at stopping them when they started.
It's fucking horrifying. One of my most vivid was opening my eyes in my bedroom and watching a man approach my bed. He was tightening a rope between his hands that he was going to use to choke me. I could see him walking toward me (which obviously wasn't happening) but I could also see my room in real life at the same time. Like, where I left my jeans crumpled on the chair before I went to bed.
Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? This might be what's happening. I have stories like this - always during the night - and it's because of sleep paralysis. You think you're awake, you hear and see things, but you're not, you're really dreaming.
Sleeping on my back, being overly tired or having napped during the day bring this on in me. It's scary, but it happens so often for me, I just try to count to 10, and fall back into a deeper sleep, or wake up completely.
Sleep paralysis is CRAZY. I get it when I am highly stressed. I have it about a handful of times per year.
I should not have read this right before bed last night. It took me awhile to fall asleep because I kept thinking someone/something was going to pull my covers back and breathe on me. lol
Someone actually did this to me last night. But she's 5 and I'm used to it.
One of my most vivid was opening my eyes in my bedroom and watching a man approach my bed. He was tightening a rope between his hands that he was going to use to choke me. I could see him walking toward me (which obviously wasn't happening) but I could also see my room in real life at the same time. Like, where I left my jeans crumpled on the chair before I went to bed.
Mine are very similar to this. I know someone is coming to kill me but I can't move and everything in the room is exactly as it was when I was awake. The worst one I ever had was feeling DH get up out of bed and go to the bathroom. I heard the bathroom door open and opened my eyes to see DH's silhouette in the doorway with the light shining behind him. Then he stepped forward and his mouth melted into this horrible gaping hole running down his face (then in my dream I knew he was a demon and not DH). I was terrified and couldn't move at all as he walked towards me. I woke up crying. I don't even watch scary stuff! But once I feel that paralyzing fear, I know I'm dreaming and just keep telling myself to wake up. Doesn't sound like what you experienced, OP!
I do this at least once a week. Mine always involves spiders, ants, or snakes. The ants and spiders are crawling all over me and I can see/feel/hear them, or the snake is dangling over my face from the ceiling. I finally wake up all the way as I'm freaking out and sitting up straight in my bed.
It happened to me once with the dementors from Harry Potter. I was laying in my bed and they were hovering over my bed just about to suck my soul out and I couldn't scream or move or anything I was just stuck there for what seemed like hours, and then I woke up in a cold sweat.
B12 suppliments really helped that and my night terrors.
Post by littlepeanut on Sept 22, 2014 13:37:09 GMT -5
Do any other sleep paralysis people get the weird ringing in your ears as you are falling asleep? Ugh. I hate it. I can usually wake myself by wiggling my toes.