Has anyone else experienced this... ?

[John_Cage]

Even as I typing right now, I feel silly for doing so. But I made myself a promise that I will do it no matter how stupid it felt in the morning.

Something happened to me last night (in fact it's probably around the 20 something times it happened). It happened around 4 am (I don't know for sure because I was scared shitless for 30 minutes). I don't know what it's called, but here is what it felt like:

In the middle of the night, you woke up for no reason at all. You are conscience and alert (more so than when you are awake). Right after you open your eyes, you have the feeling that you are not alone. More importantly, you cannot move... at all. You feel a sense of what I can only describe as "intense fear" and "presence of evil". There's usually something blurry at the very limit of your field of vision (usually, it happened differently at times). You know "it" does not belong in your room. You try to move but you can't. You know "it" is watching you or doing something to you (sometimes you feel something carassing your skin, something like air). After a minute or two, you would probably try to scream; but you can't. No voice will come out (I am dead serious). Eventually after probably 3 - 5 minutes (usually) it's... gone. It's just gone. You lose that sense of INTENSE DREAD like THAT *snap*. You will as safe as ever RIGHT afterwards.

That's the basic of what it feels like. I have some more disturbing encounters. Once I could almost see a solid person (for god's sake, I sworn I saw clothing). Another time I saw a fully form shape (blurry) float right across the room IN MY FIELD OF VISION. I could've sworn one time, it "tried" to communicate with me (Once it's gone, I lost all memory of what it "said"). I do believe it didn't use words, but rather "thoughts" to communicate (It does make sounds, but you undersand the sounds. It sounds like someone whispering with a throaty voice). Last night, it was the icing on cake. I woke up and I just KNEW it was going to happen again... and it did. This time I saw the shape RIGHT in front of me... it charged at me (my head) and when it "hit", I could hear a sort of "ringing" like "Hummmmmmm" in my ears. (it's either a ringing or a female voice saying "Hummmmmm", which REALLY scares the shit out of me). But since I have so much experience with this thing I was able to come out of the "trance" like state really fast and I said "Go Away!" (in my mind, cause I still couldn't use my voice). Surely enough, it was gone (but I am certain it stuck around for about 30 minutes). Because even AFTER I regained motor control, I still feel a lingering sense of dread for about 30 minutes (then it went away like THAT *snap*).

The first time it happened to me I didn't remember when (because I thought it was a bad dream or something), when it happened repeatedly, I took notice. It stopped for a while then it happened again after I moved. It then stopped for a REALLY long time (I was convinced it's gone for good). Then it recently resurfaced (it comes in batches?). Last night was the last straw, I had to tell someone (I told my friends, and they either get scared (girls) or they don't believe me... except one guy, he remember something similar, but he doesn't want to go into details). It was the worst last night because I was Mobile for 30 minutes in DREAD and the thing went into me! I heard it !

I tried convincing myself that it's a good thing (if I get to make contact with whatever it is). But everytime it happens, I am too scared to do anything. I was surprised I was able to will it to go away last night (I had lots of practice in this, sadly... it's about 20 some odd times).

Am I going crazy? I know that it happens to other people too (some of my friend who are scared told me that their parents experienced it). What is it? What the hell should I do? I am a night person, I love the darkness... I write the best at night with a bottle of Smirnoff. I don't know why things like this happens to me. I don't deserve this bull shit. I am half willing to just sleep in the day and work/study at night...

Can someone please help me out here? If you felt anything similar, share ! So I know I am not just "seeing" things (I don't even use drugs, and I am a science major; I DONT believe in crap like this... I want to know what it is).

 

[Ben Dover]

I have experienced something similar... Quite often I awake with an uneasy feeling, sensing an "evil" presence in the room. I can hear breathing too. Deep, heavy breathing... Ominous movement... Something is in my house, projecting a feeling of utter dread, lurking around every corner, watching everything I do... Waiting. Watching.... Then, as my mind becomes more and more sharp, straining to focus my eyes through the dark, I always come to the same dark terrifying realization -- it's my wife!!!!

BD
_____________________

PS: Seriouly though, I think you're just having nightmares, perhaps some mild form of mental illness. If you catalog the foods you eat before bed, you may find that there's a pattern and you can elimiate certain things from your diet that will probably make it go away... Otherwise, you could also start smoking pot before bed. It drastically reduces the recollection of dreams... Talk to a doctor...

 

[John_Cage]

Well, guys... what kind of doctor? Psychologist? More importantly, what the hell do I tell him? Things visit me at night?

By the way, it could be MANY things, but it's NOT a dream. Because I was fully alert the whole time, my eyes were open, my body was in the same position before and after the "event" (the environment never changes, I can even observe what's in front of me). When you are dreaming, details are lost, you can't see the clock on your night stand and it's exact time if you are dreaming. (try to look at something, close your eyes, picture it in your head... then open your eyes, it will look different. Because it's very hard to keep a sharp mental picture of an object. I was alert and fully awake the whole time. I had nightmares, they are great... I like them (better nightmares than pay for a horror movie). But this isn't it, as much as I wish it is.

 

[Kiss to please]

Obvious jokes about "check for probes" aside , I'd urge you to go see a doctor ASAP. You have symptoms closely related to some forms of mental illness/diseases such as dementia,schizophrenia to name but two... it could also be a symptom of some STD's (think late stages of syphillis,etc.).
Hope it's just a writer's overactive imagination
Take Care and see a doc instead of us quacks !

schizophrenia link

 

[John_Cage]

OMG, guys... One guy just sent me a possiblity for what I have. I checked them out and it's almost EXACTLY the same as what I have.

Old Hag Syndrome

Thanks for the input, guys. I think I might talk to my familly doctor and see what he suggests (I realize now that this isn't that rare).

PS: I also find things on Sleep Paralysis and Night Terror that seem to have some similarities to what I experienced.

Edit: lol, some explainations are funny (witches and so forth), some are frightening (Night Terror sometimes cause people to jump out of a window?)... If it's a sleep disorder, then I guess I will be ok (it sure as hell didn't feel like a sleep disorder).

 

[Ben Dover]

sounds like your issue...

http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa112000b.htm

 

[John_Cage]

Yeah I know, I read that too. I think I am gonna be ok now that my world isn't shattered (what's the point of studying science if it doesn't explain everything in the world). lol, yeah I have no idea people did a detailed study into this.

 

[J. Peterman]

Evidently, it is not uncommon.

It has never happened to me, but I have read that it is not uncommon. Just as many of us have experinenced DEJA VU, this is explained by your momentary distraction by your mind on to another matter then refocusing on your present situation. This this feeling of you have been here done this or said that previously is comparable to a turntable needle skipping and playing the track a second time on a record.
My own experience is when just before I fall asleep, I can make myself feel that I am in a space where I am surrounded by gray and I am floating. This must be a little simular to what you have experience except without the fear.
My other experience is years ago I lost a pet that was very close to me, and for 2 or 3 years I would have the feeling that the presance of the pet was in the next room when I knew this was imposible. Your mind can be a powerful thing.

 

[A$$LoVeR]

what you are descibing is called sleep paralysis and is a fairly common occurance..i myself have experienced it on a few occasions..

there really is nothing you can do about it, it occures when the you become semi concious during the sleepstate, most of your brain wakes up, but motor function remain asleep

http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

 

[John_Cage]

Henry Fuseli - The Nightmare, that's a famous painting showing Sleep Paralysis... very cool.

To AlwaysFresh:
lol, I don't believe in witches (I might've at 4am last night, lol). I guess it could be because I am so stressed studying for my finals (which is tomorrow).

Oh well, I guess I gained something from this experience. In fact (as long as it's harmless), it's REALLY fun. That INTENSE fear is like... something I never felt before.

 

[pookiebear]

Remedy for your problem

If that happens to me here is what I recommend. Put on a good porn Whack off then go back to sleep. If there is evil presence in the room then it will know that you are a pervt and leave you alone. After one or two Money shot you'll be so tired you wouldnt care who's watching.

 

[Mike Mercury]

That is sleep paralysis.
You are in a dream, half awake and cannot move.
Very, very well known by sleep researchers and the medical field.

I have experienced it many times. I got used to it.

 

[John_Cage]

Yeah guys, thanks for the comfort you provided. I am kinda of used to it too. Just that last night was especially intense (I called it before it happened!), and it sort of dived into me and made human sounds in my ears... so yeah... I love the trick my mind can play on me.

 

[docprostate]

Panic attacks

Yeah guys, thanks for the comfort you provided. I am kinda of used to it too. Just that last night was especially intense (I called it before it happened!), and it sort of dived into me and made human sounds in my ears... so yeah... I love the trick my mind can play on me.

Dear John,

Your problem is call a panic attack. Talk to your GP or see a psychiatrist. This is a well know problem, and treatment is available. You are not alone!

Best wishes,

 

[picaron]

That is sleep paralysis.
You are in a dream, half awake and cannot move.
Very, very well known by sleep researchers and the medical field.

I have experienced it many times. I got used to it.

Ding ding ding!

I have experienced it aswell a few times, last time was about 6 months ago. This is most likely to happen to people who sleepwalk (i was an avid sleepwalker when young). Also i sometimes sleep with my eyes open, i know it sounds creepy, my exwife woke me up a few times and gave me the scare of my life when she saw i was asleep but with my eyes open, so she'd look into my eyes and say something, being sucked out of dreamworld and thrust into reality with no transition is scary as hell.

 

[survivor]

True that you are probably experiencing sleep paralysis, but let me explain more about the symptoms you are describing. Beside sleep paralysis, you are probably in a hypnagogic or hypnopompic state.

The hypnagogic state is that state between being awake and falling asleep.

The hypnopompic state is the transition state of semiconsciousness between sleeping and waking.

For some people, these are time of visual and auditory hallucinations.

They are usually benign and not related to a mental illness. If it starts to bother you every night or you have those fears even during the day when awake, then go see a doctor. If not, I won't worry.

 

[ElBastardo]

Same here

I didn't know what it what it was before I read this thread. But as described in one of the article mentionned, I sometimes feel that someone is perched on my chest and hear voices. That usually happens when falling asleep. Sometimes I don't have those crisis during a long period of times, sometimes once or twice a week maybe more... I usually get rid of it by getting angry at the "thing" in the room and I'm able to move again.

Well, good to finally have an explanation!

Cheers all,

ElBastardo

 

[Kiss to please]

Well, I guess some of you guys will need to book some time in a different hotel
sleep clinics in Canada

McGill's one

 

[John_Cage]

Same here, I've experienced it many times. This may sound silly but it works for me: Have a big knife near you (for example on the night table or under the pillow). Just psychological but it works.

OMG, I do that too (I didn't wanna sound weird... But I sleep with my knife, my air gun, and my cell phone). It used to creep the hell out of my girl friend that I have a gun in my drawers (she doesn't know the difference between an Air Pellet Gun and a real one... and she refuses to even discuss it). The reason I have my cell phone is because everytime I click on the little button on the side, it makes a beeping sound (which snaps me out of the INTENSE FEAR and scare the thing away, lol). It's much easier to will my index finger to wiggle a little than to will my whole body (to get up).

I sometimes "get angry" at it too, but I am usually just scared. For the longest time, I thought it was trying to communicate, so I didn't want to "piss it off" (because it didn't seem harmful).

I Have No Idea... that so many people experience the same thing ! It's really intense, huh? Well, intensity aside, I am getting ready for bed... I have a final tomorrow and it would really help if the Old Hag don't bother me tonight... lol.

Well for those of you who's NEVER felt it... It could be fun once you're sure it's harmless. It's like the scariest movie ever and You Are In It.

Good Night, everybody.

 

[GoodTimeCharlie]

What you are describing is called sleep paralysis, i have had the same thing happen to me probably a dozen times. You mentioned that you usually have a bottle of vodka with you when your writing late at night, this may be the culprit. I myslef am a young man and find when i'm partying more on the weekends this is when it tends to happen. I have done some research and you'd be surprised what alcohol can do to the mind. Hope this helps.

GTC