alsaser
09-18-2005, 06:04 AM
I had this happen twice. :eek: This is for real and seriously the scardest Ive ever been! The first time, I woke up (or my brain did) but I could not move my body, I tried with all my might but I was paralyzed. I knew I was in bed and awake but couldnt move. Than I felt something on me, like laying on me, the size of a small child, maybe a 4 yr old's size (I dont live with any kids or pets). I realized it was a demon on me. I knew it was on me and it wouldnt get off. I was so freakin terrified, I tried everything I could but couldnt move my body or further wake myself up, it was like I was in between sleep phases.
So I started praying to God and saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ get off of me"....over and over again for a few minutes, 'til finally I felt it leave me and I became fully awake. When I woke up I had dried tears that had fallen toward my ears (from laying down), so I had been crying in fear in my "sleep". I was sooooo scared, I turned on the lights and was crying (I'm a grown woman and not easily scared!) and got out my Bible and was reading and praying. I was too scared to go back to sleep.
The next time it happened I woke up and couldnt move again. I was laying on my side this time and once again I felt something touching me, a hand was slowly moving down my side, like from my waist down over my hip, once again I was petrified and knew it was a demon. I had the sheets over my head, but I could see out because I was on my side and I suddenly saw a weird man's hand wave at me in my face.
I reenacted it for my sister and she was freaked out and screamed when I waved at her. She said it was a lucid dream. but I was like semi-conscience (sp?) I felt like I was awake mentally, but not the part of my brain that controls my motor functions. My dad said he had that where he was paralyzed too. My dad said it must have been a dream because (I'm a believer) its not characteristic of demons to touch/physically harrass believers.
Anyways, has this happened to anyone else? The paralyzing waking up sensation? That hasnt happened in a while. Thanks be to God! Any smiliar stories out there?
So I started praying to God and saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ get off of me"....over and over again for a few minutes, 'til finally I felt it leave me and I became fully awake. When I woke up I had dried tears that had fallen toward my ears (from laying down), so I had been crying in fear in my "sleep". I was sooooo scared, I turned on the lights and was crying (I'm a grown woman and not easily scared!) and got out my Bible and was reading and praying. I was too scared to go back to sleep.
The next time it happened I woke up and couldnt move again. I was laying on my side this time and once again I felt something touching me, a hand was slowly moving down my side, like from my waist down over my hip, once again I was petrified and knew it was a demon. I had the sheets over my head, but I could see out because I was on my side and I suddenly saw a weird man's hand wave at me in my face.
I reenacted it for my sister and she was freaked out and screamed when I waved at her. She said it was a lucid dream. but I was like semi-conscience (sp?) I felt like I was awake mentally, but not the part of my brain that controls my motor functions. My dad said he had that where he was paralyzed too. My dad said it must have been a dream because (I'm a believer) its not characteristic of demons to touch/physically harrass believers.
Anyways, has this happened to anyone else? The paralyzing waking up sensation? That hasnt happened in a while. Thanks be to God! Any smiliar stories out there?
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cremebrulee
09-19-2005, 12:53 AM
this used to happen to me all the time. i was in college and i partied a lot (did ecstasy, stayed up all night long...) i noticed that it happened after i partied and spent the night at my friend's apartment. we think the apartment was haunted. it is frightening. i would wake up in the middle of the night and i felt like someone was holding me down. people told me to never sleep with my arms crossed over my chest like how they arrange a dead person. i did some reading on it and it is called night paralysis or sleep paralysis. reading about it gave me a scientific explaination of what was happening. when you sleep you muscles become relaxed and paralyzed. your mind wakes up in the middle of the night but your body is still asleep. do a search about it. it will at least give you a scientific explanation for it but it is still very scary. very demonic.
alsaser
09-19-2005, 02:50 AM
thanks for the info, I'll check into that. Btw, I don't do drugs or drink.
Valency
09-19-2005, 09:01 PM
I'll keep the explanation as simple as possible but you shouldn't be scared, since what you're describing is actually very common.
what you experienced is called sleep paralysis and occurs when you awake from REM (rapid eye movement) sleep during the night. REM is one of the deeper stages of sleep. During sleep, your muscles are paralyzed, a mechanism that prevents you from hurting yourself while you dream. when you suddenly wake from REM sleep, your mind is awake but your body is not. So you're in a semi-conscious state and this is often accompanied by hallucinations as you described (ie. sensing pressure on your body, a demonic presence, fear).
Your episodes may be brought about by stress or irregular sleep schedules, so try to relax a bit. ;)
what you experienced is called sleep paralysis and occurs when you awake from REM (rapid eye movement) sleep during the night. REM is one of the deeper stages of sleep. During sleep, your muscles are paralyzed, a mechanism that prevents you from hurting yourself while you dream. when you suddenly wake from REM sleep, your mind is awake but your body is not. So you're in a semi-conscious state and this is often accompanied by hallucinations as you described (ie. sensing pressure on your body, a demonic presence, fear).
Your episodes may be brought about by stress or irregular sleep schedules, so try to relax a bit. ;)
alsaser
09-20-2005, 06:21 AM
that makes sense to me. my sis kept saying it was a lucid dream, but it didnt feel like that. I didnt know it was common. Thanks for the info. :wave:
aswander
09-23-2005, 01:00 AM
I've experienced this too - and I don't drink or take drugs. Sleep paralysis is better known as "cataplexy". Narcoleptics experience cataplexy the most.
The best thing to do, in my opion, is to immediately try to recognize that you're in a sleep paralysis mode, and tell yourself to fall back alseep (fully). Then when you wake up, you'll likely wake up able to move. It can be very scary - but now that you know what it is, you can tell yourself that you are OK when it happens. Just relax and let your self drift back into sleep again.
The best thing to do, in my opion, is to immediately try to recognize that you're in a sleep paralysis mode, and tell yourself to fall back alseep (fully). Then when you wake up, you'll likely wake up able to move. It can be very scary - but now that you know what it is, you can tell yourself that you are OK when it happens. Just relax and let your self drift back into sleep again.
alsaser
09-26-2005, 05:19 AM
it only happened twice, but i actually did tell myself that it was not real and tried to go back to sleep, but wasnt easy to relax when i thought a demon was on me.. :blob_fire and it woulnt go away, it got stronger.
Plus, i felt the pressure of it on me,i guess a hallucination. it was a fight or flight instinct and i couldnt do either. Hopefully, wont happen ever again. :angel:
Plus, i felt the pressure of it on me,i guess a hallucination. it was a fight or flight instinct and i couldnt do either. Hopefully, wont happen ever again. :angel:
cookiepls
09-26-2005, 10:22 AM
I think Valency explained it best. I used to get these episodes a lot as a teenager but now for some reason it doesn't happen anymore. It certainly is frightening but you won't die and it's not a demon. It's true though, that a lot of the time, people think it's demonic. It usually happened to me when I was extra tired and tried to take a nap in the afternoon. I also used to see frightening faces when I closed my eyes. I mean really frightening. I would open my eyes immediately. Took me a while to go to sleep when that happened. Once again, it was when I was really sleepy. Once someone explained to me what it was, and I saw the frightening face again, I wasn't as scared. After that, and even to this day, I can close my eyes and see things just like when you're dreaming. The only difference now, is that they're never frightening things. They're just people, places, or objects.
I know it's hard, but don't be afraid of the sleep paralysis. Knowledge is power and just knowing what it is will help you overcome the fear in time. ;)
I know it's hard, but don't be afraid of the sleep paralysis. Knowledge is power and just knowing what it is will help you overcome the fear in time. ;)
alsaser
10-17-2005, 06:12 AM
Thanx for all your replies! They really helped.
damselindistres
10-19-2005, 03:17 PM
Hi guys I have also had sleep paralysis and hypnopompic and hypnogogic hallucinations (basically hallucination upon waking and going to sleep). Sometimes during the day I experience illusions or hallucinations of not more than a few seconds duration (mostly of things Iam looking for-when I move near them they dissapear. On some days I also feel very tired and cannot stay up as late as I used to as I keep yawning. I suffer from anxiety and was wondering if this could cause the sleep problems. Also I was wondering if it was worth having it checked out considering that as I suffer from anxiety maybe I should get the anxiety treated first and hope the sleep problem goes?
Also has anyone experienced visual and hearing problems during the day as a result of sleep problems? Has anyone had weeks where they feel excessively sleepy even though they have around 8 hours or more sleep a night?
Also has anyone experienced visual and hearing problems during the day as a result of sleep problems? Has anyone had weeks where they feel excessively sleepy even though they have around 8 hours or more sleep a night?
alsaser
10-21-2005, 05:13 AM
Its hard to say if the visual/hearing problems are from lack of sleep or anxiety, but the 2 combined intensifies it. When I have anxiety, I get visual hallucinations that last a few seconds, I also get extreme sensitivity to noise. Like if a baby is screaming or people are eating loud, or just normal noises...I've had to run out of places a few times..stores, classrooms, etc. I'm sure I look insane, but I feel insane at the time. :dizzy: Its awful...I hate it! Yes, anxiety can definately cause sleep problems. I sometimes can get "enough" sleep and still feel tired...its like our bodies dont enter the proper sleep phases, like rem, we just arent getting quality sleep...I dont know why. :confused: