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Just Discovering What's Been Up Lately With Me - Sleeping Paralysis

by SH
(Dallas)

I think I have been experiencing sleep paralysis since I was 5 years old--at least that is the earliest episode I can remember. I was laying in my bed, falling asleep and all of a sudden I turned to look next to me for some reason and a raggedy doll slowly poked its head out from the side of my brothers bed which I was horizontal to. It was very scary and I ran to my dad and he didn't take me seriously...I always thought I was seeing demons or something.


Just recently I've discovered sleeping paralysis and it describes everything spot on; from the inability to speak or move, to extreme feelings of anger and fear, and to the hallucinations.

Recently, I have been getting them more often and I have been trying to find out why. I think diet might have something to do with it. I just had an episode this morning in fact. I was just laying there after sunrise and I started seeing things. First I saw a treadmill which is weird I know. I have a treadmill in my room but not where I saw it. The treadmill then morphed into my older sister. She was just looking at me and I began to get upset and started asking what she wanted. Actually I was pretty much yelling but I don't think I was making any actual noises. I was mad because she wasn't responding to me. Then she turned into a treadmill again...then she turned into half her and half something else. Her face was like squarish I don't know--something not human it was really weird...
The time before that which was 13 days ago I believe I was in complete darkness and I was alone in a basement...only it was my room at the same time. I realized I was alone and I hate being alone so I turned my head to look at the stairs and I was frozen and there was this silhouette of a woman who was incredibly pissed it seemed and her eyes were big and glowing green. There was a high pitched buzzing/yelling sound in the background and I was fixed on her eyes. It took me a while to break from it and once I did I convinced myself I was just imagining it and tried to turn again so I could get out of that room and go to where other people where. Only it happened again.

It is scary and I hope I find out why it happens and what I can do to avoid it.

Comments for Just Discovering What's Been Up Lately With Me - Sleeping Paralysis

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Jan 26, 2011
 yeoah it happened to me t
by: Anonymous

well i remember my first episode i was about six and i seen te man off the horor movie halloween in my closet and i remember screaming for my mom but nothing would come out.Now im 26 and this morning it happened me and my husband were in bed i woke up and couldnt move my body and i could scence like a demonic spirit present i couldnt speek or move to wake my husband talk about scared
Feb 28, 2011
 Weird
by: Anonymous

My first one was when i was seven and it was SpongeBob? He was like, tip-toeing around my bed when he turned into a ship and the ship tried to crush me. Then the shiped turned into this green monster and then before I knew it, I was looking at my mom.
May 19, 2011
 slightly darker than normal...
by: Anonymous

last night i had another episode, which is normal for me now, i get them 2-3 times a month now, so when i woke up and started seeing demons and hearing them, even though i was petrified i knew it wasnt real (every time i have an episode its always precedented by an extremely sick and twisted demonic dream). but this time something happened to me that was a first...after i was finally able to move, i realized that i was still hallucinating. laying in my bed, i could still see the shadows of "things", i could hear voices coming out of my table fan, things kept banging on my wall (not actual people, im sure of it) and i started seeing the sick twisted faces from my dreams in everything, from the walls to the curtain, even to my own sheets and pillows. i was also having severe feelings of loss and abandonment (i have a fiance), and evedn though i know now its ridiculous, these feelings and things i was seeing were a reality for me for about 3-5 hours. has anyone had that happen to them before? and if so, have they lasted for that long after you were able to move?
May 20, 2011
 Thats freaky O.O
by: Anonymous

Demons after you could move again??Thats incredibly scary. I wonder if thats sleep paralysis or something else? Maybe you should go see a doctor. Are you taking any medications that have side effects that include hallucinations? Thankfully, I havn't experienced sleep paralysis for several months now. I wonder why it sometimes happens alot and sometimes not at all? Maybe its like linked to health somehow? I was vitamin D deficient before and Ive been taking vitamins and since then I haven't had any problems. Its pretty interesting. I hope you all find some cure, I know how frightening this stuff can get :/
Oct 24, 2011
 Ending the Paralysis
by: La'Tasha

I want to know how do you guys break out of the paralysis. For me it takes extreme concentration. I have to focus on a specific limb of my body and get it to move. Once it moves enough, the paralysis ends. But I am left extremely exhausted and sometimes out of breath.
Nov 24, 2011
 bicycling NEW
by: Markus

Thanks to you i was able to calm and reasssure myself that im normal, and i am not alone. i'd like to share my experience:
i was riding on a bicycle, i was asleep, i THink it is a dream. I saw a woman sitting in a bench, and when she turned her head towards me,SHE HAS NO FACE! i was trying to run through my bicycle but it didnt move, i can only feel my feet cycling thru the paddles but the tires are stucked.then everything turned black, and im conscious that im lying, but i cant move,no matter how i tried. i felt vibrations in my body, i was trying to speak, but my words are incomprehensible. i do not know, i was like mmbling and all. and suddenly, i woke, and everything;s fine,, i was really frightened.
Dec 16, 2011
 Help NEW
by: Tati871

Ok ive read most of your stories and I can somewhat understand what you all are going through. I am 24 years old and think I might be going through sleep paralysis but I don't have hallucinations after I wake up in my sleep I have weird horrific dreams and often dream of people killing me or dying I sometimes see demonic figures or things i fear and I'm in and out of sleep during the dream I can wake up n fall asleep n dream the sane exact thing where it left off. But now I am experiencing sleeping n dreaming horrible things and being alert n aware that I'm sleeping n laying down but in my dream I'm active , I've had many dreams end up in the sleep n waking stage of my sleep n experiencing the sensation of not being able to breath yell or ask for help . Today was my first dream which I was in and out of n finally was able to wake up from but still felt I was fighting my sleep mind you that I had only been sleeping for 30-40 min and when I was trying to scream for my brothers help I knew that there wasn't anyone but him home n aware I had taken my younger bros to school my mom had left for work and I had been up early but my older bro was sleepIng in the converted garage I tried screaming and lifting myself up I tried moving n couldn't even feel my dogs on my bed to help me I felt my mouth numb n limbs paralyzed n began crying n trying to yell for help I tried lifting myself and tried pounding on the wall next to my bed n could not it was useless and I felt I was going to stop breathing my tongue was numb and I sounded like I was mute I couldnt make noise or really even open my eyes completely but I could feel like a huge amount of pressure over my body I don't know what to do I keep telling my doctor that my sleep is horrible and I can't sleep at times and have these episodes but he says I'm depressed takes a list of questions to see if I am and I score in the high levels of a non depressed person I actually know I'm not depressed I'm a nursing student and have alot going for myself I live a decent life and don't really have anything to complain about everything seems to be good and the only thing affecting me is my sleep I don't know what I should do .
Dec 16, 2011
 Help NEW
by: Tati871

Ok ive read most of your stories and I can somewhat understand what you all are going through. I am 24 years old and think I might be going through sleep paralysis but I don't have hallucinations after I wake up in my sleep I have weird horrific dreams and often dream of people killing me or dying I sometimes see demonic figures or things i fear and I'm in and out of sleep during the dream I can wake up n fall asleep n dream the sane exact thing where it left off. But now I am experiencing sleeping n dreaming horrible things and being alert n aware that I'm sleeping n laying down but in my dream I'm active , I've had many dreams end up in the sleep n waking stage of my sleep n experiencing the sensation of not being able to breath yell or ask for help . Today was my first dream which I was in and out of n finally was able to wake up from but still felt I was fighting my sleep mind you that I had only been sleeping for 30-40 min and when I was trying to scream for my brothers help I knew that there wasn't anyone but him home n aware I had taken my younger bros to school my mom had left for work and I had been up early but my older bro was sleepIng in the converted garage I tried screaming and lifting myself up I tried moving n couldn't even feel my dogs on my bed to help me I felt my mouth numb n limbs paralyzed n began crying n trying to yell for help I tried lifting myself and tried pounding on the wall next to my bed n could not it was useless and I felt I was going to stop breathing my tongue was numb and I sounded like I was mute I couldnt make noise or really even open my eyes completely but I could feel like a huge amount of pressure over my body I don't know what to do I keep telling my doctor that my sleep is horrible and I can't sleep at times and have these episodes but he says I'm depressed takes a list of questions to see if I am and I score in the high levels of a non depressed person I actually know I'm not depressed I'm a nursing student and have alot going for myself I live a decent life and don't really have anything to complain about everything seems to be good and the only thing affecting me is my sleep I don't know what I should do .
Jan 06, 2012
 Forcing my eyes to stay open NEW
by: Anonymous

Ive been have these episodes for as long as can remember. For me I may not have them for 3-6 months and then gave them 3-4 times a week. Mine are always very similar. I am lying there and cannot move a muscle. For me it is always very difficult to keep my eyes open and have to force them to stay open. I am afraid to close them as I fear something terrible will happen. That is the feeling I have at that time. I am awake because I can clearly see my room. Most times I can feel a presence in the room and sometimes see the outline of a person staring at me and at times feel them touching me. I try to scream out but cant which is very forsruating and frightning. I am usually angry and aggressive at the time then when I force myself out; trying to move, shouting and forcing my eyes to stay open, I am then quite scared and shaken up. None of my friends can relate to this or experince it so I am thankful for these comments. Sean from Ireland 21 cheers
Mar 05, 2012
 1st time Sleep Paralysis and totally freaking out. NEW
by: Anonymous in New Mexico

Okay, So I don't know if what I had was Sleep Paralysis; haven't even seen a doctor about it yet, but I have suffered with severe anxiety and panic attacks for at least 8 years and last night for the first time I ever I had 5 episodes of what I believe to be Sleep Paralysis just from reading, these other stories, I would be just about to fall like into a deep sleep and something would wake me, I don't recall what exactly, but when I would try to move, I couldn't. I couldn't breath and I was eventually able to open my eyes,and as I was laying there Paralyzed, unable to breathe, or yell for my Husband or scream or move a muscle,In my mind I kept repeating Please God...Please God, because I actually believed I was dying. Eventually, I was able to inhale sharply( gasp for air) and then I would regain movement in my muscles. I have never been so scared in my entire life and that is the worst feeling to have ever had to experience and it happened like 5 times in one night. I didn't have any hallucinations but it was still very scary. Thanks for all these stories. They helped me to realize and understand what I was experiencing and I feel a lot better to day knowing more or less what was happening to me.
Aug 05, 2012
 Glad i'm not alone NEW
by: Anonymous

SP happens to me if I nap during the daytime, usually around 3:00 is when I'll nap if I get a chance during the day. I've never had this happen at night, thank goodness. As I fall asleep I can atually feel myself slipping into SP; my breathing becomes heavy and a feeling of exteme fear sets in. I will hear someone opening my front door and walking in, I try to scream with all my might but my lips and voice are paralyzed and my eyes will not open! There are times i have seen myself getting up moving around doing stuff, thinking i have actually awakened only to find out I'm still in my bed unable to move. This is a horrible experience and one i wouldnt wish on anyone..as exhausted as i can be some afternoons after work, i now try tomavoid daytime naps!!
Aug 08, 2012
 Scary dreams NEW
by: Kawal

When ever I sleep alone or after sunrise I always see scary dreams.i can't move', and scream. I always saw that sOmeone is sitting on me and trying to kill me.
Feb 05, 2013
 sooo scary! i want it to end! NEW
by: kassi brianpartellojr@gmail.com

Being scares to fall asleep sux. I've been goin threw this SP for a while now I just recently found out that it is SP which makes me feel sum what better about it but I hate it.. it happens to me no matter wut position I sleep in n can lst a while. Its frightening to be awake n not able to move open ur eyes talk or anything. Sumtimes I get awful pains in my head and think ok im Guna die now or ill see sumone who has passed on or ill see a glowing. Black cat.. while all this is going on the only way I can try to wake up is breath hard n fast so my husband will notice n try n wake me up which he does notice n I Can hear him trying to wake me up but I just can't when I finally do I sit right up If if it doesn't happen again rite away and im almost breathless n crying be wise it is just so frightening I want it to stop I really feel like one of these times im not Gunn be able to wake up...help :*(
Feb 05, 2013
 sooo scary! i want it to end! NEW
by: kassi brianpartellojr@gmail.com

Being scares to fall asleep sux. I've been goin threw this SP for a while now I just recently found out that it is SP which makes me feel sum what better about it but I hate it.. it happens to me no matter wut position I sleep in n can lst a while. Its frightening to be awake n not able to move open ur eyes talk or anything. Sumtimes I get awful pains in my head and think ok im Guna die now or ill see sumone who has passed on or ill see a glowing. Black cat.. while all this is going on the only way I can try to wake up is breath hard n fast so my husband will notice n try n wake me up which he does notice n I Can hear him trying to wake me up but I just can't when I finally do I sit right up If if it doesn't happen again rite away and im almost breathless n crying be wise it is just so frightening I want it to stop I really feel like one of these times im not Gunn be able to wake up...help :*(
Mar 08, 2013
 Afraid NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm extremely afraid of this my most frightening one was when I was beginning to sleep when suddenly I could move, talk, scream!! I turned to look up (Only with my eyes) towards where the side of my closet was and seeing a tall shadow just standing there not doing a thing, I woke up and ran out of my room. I was hot, breathing heavily, and scared. Never had one like this. I am now 16 and awake due to one of these "dreams" again.
Sep 22, 2013
 Other sleep issues NEW
by: SH

I have been keeping up with all of your posts over the years and it has been very interesting to read all of your experiences. I hope this has been as helpful to you as it has to me.

I was wondering if any of you have experienced other sleep disorders. I have recently discovered I have frequent night terrors. I scream in my sleep on occasion, but have no recollection of it in the morning.

Just wondering if it is linked to paralysis or not. It has been a few weeks since I have had paralysis. It has become less frightening over the years. For me, if I do not panic, it is not as bad. It is a terrible helpless feeling though that I hope you all do not have to endure long term.

Once again, thanks for sharing:-) and best of luck to you all.
-SH
Sep 22, 2013
 Other sleep issues NEW
by: SH

I have been keeping up with all of your posts over the years and it has been very interesting to read all of your experiences. I hope this has been as helpful to you as it has to me.

I was wondering if any of you have experienced other sleep disorders. I have recently discovered I have frequent night terrors. I scream in my sleep on occasion, but have no recollection of it in the morning.

Just wondering if it is linked to paralysis or not. It has been a few weeks since I have had paralysis. It has become less frightening over the years. For me, if I do not panic, it is not as bad. It is a terrible helpless feeling though that I hope you all do not have to endure long term.

Once again, thanks for sharing:-) and best of luck to you all.
-SH
Sep 30, 2013
 Blanket Pulling NEW
by: Anonymous

I have had the same experience as the commenter from March 4, 2012.

Sometimes I wake up, or at least it feels like I wake up, and I get this odd sense that something evil is there. I brace myself by gripping the blanket and sheets really tight, and that's when something seems to try and pull them off of me. That's happened several times to me. And it feels very real.

Another experience that I have is of waking up and feeling something shaking me. It's like being bounced into the bed over and over again, very rapidly.
Jun 11, 2014
 death NEW
by: Angela

I just experience this last night I was laying on the couch and something made me go into a deep sleep (recently my dad passed) OK now its just my sister and I in his old bathroom my sister and I was holding hands and all I remember was me saying DADDY WE HERE he appeared and he put his hand out and I reached for him and out of nowhere A MAN VOICE SAID ""DON'T DO IT"" there was pressure pressing on me so hard I couldn't move couldn't talk couldn't opens my eyes but when the man spoke I woke up and the pressure let up..I talked to my sisters about this and she said that it was the devil sitting on me and that wasn't our daddy reaching for us that was the devil looking like our dad trying to take us to the other side and maybe it was our dad telling me NOT TO DO IT ( MEANING TOUCH THE DEVIL HAND) for the record I have night mares all my life since my mother died in my arms when I was 3/4 yes old I remember that night like it was yesterday.... Last time this happened I actually seen the ghost pressing down on me smh but in the name of Jesus I'm still here thank you amen....(Facebook) Angela nunu Amerson
Oct 18, 2014
 The occasional nightmare NEW
by: Anonymous2016

I've had these nightmares since I was about 16 , I'm now 24, they are all essentially the same theme and only occur when I'm in my childhood bedroom. And no there's no bad family history that would cause them. Anyway the dreams start when I fall asleep,I can feel myself falling down into that place between waking and almost dreaming..the bam! it's pitch black in my bedroom and I can feel my body levitating,moving into/towards the closet. thats when I start trying to struggle. As soon as I start struggling "it" -dark demolish figure look alike to Harry potters death eaters- comes out of the closet grabs my ankles while whispering "you are mine" and yupp that's when I start totally flipping out like any sane person but the stupid paralysis dreams mean that I don't make a sound not one whimper while I'm screaming for all I'm worth inside. There was only one time it actually dragged me into the closet and into "hell" but I woke up before the hell part. Mostly when I get the paralysis i can either hear it next to my ear or in the closet saying "you are mine". Totally creeps me out, it's happened about 7 times...this sort of thing is normal in regards to sleep paralysis, yes????
Jan 04, 2015
 .... NEW
by: Anonymous

I've been experiencing sleep paralysis for a while and it's been happening every 4 nights. It happened today, I was frozen and I couldn't speak or move. The first time it happened was in november and it's just really iritating and scary. I just want to know how to stop it.
Jan 19, 2015
 Very Tired NEW
by: Anonymous

I get these usually if I have had a heavy weekend and not enough sleep Sunday night on the Monday evening getting to sleep is easy but I am that tired I must be hitting deep sleep instantly . I would normally wake paralysed if I left a TV on . The dReam or nightmare would almost always relate to what's going on around me . Sounds from the TV or outside .
Apr 11, 2015
 Puzzles...! NEW
by: Anonymous

so just recently I had this and the way I would get out is this kind of puzzle. I think I was something like vocabulary words Nd I had to match them together. as I could remeber, the last one I put together I woke up, I didn't see no figured or anything.
Apr 15, 2015
 READ NEW
by: Anonymous

The first time I experienced sleep paralysis that I can still remember is when I was underwater and I couldn't move or shout. And a man starts to speak to me and hold me and I still couln't do anything. I just experienced it this morning and it's really bad. I didn't realized I was just dreaming. A man which is a friend of mine and which I somehow dislike woke me and did something that I hate. Though this time I can move my hands yet a person I dislike is so strong. It's like I couln't stop him. Also, there is this moment when I woke up several times and I also ewxperienced SP everytime I fall asleep that morning. I think it's because I'm so tired the night before. To end this up, I wanna rcommend everyone that the moment you experience sleep paralysis, don't you ever sleep again after it happened. Just wait for an hour or two 'cause more likely you'll experience it again. Many of my friends also experience SP so you'll never be alone.
Jun 28, 2015
 Sleep Paralysis NEW
by: Anonymous

Man, I self induced my sleep paralysis by astral projecting. Since around that time I've seen some scary things astral projecting and going through sleep paralysis. The most common thing I see is a person that may smell dead eating me and putting all of its heart into it. Pretty intimidating stuff I must say. I've kinda gotten used to it lately and I guess stopped being scared. Ever since I stopped being scared it's gone away. What I've found is that you go where your mind goes. Which means if you think scary thoughts as you're waking or falling asleep and you fall into sleep paralysis at that same time you are likely to go to a scary place. Same goes for if you are very peaceful, not afraid of it anymore and are imagining something happy as you fall asleep or are waking up and have sleep paralysis, if that happens you are likely to go to a happier place.

Me, myself, I study sleep on my own and I induce sleep paralysis on myself regularly.
Nov 30, 2015
 any solutions to sp?? NEW
by: Anonymous

Hey guys, I'm 24 and been experiencing this for a couple years now it usually happens when I'm a hour into sleep it's almost always a dream of my current situation same room and stuff around and I'll be asleep but yet can't move and fully aware that I'm dreaming and that I'm stuck it's always a demonic figure or something really scary trying to get me and I'm stuck can't move speak or reach for nothing and I can feel my body the whole time feeling like there's something holding me down like a strong force of pressure most of the time when I have this happens to me I am able to let out a small cry for someone to wake me I can't make out zzz by actual words it's more like a moaning crying sound and then someone will wake me and it goes away but when no one's there t k help me I have to let the dream play out before I can come out of it and you guys know it's the worst feeling in the world being threatened by something scary and can't move or scream or grab anything to help yourself I need help asap I can never fall back to sleep after an sp episode I have them a couple times a week and usually a hour or two after I first fall asleep so that's me only getting a couple hours sleep max a couple times a week I can't take it anymore I am so exhausted I have kids I need to be back on a regular sleep schedule for my kids and I can't because of this sp does anyone know how to ease it a little or how to stop it maybe some home remedies herbal sleep meds anything please
Dec 30, 2015
 Animal in my room NEW
by: Anonymous

The paralysis has happened to me one time only, in my 60's. It was quite strange to find myself awake but completely unable to move, although I believe my eyes were open, as I could see my bedroom perfectly. While I was laying there frozen I could hear an animal running back and forth around the end of my bed and around the side closest to me, but I could not see beside my bed. I couldn't move my neck in order to lift it up so I could see beside my bed, I could only see directly above it. I don't have any animals, but at first I just thought it was one of my older pets, which I didn't have anymore, but then I got this thought in my mind that it was some kind of monster animal, like what the devil might use to attack his victims. Like someone said I focused on trying to turn my body over to roll toward the side of the bed, and as soon as one part of my body moved, it was over. No animals in the room, nothing scary to see. I immediately went to the internet to look this up, and was surprised to read that others had some type of demonic hallucination. I don't particularly think about scary things, don't really believe in an after life, so I found it very interesting that others had hallucinations. I understand about hallucinations when you are drugged, or asleep, but I was wide awake and I think quite lucid. Never happened again. Next time it happens I will be much calmer, relaxed, and will go with the flow. Knowledge is a wonderful tool to have.
Feb 17, 2016
 Afraid of Sleep Paralysis NEW
by: Anonymous

Now a days it also happens to me. I am just twelve and I am so scared that I cannot even sleep all night. Is there any way I could get rid of it?
Feb 17, 2016
 Afraid of Sleep Paralysis NEW
by: Anonymous

Now a days it also happens to me. I am just twelve and I am so scared that I cannot even sleep all night. Is there any way I could get rid of it?
Apr 26, 2016
 Started happening again NEW
by: Anonymous

I just woke from another episode that I've had multiple times since I was about 18 I think. Always the same thing. I Google someone pulling at my blankets and found these comments. So relieving! I've had 2 or 3 episodes in the past 6 years since moving to another house all within the past month. I thought these nightmares were over as though I believed my old house was haunted. I wasn't aware of sleep paralysis until now. It's always the same thing, I feel like I've woke up to something pulling my covers off, and a heavy sensation on top of me. Very frightening. It feels like a demon in my room like they are trying to get in me. I wish I knew why it's happening again.
Nov 15, 2016
 NEW
by: Anonymous

The first time it happened to me I was about 9 or 10 years old. I was sleeping at a friends house and just after I fell alsleep I woke back up and a boy with white eyes was standing over me trying to push me under the bed. I couldn't move or scream. I woke up again and saw my friends brother and mom talking. I tried to crawl toward them but I was pushed up against something. I fell back asleep and slept through the rest of the night. When I woke up in the morning I was crammed under the bed up against the Varner of the wall. I never told anyone what had happened because I thought I was possessed. It was one of the most terrifying experiences ever.
Apr 19, 2019
 First episode...5 years old NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm reading these comments and for the first time realizing that I am not the only one experiencing this. First one was when I was 5. I never fell asleep...then there were millions of drops of water...as you see them when you put your eye close to a window covered in water. Each one was full of horrible, grayed out and distorted, images of 'things' (demons?) depends on my theology I guess. They were DEFINITELY coming for me. I was paralyzed...awake...and trying to scream at my brother next to me. I finally awoke by shaking my body enough to disturb my sleep pattern. I laid there for a good 20 minutes still seeing the residual imagery all over the room. Each one of these episodes begin with a weird sound like lightening combined with silk ripping inside my head. An electric like current running thru my fingers and a terrifying "STOP OR YOU WILL DIE!" awareness. I have scared the daylights out of people for years who tell me that I all of a sudden just start moaning loudly and rocking in my sleep before sitting bolt upright. I am always aware of them and that is why I am crying out to them. It's much worse when I am alone. It can cycle 3-5 times before I actually wake up.

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