Sleep Paralysis and spooky incident causing anxiety

[jayd83]

Wasn't sure where to post this, hopefully here is ok as the situation is causing me pretty bad anxiety

For years I have had Sleep paralysis episodes during times of stress and lack of sleep which is normal and common, but never seen horrible shadows or things like many people do.

However, last week, out of nowhere I was dreaming normally when suddenly I felt what was like a hand touch my leg, I instantly knew and tried to awaken, I was full of fear and sleep paralysis took over for about 5 seconds.

I woke up thinking that was strange as never felt anything touch me in the night like this, and this sleep paralysis felt different too. Was quicker and had more fear in it

Anyway the next morning my girlfriend told me she had a nightmare that a shadow walked into the room and to my side of the bed but she also couldnt move (Shes never suffered sleep paralysis or seen things like this) and then fell asleep (She also says she was sure it was real and not a dream). It's likely this was around the same time I had my thing happen. So obviously this freaked us both out and now to the point I just cant sleep at night and getting bad insomnia due to it and anxiety.
Always read about things like shadow people but always assumed it was unreal visions when waking and not real, but the fact my girlfriend actually saw something walk in - I dunno, maybe just really unlikely coincidence hopefully

Anyone else had similar experiences or solutions to getting a better night sleep? Took a calms before bed last night but had no effect.
Maybe I need to get a house blessing?

[Carys]

Its possible your girlfriend was half awake when you had your 'episode' and internalised what you said and how you reacted, as a real happening in her half asleep state. In the morning she recounted it as if it was something she also saw. The mind plays tricks at night, especially in a half awake state. Have I had what you have had ? YES !!! Many times, its called sleep hallucination and is tied in with the paralysis thing in that strange part of sleep where reality get intertwined with sleep. I have a recurring one where the most terrifying shadowed figure gets closer and closer and looms over the bed, getting higher and higher above me. I cower in fear, it is there as real as real...I'm not 'asleep' my eyes are wide open and I see it clearly. I can't make this more clear to you, its not a nightmare, I am sat up and seeing it. It suddenly swoops at me and I generally scream very loudly, which must be awful for my other half NO, there isn't a shadow figure visiting you both, I assure you of that! They don't exist.

[jayd83]

Thanks for the reply Carys
I think you are right, its just never a nice thing to have or see. Be nice to just have a normal nights sleep again

[Carys]

Its AWFUL ! I honestly, the first time it happened, told my husband there IS someone/something here...I wasn not asleep! He kept saying it was a nightmare, it wasn't, it was definitely a hallucination. I've had the paralysis element of it only once in my life, about 20 years ago. Unless you've experienced it, its very hard to explain. You are fully functioning mentally, you can see and hear and are 'with the world' but your body just will not respond. You want to shout, but are trapped in your body. I think it is actually quite quick, but it feels a lot longer than it is. TO me that felt like about 15 seconds, but I suspect it was much shorter. It was frightening, thats for sure. You don't need a house blessing or exorcism or anything, its your mind not the world causing the issue. As real as it seemed and felt, and I know because I too was convinced this really was real, its not something actually there.

[HullSimplibus]

This happened to me before, but it felt like something sitting on me rather than touching me.

Don't worry, its all normal

Remember, it is just anxiety. You will be absolutely fine. Anxiety can palm off on to others and cause similar things.

[MyNameIsTerry]

My dad has had night terrors for years. You could hear him wailing in his sleep which occurs as a shadow is starting to restrict his breathing.

You obviously know about Hypnagogic sleep phenomena from what you say in the first post. Have you seem how some very physical phenomena occur like Tetris Effect? If our bodies can react in physical ways like that, sleep paralysis and the brain can create hallucinations from shadows to more complex ones visual, auditory or olfactory - then I think the best way is to put these things down to sleep phenomena and not obsess over them.

Bringing down anxiety levels has always been my best way to deal with these issues. Some still happen but you don't react as badly to them. And many things don't happen to me anymore. The jerks in particular are one I know a few on here have said decrease as overall anxiety levels do and return if their anxiety spikes.

[jayd83]

Thx for the replies all

[axolotl]

Have you seem how some very physical phenomena occur like Tetris Effect?

Wow... I'd often noticed that when I've played a video game quite intently I've had a habit of dreaming about it, imagining shapes from it at night when I close me eyes, and sometimes thinking of real-world objects in context of the game. I never knew it had a name!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Wow... I'd often noticed that when I've played a video game quite intently I've had a habit of dreaming about it, imagining shapes from it at night when I close me eyes, and sometimes thinking of real-world objects in context of the game. I never knew it had a name!

Yep, repetitive behaviour. And quite possible to experience hallucinations in this that link back to that earlier in the day behaviour.

Without reading it was known you could easily be obsessing yourself into various BT or "I'm losing my mind" type fears. Information used correctly can be helpful

Anyway what I really want to know was whether you woke to find your high score had been beaten? How infuriating would that be