Has anyone here experienced sleep paralysis without prior knowledge about this phenomena?

[whiskas_fanatic]

I never experienced sleep paralysis myself, but it terrifies me since I discovered such a thing exists. Every story about it, be it about visual or just audible hallucinations where some kind of creepy entity involved, I just can't imagine how scary would it be to have it. What terrifies me much more, however, is that I could have it before I read about it in internet. Thing is, I think if I would open my eyes to something like this

wihtout knowing what happening, I would just die of heart attack, I'm not exaggerating. So my question is to people who first experienced sleep paralysis as kids, or as uninformed adult - how was is? How it felt? How did you survived? (Did you?)

 

[Deleted member 4532]

Very scary experience the first time. I could see shadows moving all around my room and not being able to move was the worst bit. Now I get them once almost every other month so I just let the feeling past and move on. Still scary though, sometimes I think I could just die right there.

 

[Titik]

I never experienced sleep paralysis myself, but it terrifies me since I discovered such a thing exists. Every story about it, be it about visual or just audible hallucinations where some kind of creepy entity involved, I just can't imagine how scary would it be to have it. What terrifies me much more, however, is that I could have it before I read about it in internet. Thing is, I think if I would open my eyes to something like this

wihtout knowing what happening, I would just die of heart attack, I'm not exaggerating. So my question is to people who first experienced sleep paralysis as kids, or as uninformed adult - how was is? How it felt? How did you survived? (Did you?)

Click to shrink...

It's fun once you start recognizing it. I try to initiate a lucid dream once I start becoming aware that I'm in a sleep paralysis.

Best way to break it is the same thing they tell you when trying to get out of quick sand and rip currents: don't panic, go with the flow and just confidently let yourself float. Worse thing you can do is force it.

 

[Krejlooc]

Yes, I got it all the time when I was younger. I used to think I was being abducted by aliens. I made a topic about it a while back: https://www.resetera.com/threads/i-havent-had-sleep-paralysis-in-7-years.22771/

As for how it felt? Absolutely horrifying. It would fuck up my sleep so badly. Once it'd happen, I wouldn't want to go to sleep anymore for days and days.

 

[Cybersai]

The weird thing is people online act like it's so common, yet I've never heard anyone in real life talk about this....ever.

I've never truly gotten this myself, although I tend to know the feeling but I always know I'm dreaming or about to wake up. Why are people acting like this is common?

 

[Melody Shreds]

I didn't know what the hell it was the first time it happened to me, scared the shit out of me and my family didn't believe me.

I didn't even know what it was called until many years after I first experienced it.

Cybersai
It's certainly not common, I've never met another person irl who has experienced it, I first heard about it on the old site and looked into it myself from there.

 

[Kolx]

I'm in the same boat op. Never had it, but the thought of having it scares me to no end.

 

[Krejlooc]

The weird thing is people online act like it's so common, yet I've never heard anyone in real life talk about this....ever.

I've never truly gotten this myself, although I tend to know the feeling but I always know I'm dreaming or about to wake up. Why are people acting like this is common?

Click to shrink...

After I read about it and talked to others in my extended family, I found several who had also experienced it and had no idea what it was. I remember my mother asked me to talk to my aunt one time because she had told my mother about an attack and had no idea what it was, and my mom had heard me talk about it before. My sister also has the opposite problem - she sleep walks. I guess there might be a genetic component, because it actually does happen quite a bit in my family.

For me, though? It was reoccurring, the worst kind.

 

[WhoaIsThatMars]

The first time it happened to me, I had no idea wtf had just happened. Then it happened again the following two nights and then I struggled to sleep for any more than two hours because I was terrified of sleep.

It hasn't happened that often in a short amount of time since and I can usually tell when it's about to happen now so I can stop it. Then I'm an idiot sometimes; I see it about to happen and tell myself "meh, let's see what happens" and I immediately regret it.

Scariest one that happened to me was the only time I heard sound. The fire alarm was going off in my building and smoke was slowly filling my room. I couldn't move and I tried to scream and nothing came out. Legit thought I was going to die.

 

[John Bender]

I never experienced sleep paralysis myself, but it terrifies me since I discovered such a thing exists. Every story about it, be it about visual or just audible hallucinations where some kind of creepy entity involved, I just can't imagine how scary would it be to have it. What terrifies me much more, however, is that I could have it before I read about it in internet. Thing is, I think if I would open my eyes to something like this

wihtout knowing what happening, I would just die of heart attack, I'm not exaggerating. So my question is to people who first experienced sleep paralysis as kids, or as uninformed adult - how was is? How it felt? How did you survived? (Did you?)

Click to shrink...

It is HORRIFYING! Had it 2 times in my life. Couldn't move and (thank you god) didn't see any creatures / black creatures. But.... everything was blurry and moving around me.

And watch this:
IMDb
Trailer

 

[Salacious_Rhino]

I did. Most terrifying experience in my entire life and nothing I've experienced has come close to matching that fear. I didn't experience visual hallucination but I did experience audible hallucination. Aside from being completely immobile I heard a woman sobbing and what sounded like someone dragging their feet across the hall outside my bedroom. Eventually I got feeling again and everything suddenly built up loudly like a swoosh and then suddenly absolute silence. I laid there for what felt like an hour just staring in the darkness what I just endured. I was able to get my phone and look it up and was greatly relieved that it is very common and normal. I experienced it several times after that but it didn't have the same fearful effect anymore because I was aware of what was happening now.

 

[Stasis]

I experience it frequently. On nights I do experience it, it will be multiple times. Other nights are fine.

It was rough at first, and I had to start digging online to figure out what was happening. My gf, being a RN, helped. This was before it became more common knowledge.

Thankfully I don't have the visual hallucinations, only the auditory. And while I now know what it is as it's happening, there are still moments where I am convinced someone is around when they shouldn't be. Like I'll think my gf came back from work early for some reason, or didn't go even though she said goodbye and I heard her leave before going back to sleep. Other times I'll think someone random came in. I actually talk to myself during this and try to rationalize, but being immobile and stuck physically somewhere between ... I guess awake and half-awake... that messes with you. It messes with me anyway. So I strain against it. Ultimately I need to basically force out a yell (in my mind it's yelling, in reality it's some kind of whimpering according to my gf) to break free. She works nights often and will sleep in another room when she gets back so as not to wake me. When she hears me do that, she comes and cuddles me. I can instantly sleep fine afterwards. Just a presence, but she has to have some physical contact. Even a hand will do.

I absolutely hate it. And I hate knowing that once it happens, when I do go back to sleep, it'll happen again quickly 9 times out of 10. It's never just once. I'd say 2-3 times a month these nights occur.

I'm very happy I don't have visual hallucinations. I'm less happy that I haven't (yet) been able to use the tactics described online to control it and enter Wake Induced Lucid Dreams, if they really do exist. It's hard to remember to do those things when you're awake and basically paralyzed, completely aware of that fact, and hearing random sounds from the first floor when you know no one's home. I hope to achieve some form of control. For now, I hate it. Absolutely hate it. And I know some people have it WAY worse than me.

The first times were very confusing. I think it's more infuriating now, but less scary.

edit: And I should add that it first occurred many years ago but didn't resurface until the past two years. This past year is when it became more commonplace. It's made me fear actual paralysis more than anything. I cannot begin to imagine.

edit2: I also have that feeling described below me often. I'm awake, I'm conscious, but some kind of dazed/drugged. Not everything is in focus or clear. Muffled. Like being underwater. Sluggish. Mostly. Sometimes I'm much more sharp and that's even worse tbh.

 

[Krejlooc]

When I'd hallucinate, I wouldn't be like perfectly conscious either, not like you are when you're wide awake. I'd feel like I was insanely drunk, or drugged, which made everything even scarier. It's this weird heavy feeling to everything, then you realize you can't move.

Fuck sleep paralysis is so awful.

 

[Deleted member 7156]

I experienced it a few times, the first time I had no idea what sleep paralysis was, so I just assumed I was dead.
My reaction was basically "Uh, guess I'm dead. Well at least there seems to be an afterlife after all!"

I eventually went into a semi-lucid dream/hallucination that I was flying around until I "came back" and spent a few minutes until I managed to move.

 

[RedBlue]

When I was 13, 20 years ago. Had no idea what the hell had happened. Did not learn what it was until like 10 years ago.

My first experience I had the initial panic of not being able to move, then a shadow figure move in quick, this loud noise I only know as some asubmarine alarm, and the room began to spin. Terrified I though ET was fucking with me.

 

[Krejlooc]

I experience it frequently. On nights I do experience it, it will be multiple times. Other nights are fine.

It was rough at first, and I had to start digging online to figure out what was happening. My gf, being a RN, helped. This was before it became more common knowledge.

Thankfully I don't have the visual hallucinations, only the auditory. And while I now know what it is as it's happening, there are still moments where I am convinced someone is around when they shouldn't be. Like I'll think my gf came back from work early for some reason, or didn't go even though she said goodbye and I heard her leave before going back to sleep. Other times I'll think someone random came in. I actually talk to myself during this and try to rationalize, but being immobile and stuck physically somewhere between ... I guess awake and half-awake... that messes with you. It messes with me anyway. So I strain against it. Ultimately I need to basically force out a yell (in my mind it's yelling, in reality it's some kind of whimpering according to my gf) to break free. She works nights often and will sleep in another room when she gets back so as not to wake me. When she hears me do that, she comes and cuddles me. I can instantly sleep fine afterwards. Just a presence, but she has to have some physical contact. Even a hand will do.

I absolutely hate it. And I hate knowing that once it happens, when I do go back to sleep, it'll happen again quickly 9 times out of 10. It's never just once. I'd say 2-3 times a month these nights occur.

I'm very happy I don't have visual hallucinations. I'm less happy that I haven't (yet) been able to use the tactics described online to control it and enter Wake Induced Lucid Dreams, if they really do exist. It's hard to remember to do those things when you're awake and basically paralyzed, completely aware of that fact, and hearing random sounds from the first floor when you know no one's home. I hope to achieve some form of control. For now, I hate it. Absolutely hate it. And I know some people have it WAY worse than me.

The first times were very confusing. I think it's more infuriating now, but less scary.

Click to shrink...

I think this sums up why my dog seemingly helped me. It's a peace of mind knowing that, if anybody ever did actually come into my room, my dog would bolt up and react. He sleeps at my hip.

 

[RyoonZ]

Only once after playing some indie horror game on Vita. You can't move your body, and I can hear laughing sound as I struggle to move. It lasts for a minute or so fortunately.

 

[WhoaIsThatMars]

I eventually went into a semi-lucid dream/hallucination that I was flying around until I "came back" and spent a few minutes until I managed to move.

Click to shrink...

Lucky

 

[erekiddo]

My dad had it and didn’t know what it was. He thought the house was haunted.

He also suffers from exploding head syndrome. That one is unexplained.

 

[Vulcano's Assistant]

Twice in college where it was simply me feeling that I was awake and needed to get up for class but couldn't do move at all. I was also aware the second time that it was sleep paralysis, but I felt more annoyed than anything because time felt longer, like an hour waiting to finally be able get up. Both times the sun was up so there was not darkness to make it too scary.

 

[Spectone]

This demon came into my room and attacked me. It stood on my chest and stopped me from moving. Thankfully that only happened once and it was years later that I heard about sleep paralysis. I still get some dreams where I think I’m awake but can’t move but nothing attacking me.

 

[loquaciousJenny]

I've only had it happen once but I knew what it was, dunno about this floating around jazz though, I just went into normal sleep after the overwhelming feeling of dread went away. Was pretty much how I figure seeing lovecraftian abominations is supposed to be

Edit: I figure I'll go into more detail, for me it was like a slender man game sorta, where at first there was just this overwhelming feeling of fear, like I was shaking but physically wasn't. Then in the corner there was this ominous shadow that crept closer over time and whenever I looked directly at it the feeling would worsen and I would hear a loud noise like looking at the monster in amnesia. Eventually it just stopped.

 

[henhowc]

Probably applies to most people who’ve experienced this as a kid or teen. It’s an awful experience. At least after you’ve experienced it once and researched it you know that the presence you feel in the room with you isn’t actually real.

It’s still fucking scary though and seems to last an eternity even though it might be a few minutes tops. Usually when it happens to me I can still close my eyes so I do that.

 

[Melody Shreds]

It's always involved a life or death situation for me, early on it was being attacked by horrific monsters holding me down stopping me from moving but as I've gotten older and more rational minded my hallucinations have turned into more realistic things like home invasions, fires, or some kind of attack or war happening outside.

I'm glad it's been over a year since it's happened to me. Bonus, I often wake up out of it with Exploding Head Syndrome which also fucks with me real good.

 

[FaceHugger]

Yes, when I was a kid I experienced it a few times a month for about a year. It was merely the paralysis that I was able to fight through and eventually wake up and move, took about 30 seconds. I didn't experience the hallucinations.

Later in life it came back complete with hallucinations, but by then (now) I'd already read about it and knew what was going on. Demonic screaming in my ears, shadowy forms trying to hold me down as I forced them away to get up, my bedroom appearing to be set flame, and more. It always startles me a little but I quickly recover. I experience it when I haven't been sleeping well, or been drinking too often.

Edit: BTW OP check out "The Nightmare" on Netflix. A great documentary about it.

 

[Melody Shreds]

My dad had it and didn’t know what it was. He thought the house was haunted.

He also suffers from exploding head syndrome. That one is unexplained.

Click to shrink...

Hey, I suffer both of these things myself. It fucking sucks.

 

[Deleted member 11093]

Probably my sister's friend (her roommate), she claimed that a huge man all in black got into the room through the window and kept starring at her for a while until he went on top of her and kept choking her and telling her if she screams he'll rape her.
The apartment's door was closed and the windows were barred and the cameras in the alley didn't spot anyone coming in our out at night, it was most definitely a sleep paralysis and that poor girl probably never experienced or heard about it before.

 

[Vulcano's Assistant]

there's also chance I might have had it one time when I ate an edible before crashing for the night on a buddy's couch, but I can't tell if it wasn't just the combination of weird conditions

 

[Stasis]

Sometimes I wonder if I'd be better off having the visual to go with the auditory when it's close to me. Hearing something very close and not seeing it is the worst form I experience. Mostly the sounds are from a different room or the floor below and sound normal. Like someone walking in the front door, or opening the fridge etc. There are times that even when breaking out of it I'd go downstairs expecting my gf to be home because I clearly heard her. That's how real it can be for those of you who haven't experienced it. I'm very aware of the "condition" and yet (rarely) there are still times where I truly believe what I heard. When the sounds are very close to me, like someone getting in bed... now that messes with me. That's when I will panic and strain.

My cats used to run away from my sounds, what I use to "break out" and now they're used to it and don't budge. If I can see one it does help in some weird way.

Am I the only one who needs to use a yell to break out? Imagine a physical yell, like if you're straining to do something, to lift something or push. Oddly I never make much sound even when working out hard, but I have to do it in these situations. Though again, I'm trying to yell but really I'm kind of whimpering. What do the rest of you use to break out? I'd love to just say "Nah man, all good. Breathe. Focus." but I never can. It's always unsettling, even if I realize quickly what it is.

 

[Cybersai]

It's probably not the best idea that I'm reading this thread right before I'm going to go to sleep.

 

[apocat]

Had it all the time as a kid and adolescent, but didn't learn what it was until much later. It was horrifying every time, and I didn't know what happened. The picture you posted captures the mood of the experience well, but it's not really representative. It's not really like you (or at least I) see something that is definitely there, more like something inbetween seeing and sensing it. Hard to explain.

I eventually went into a semi-lucid dream/hallucination that I was flying around until I "came back" and spent a few minutes until I managed to move.

Click to shrink...

I've had similar things happen to me. One moment I had a real bad case of sleep paralysis, the next I flew out from my bed and down from my balcony and was greeted by a pretty girl in a white dress. That was really freaky, but not in a scary way.

 

[loquaciousJenny]

It's probably not the best idea that I'm reading this thread right before I'm going to go to sleep.

Click to shrink...

If you like scary games it like the scariest fucking game but them endorphins feel good

 

[Vagabundo]

Sure when I was younger. Well before the Internet existed - or was accessible to anyone anyway.

It didn't freak me out. Made sense to me that you don't flop around and I was pretty sure I'd fully wake up in a minute. I was pretty chilled out when I was younger.

Another weird thing thast ocassionally used to happen is I'd wake up and have no memories becuase I'd have been in a deep deep sleep. It was very peaceful. I knew if I tried everything would come back, but it was pretty blissful just being without any random thoughts..

 

[Deleted member 9971]

My dad, he recently just found out it's a true diagnosis. Heck it was yesterday actually that he told me. He had it for many years. It also explains the ghost stories/real like dreams.

 

[retroman]

Yep. I first experienced it as a teen in the mid-nineties and didn't understand what the hell was going on. Ghosts were floating directly above me, letting out these horrible screams. It felt like my bed was spinning like crazy and after everything calmed down, a malignant force seemed to prevent me from moving. It was one of the most terrifying things I've ever experienced.

Since I didn't (and still don't) believe in ghosts, alien abductions, demons, angels or gods, I did some investigating and found out that I had experienced sleep paralysis.

Since then, I have experienced it countless times, but it has never been as scary as the first time. In fact, I started to enjoy the experience after a while. Since I knew it was completely safe, it felt a bit like going on a rollercoaster ride or visiting a haunted house in a theme park.

 

[The Kree]

It's not really scary as an adult, but maybe that's because I got used to it over time. It's merely annoying when it happens now.

 

[MizneyWorld]

These attacks didn’t hit me till I was in college. I didn’t know what to make of them. Either ghosts are real (and assholes) or the attacks were just dreams that so happened to always take place in the same bed I fell asleep in. Which left me conflicted as my dreams that real or location consistent. So I just kept them to myself. Finally ran into sleep paralysis explanation on the old site. Haven’t had an attack in years. Pretty much since I’ve been sleeping with my wife.

Noteable ones:
1) awakened to find my sheet covering my face, feeling something crawl up my body, then tighten the sheet around my face to smother me.
2) woke to a large heavy thing running back & forth in my room. I assumed it was looking for me so I stayed perfectly still (a positive use of paralysis) to hide until it was gone
3) saw a midnight showing of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Bad sequel and I’m glad early releases have switched to 7pm. I had class early the following morning so I crashed on a friend’s couch in his dorm on campus. Was woken by something grabbing me and just violently shaking me for what felt like forever. I was facing the back of the couch and could only stare and wait.

Edit: Maybe I’ve passed it to my now wife. Early on when we were dating and she slept over, she says she woke to an old lady trying to strangle her with the bed sheet. I then jokingly admitted that not only were we in my grandparents’ old house but that my grandmother had died 2 years prior in the same master bedroom.

 

[Tic Tac]

when I first got them, I would always "wake up" paralyzed underneath my blankets, and no there was never a monster. The only way I was able to get out of this would be to forcefully roll myself off the bed, which means I had some control in these situations.

Sometimes, I would even call out a family member for help as I struggled to wake myself up, as I began to realize that these dreams were not real. Unfortunately, trying to talk in this paralyzed state was not easy, so calling for help to be woken up was never an easy task.

I did have one with a vampire in it that actually happened recently. So basically, I "woke up" only to realize that a black shadow figure was feasting on my neck, and by feasting I mean drinking my blood. I actually felt the sucking sensation while I layed there paralyzed.

 

[Deleted member 20603]

Yes, I got it all the time when I was younger. I used to think I was being abducted by aliens. I made a topic about it a while back: https://www.resetera.com/threads/i-havent-had-sleep-paralysis-in-7-years.22771/

As for how it felt? Absolutely horrifying. It would fuck up my sleep so badly. Once it'd happen, I wouldn't want to go to sleep anymore for days and days.

Click to shrink...

I had an auditory hallucination, which sounds like the weird oscillating sounds of this video, except with hundreds of layers and a much more deep vibrational tone and feel:

Aliens were my immediate explanation as well.

 

[Mad Max]

Yes, I had one before it was cool. I dreamt that I was bitten by a snake and got paralyzed. Then, when I opened my eyes it was kind of like the image in the OP but without facial features, just kind of a dark presence bowing over me.

 

[Fitts]

Happened all the time in my teens and early twenties. Less so after that.

It was ridiculously horrifying, but I kept it to myself because I thought people would think I’m crazy. (there’s a history of mental illness in my family) I had no idea others experience the same thing until I seen a thread on NeoGAF years ago. I didn’t have a label for it or anything, so it’s not like I could’ve Googled “sleep paralysis.” The feeling of a ghostly/demonic presence and hearing a voice was more significant to me than the actual paralysis part.

I had an episode about a month ago. This is the first time in about five years I’d experienced one. It was also the first time that I had been armed with the knowledge of what it was and the first time I was sharing a bed with someone during it. I first attempted to sit up, and it felt like I was slammed back to the bed with extreme force followed immediately by whispering. I then tried to speak (calling out my wife’s name) and could barely make a noise after two attempts. After that, I started trying to swing my arm in her direction. As the grip finally loosened, I grazed her butt with my fingers finally waking her up.

Yeah, it’s still terrifying in my thirties, but at least I know I’m not alone.

 

[mazi]

i very recently started getting them, it has happened like 4 times in 3 months. it's terrifying, but also fascinating. not being able to move at all while i want to is a very weird sensation.

 

[Cipher Peon]

I did and it was one of the most terrifying things of my life. Saw and heard things AND felt physical sensations.

Woke up scared to death , but thrilled, and said "I'd probably want to do that again".

I had sleep paralysis a few more times since, but nowhere near as scary or intense unfortunately.

 

[laoni]

The first time it happened to me I didn't know about sleep paralysis, and I was horrified.

I was home alone, 'woke up' early in the morning and there was someone in my door way. My body felt like it was freezing and burning all at once, and this man in my doorway stepped forward and started to caress my face. And not in the loving way, in the horrifying way of them getting off on your fear and struggling.

I tried screaming but all I could manage was a quiet whine, and only my fingers twitched when I tried to make a fist. I was convinced that this man had broke in, done this to me when I slept, and now he was going to rape me.

I've only had it a few times since, and, they've not been so bad each time. I recognise the burning/freezing feeling, and I realise I'm having an episode, and shut my eyes.

 

[Coxy]

Yes I used to suffer it with every month or so. Only found out that it was actually a 'thing' when someone I was describing it to told me about it.

When I suffer with it I basically wake up but not fully awake - I know I'm about to wake - and it feels like someone is in the room and he is holding me down. Always used to really scare me. Nowadays I know what it is and so I just tell myself to wait and it will be over soon. So not scared anymore!

 

[Deleted member 11093]

It's probably not the best idea that I'm reading this thread right before I'm going to go to sleep.

Click to shrink...

Most of us here will probably get a sleep paralysis episode soon.. I’ve noticed that whenever I bring the subject and remind my friends/family of it they end up getting sleep paralyzed a few days later.

 

[Protome]

Used to get it frequently (like at least once a week) as a teenager, haven’t in years now though. Never got hallucinations with it either. I had no idea what it was but after it happened a few times I realised it would pass and it stopped being scared of it. The first time though I thought that was it, I was paralysed forever and tried to scream but couldn’t even do that.

After a while I started either just going back to sleep so it would pass or doing the Kill Bill thing and focusing on wiggling a toe. Once I could move a single thing I found it would fade instantly.

 

[Corleth the Fey]

Sometimes I wonder if I'd be better off having the visual to go with the auditory when it's close to me. Hearing something very close and not seeing it is the worst form I experience. Mostly the sounds are from a different room or the floor below and sound normal. Like someone walking in the front door, or opening the fridge etc. There are times that even when breaking out of it I'd go downstairs expecting my gf to be home because I clearly heard her. That's how real it can be for those of you who haven't experienced it. I'm very aware of the "condition" and yet (rarely) there are still times where I truly believe what I heard. When the sounds are very close to me, like someone getting in bed... now that messes with me. That's when I will panic and strain.

My cats used to run away from my sounds, what I use to "break out" and now they're used to it and don't budge. If I can see one it does help in some weird way.

Am I the only one who needs to use a yell to break out? Imagine a physical yell, like if you're straining to do something, to lift something or push. Oddly I never make much sound even when working out hard, but I have to do it in these situations. Though again, I'm trying to yell but really I'm kind of whimpering. What do the rest of you use to break out? I'd love to just say "Nah man, all good. Breathe. Focus." but I never can. It's always unsettling, even if I realize quickly what it is.

Click to shrink...

Nope, you're not the only one to use the yell. I used it just last month after my last episode. I probably get SP at least 3 or 4 times a year now.

In last month's event - I had the tell tale weird half awake half asleep feeling coming over me. I couldn't move, but I could see the bedroom door. I'm then filled with a terrible feeling something is outside the door and about to enter. The door is always ajar, and even the shadows around the slightly open door start to move and grow.

It's at this point my brain goes - oh yeah sleep paralysis time again. So I just yelled as the top of my voice - I don't know if I actually yelled or sleep imagined it - COME ON IN THEN YOU FUCKER IF YOU'RE REALLY THERE!

It immediately woke me from the funk and I actually felt quite amused by the whole thing.

So, yeah it's never - nice - but I can deal with it quite easily.

Funny thing is that the first time it happened when I was a teen - nearly thirty years ago now - I wasn't scared either. I thought our big old black and white family cat had come into my room and sat on my head. All I could see was something black and white in my funk and that something was on top of me stopping me moving. When it passed and I actually woke up, was flummoxed that the cat wasn't in the room and the door was firmly closed so it couldn't have left the room. It then dawned on me, okay that was weird.

 

[Deleted member 39214]

When I started to see shadow people , I started to research it more. I still don’t understand how millions of people that suffer from it seem to hallucinate the same humanoid figure

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

Used to get it all the time on my uni days. Frequently absolutely terrifying, the paralysis and I'd be fighting to scream for help, to get up and run. I didn't know anything about it at all back then. Turns out it was triggered by afternoon naps after heavy caffeine and sugar and studying. I'd crush coffee and soda and study until I felt like crap, then lay out for a nap, and boom.
Haven't had it for like a decade now.