I've been having it ample times over the last two years. Unlike a lot of people, I've never hallucinated anything frightening (except for maybe the first time when I heard a really loud noise and a vague image of some kind of monster, but it lasted for merely a few moments) because I guess that in certain ways, I kind of like the experience. Has anyone had this before?
In case you're not cognizant of what sleep paralysis is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
Funny, I just finished reading the wikipedia article. I've never experienced it, heard about it, didn't know much about it. It seems there are alot of cultural interpretations of the cause and meaning of sleep paralysis. I've had lucid dreams before, but never sleep paralysis. I do love lucid dreams. It's great when I realize I'm dreaming and can make almost anything I want happen at will. I wish they would happen more.
Sleep paralysis, however, seems to be a frightening experience for most. I think you may be in the minority in enjoying the experience.
Yes, I get it occasionally. I feel like I'm intoxicated, buzzing, but it's not at all pleasant. I have had lucid dreams/hallucinations together with the feeling of paralysis, and they're not fun. The feeling of panic coupled with feeling like you've lost all control of your body is not my idea of a good time.
When I was younger I used to get a related, very convincing illusion that I was floating and having an out-of-body experience. It came on just as I was falling asleep, exactly like the sleep paralysis. I would feel myself floating out of my body and I could see the room I was in; my mind also seemed clearer than in a dream. When I paid close attention to details I noticed that I really was dreaming; for example, I once noticed a poster on my wall that I didn't actually own. The dream was so lucid, however, that the first couple of times I was convinced that it was really happening.
Quote from: Flick James on October 07, 2011, 12:39:03 PM
Funny, I just finished reading the wikipedia article. I've never experienced it, heard about it, didn't know much about it. It seems there are alot of cultural interpretations of the cause and meaning of sleep paralysis. I've had lucid dreams before, but never sleep paralysis. I do love lucid dreams. It's great when I realize I'm dreaming and can make almost anything I want happen at will. I wish they would happen more.
Sleep paralysis, however, seems to be a frightening experience for most. I think you may be in the minority in enjoying the experience.
So I hear. I was rather scared the first time it happened, but simultaneously excited about it. I immediatly looked up what it was afterwards, and realized there's not much to be scared for, and when it happens I just keep that in mind. My only worry is that it'd never stop, but that has never happened, I believe.
I've had lucid dreams a couple of times before, and loved the hell out of it. Sadly, they never lasted very long. But I've been keeping a dream journal in the hope that they will occur more often.
Quote from: Rev. Powell on October 07, 2011, 12:43:19 PM
Yes, I get it occasionally. I feel like I'm intoxicated, buzzing, but it's not at all pleasant. I have had lucid dreams/hallucinations together with the feeling of paralysis, and they're not fun. The feeling of panic coupled with feeling like you've lost all control of your body is not my idea of a good time.
I'm not sure why I like it, I suppose I just find it kind of exciting. I can definitely see why one would not share that stance.
Quote from: Rev. Powell on October 07, 2011, 12:43:19 PM
When I was younger I used to get a related, very convincing illusion that I was floating and having an out-of-body experience. It came on just as I was falling asleep, exactly like the sleep paralysis. I would feel myself floating out of my body and I could see the room I was in; my mind also seemed clearer than in a dream. When I paid close attention to details I noticed that I really was dreaming; for example, I once noticed a poster on my wall that I didn't actually own. The dream was so lucid, however, that the first couple of times I was convinced that it was really happening.
I've been reading about "astral projecting" or an "out of body experience" lately, and it seems to be related with sleep paralysis, which is another reason it gets me sort of excited, too, even if I have never had it before. I'm not even certain if I even believe in Astral Projecting (I don't, really), I've always considered myself a monist, but I've seen and read experiences from other people that appear honest, which is making me doubt. Whatever it is, however, I'm certain there's a scientific explanation for it, even if we don't have one. IF this is a genuine phenomena, that is, and not just people confusing reality with dreams.
I've had sleep paralysis several times. I don't hallucinate anything although it sometimes feels like "cats" are walking on the bed. It's scary as hell, being conscious but unable to move, or even open my eyes.
(http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQQ1StK9y5WfU2BjkLD1LIQaoyENBKVI7slpBWaFYbtkHnC-IhT)
Don't worry, fellows. Nothing to be alarmed about.
Just go back to sleep...
I have other odd things going on but no sleep paralysis.
YES!!!!
It happened to me constntly as a kid!!!
I thought it was a ghost!
HOLY s**t!!!
IM NOT ALONE!!!!
Dam.
I couldn't move-I was paralyzed. A dark figure was hanging over me-I heard voices-
I couldnt move! I WAS awake.
I was immobile.
But I was awake. I tried to move-it seemed like the room flashed into -I dunno-a negative? ike a photo negative? And some body was standing oer me.
I screamed-tried to.
I started up bolt right-scared s**tles. This started in 1969 and ended in 1985.
I thought it was because of ghosts or demons.
I still think it is. aint convinced otherwise. If folks can believe in God-I can believe in ghosts. I believe in the dead. But not God. Dumb.huh?
I thought I as the only one.
It only happened when I lived in the old farmhouse on 40th street (1969-1973) and the apartment above the resturant (1985) apartment.
They were haunted,I think.
Dammit-it WAS ghosts! I moved from that creepy old apartment above the old resturant (Jungles Inn was the name) and it never happened agin. Hauntings are real. The joint was haunted. I found out later that 2 people had commited suicide there in 1962 and 1969.I guess it could be explaind by some weird psycho s**t.
I dont think so.
People try explain the unexplained with scientific terms.
Bulls**t.
There stisking labels on it because it makes em feel good to do so.
The Supernatral is REAL. It amazes me that folks can accept God,but not the supernatural.
Im the opposite. I dont believe in God,I do believe in "Ghosts" Ive seen them. Aint seen God.
Heard lotsa Ghost sightings-not a f**king ONE God sighting.
A friend of mine suffers from sleep paralysis and often sees the so-called 'old hag' standing over him leering, which is another infamous manifestation of the condition. He has it less than he used to and has gradually figured out certain avoidable triggers, like being taking a nap during the day or letting himself get too sleepy, both of which can bring on an episode. He doesn't enjoy it at all and has described it as utterly terrifying. It's certainly made for interesting nights. He's always looked on it from a medical/scientific point of view but across history and still today there are those who equate sleep paralysis with possession and the supernatural. I've never had sleep paralysis except for occasionally waking up just for a second and being unable to move, which I think isn't uncommon, but I've had night terrors from time to time and those are no fun.
Of course I can be totaly illusional...I just might be crazy. And this is all a pigment of me imagicnation!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOpuL7FNzp4
Or delusional!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3CH0tN515M&feature=related
I've had it on a few occasions but two I remember vividly. Honestly I'm still not completely convinced it was sleep paralysis and not ghostly visitation. Anyways on both occasions I felt like I was pinned down by something and of course I couldn't move and felt like I was battling just to breathe, to survive, to move, to scream but I couldn't as something was pressing down on top of me. In one, it was a sheet covered ghost where somehow I got the strength to grab the sheet and pull it off only to reveal nothing underneath and just as I did I was violently thrown back against the bed so much so I cut my hand on the bed frame. On another occasion, I was visited by the Old Hag, an hideous looking old woman who's apparently quite common in Newfoundland given reports. This was extremely frightening as I could hear her snickering and evil, twisted laughing as she slowly approached scratching the walls and door with her long nails until she finally peeked around the door scary enough looking to give someone with a weak heart an heart attack when, in a sudden flash of light like time sped up, where she seemingly disappeared and reappeared she had suddenly darted feverlishly across the room and landed on my chest trying to smother the life out of me, it was the greatest struggle to get myself to breathe and fight her off. I find though sleep paralysis, if that is what it was, is much more common if one sleeps on one's back.
I only had the "waking up but not really waking up" experience once, that I can recall. I thought I had woken up, and then I looked at my closet, which had the stereotypical pile of clothing that looks like a person in it. Once I noticed it, it then shot at me like some sort of dementor. Then I woke up.
I do often get the illusion that I can "see" my room with my eyes closed. This often ties into the "floating" illusion.
I have extremely vivid dreams quite often. They're usually weird and sort of disturbing, and when I am in the midst of them, they are very hard to distinguish from reality.
But, like Pillow, as unsettling as they are, I kind of enjoy the experience. Despite the anxiety, which I think is a physiological thing, I find them pretty interesting.
This happens to me at least once a week.
It's the scariest damn thing that I've been through.
QuoteI was visited by the Old Hag, an hideous looking old woman who's apparently quite common in Newfoundland given reports. This was extremely frightening as I could hear her snickering and evil, twisted laughing as she slowly approached scratching the walls and door with her long nails until she finally peeked around the door scary enough looking to give someone with a weak heart an heart attack when, in a sudden flash of light like time sped up, where she seemingly disappeared and reappeared she had suddenly darted feverlishly across the room and landed on my chest trying to smother the life out of me, it was the greatest struggle to get myself to breathe and fight her off.
Whoa! That is almost exactly, word for word, what my friend has described. I'm not willing to assign supernatural causes to all of this but it is beyond strange how precise accounts of the old hag are from person to person. He also says as she leans over him, right before she jumps on him to try to smother him, she smacks her lips and grins this chilling grin. Your description could have been written by him. That is so creepy!
I just experienced it again today. I was dreaming about pouring water out of a cooler in my kitchen. I suddenly was awake and could see my sheets and left arm, but couldn't move. There was no real evil spirit this time, but I could feel water in my mouth. I swear I felt the sensation of spitting out some of the water, when I thought to myself maybe the spirit is trying to drown me in my sleep. I tussled and eventually woke up....1 second before my alarm went off. It's so weird how that worked.
I'm not sure why but I haven't had a night terror in almost a year. It'd be nice to never have another one. I always figure those few seconds are probably what many insane people experience full-time, poor souls.
One of the earliest things I can remember is three dreams I used to have repeatidly. I can only remember what happened in two of them. The first one, which didn't bother me too much I was crawling along a rope bridge at sunset and as I got half way across the bridge flipped over and I'd fall off it. The one that really got me though involved Starsky & Hutch sitting (in their car, I guess they were doing a stakeout or witness protection or something) outside a two story building with a large single window on the upper floor. I would be lying in bed, looking out the window and Dracula (Christopher Lee), would come climbing up the wall to the window unnoticed by the police. The point where he appeared at the window is when I'd wake up and just be totally unable to move or scream. I had those dreams for maybe 3 or 4 years.
Nowadays I can look back at them at put the last dream down to a combination of watch Hammer movies and US cop shows, but it did slightly freak me out a few years back one way while travelling somewhere that I spotted the building from my dream, somewhere I don't ever recall being (but then again I was about 4 years old when the dreams started so I guess I had been there before and just didn't remember).