Medical Sleep Paralysis: My Terrifying Experience

[Kevin_Axion]

Has anyone had sleep paralysis before? I experienced my first instance of sleep paralysis last night and it's extremely odd. My eyes were completely open and I heard the voice of my brother, and the noise of my other brother running downstairs, this was all accompanied by zippers opening and closing. This isn't strange in any way because my parents are coming home from vacation and we usually greet them as they usually arrive late. I was certain that all of this wasn't real because my parents don't arrive for another 3 days so I tried moving my body and closing my eyes but was unable to. I became very frightened and began thinking about clenching and un-clenching my hand, I failed the first time but then my fingers began to move. This was all very dramatic in the moment and it just shows one how the brain can make the mind perceive what it wishes. The division between the two isn't well-defined but this experience truly let me contemplate the complexity of this organ.

 

[Insanity]

Yes, is it unsettling or disconcerting. I used to experience this quite often when younger, and your experiences match mine almost exactly. You are conscious and aware of your surroundings as much as you can be for not being able to move. No conscious will can make you move, or speak.

After several experiences and then knowing what it was, often I just relax, go back to sleep, wake up again in several minutes and was fine.

 

[1MileCrash]

I used to get it nightly when on strattera. Here's a tip, after it occurs, get up, walk around, have a glass of water. IF you just fall back asleep it almost always happens again.

 

[Kevin_Axion]

Thanks for the responses but I'm not too concerned about it. I actually found it interesting.

 

[bobze]

I have had it happen twice and I can see how this gets exaggerated into all kinds of 'paranormal' experiences. At first I was freaking out, trying to fight it. It definitely seemed as if someone was in the room with me, I truly felt I was in grave danger--Then realized what it was, relaxed (and as you did) focused on moving one little part of me--My fingers. Once they started to go, I got control back.

Certainly, once you know what it is, it is a very interesting experience. If you didn't know and never knew of sleep paralysis it would be a horrifying experience.

 

[╔(σ_σ)╝]

Haha this happened to me. I was scared out of my mind; mainly, because I sleep with my back up and my belly down.

I felt like there was a heavy weight behind me... like someone was preventing me from standing up. It was really weird... I thought the devil was behind me. It was very unusual and to make it worse I couldn't turn my neck around to look behind me.

After performing a quick prayer I loosened up;I am pretty sure that I was not under attack by the devil. XD

 

[JaredJames]

EDIT: apparently there are hallucinations possible. Interesting stuff.

I was thinking along the lines of you still half dreaming / half awake.

But according to some articles on it, you can hallucinate and they are believed to be the source of many paranormal occurrences where people wake up and see/feel people in the room.