Sleep paralysis

[Lo0p]

F%#$ that!

1st time for me. Scariest shit that's ever happened to me. :boohoo::no::yuk:

[bobtoot666]

Sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis

I've had it a few times, but the first time it happened I didn't know what it was.

I thought I saw an old man in the room, and it felt like something really bad was going to happen.

Man, it's scary as hell!

[Chillgirl]

Sleep paralysis

I have suffered from this all my life,
It used to be quite a regular occurence but thankfully has become less and I havent once had it since I quit drinking, Im pretty sure its related to stress and anxiety.

Mine always takes the form of me hearing an intruder in the house moving about and I try so hard to move or call out. It feels like I am completely awake and sometimes the lights are on in the bedroom and I can see everything really clearly but I am absolutely paralysed. I try with all my might to move an arm or a leg and the effort kills me! One time I tried so hard to shout out but my voice was completely paralysed too. With a huge effort I managed a very raspy "help me" which my boyfriend at the time heard but he ignored it thinking I was talking in my sleep. Im convinced if he had turned and spoken to me he could have brought me out of it but instead I had to continue lying there in terror.

I really sympathize its a very disturbing experience.

[beatle]

Sleep paralysis

Sleep Paralysis and Halucinations

It sounds like hallucinations are being talked about here, accompanied by an inability to move...?

I have suffered from this as far back as I can remember -- I have vivd memories of these episodes from 25 years before alcohol passed my lips. These hallucination/sleep paralysis episodes pretty much disappeared after I started drinking (except during alcohol detox, which was always accompanied with terrifying hallucinations and sleep paralysis).

Does anyone know more about how these two (sleep paralysis and hallucinations) are related, or are they the same thing? Are there definitions for each term?

[beatle]

Sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis and hallucinations

It sounds like hallucinations are being talked about here, accompanied by an inability to move...?

I have suffered from this as far back as I can remember -- I have vivd memories of these episodes from 25 years before alcohol passed my lips. These hallucination/sleep paralysis episodes pretty much disappeared after I started drinking (except during alcohol detox, which was always accompanied by terrifying hallucinations and sleep paralysis).

Does anyone know more about how these two (sleep paralysis and hallucinations) are related, or are they the same thing? Are there definitions for each term?

[PhoenixRising]

Sleep paralysis

It's happened to me before, but only when I was dreaming, and before I went on Bac.
I acidentally took 50mg too much of Bac one night and had some scary SE's but not THAT one! Yikers! Poor LoOp! :l

[rebirth]

Sleep paralysis

My heart JUMPED when I read that thread!!!! I was looking up the meaning of sleep paralysis yesterday, because it happened yesterday while having a nap for a couple of hours.
My symptons are exactly like chill's. I am wide awake but I cant move my body. I try with all my might to move a part of my body because I cant stand it. I always see everyone in the room and I try to get their attention. I am screaming at them "WAKE ME UP FOR F>>>K's SAKE". But all they hear is me mumbling. Oh god it's horrible. Anyway, all I do is struggle to move until I eventuelly do.
I have always wondered what would happen if I succumbed to it and not struggled? Don't even want to think about it!!

It's bloody awful. Have had it all my life but only when I take short naps.

[mario]

Sleep paralysis

I have often long ago suffered with it myself its terrible,....

Sleep paralysis is paralysis associated with sleep that may occur in normal subjects or be associated with narcolepsy, cataplexy, and hypnagogic hallucinations. The pathophysiology of this condition is closely related to the normal hypotonia that occur during REM sleep. When considered to be a disease, isolated sleep paralysis is classified as MeSH D020188.[2Some evidence suggests that it can also, in some cases, be a symptom of migraine.

Symptoms and characteristics
Physiologically, sleep paralysis is closely related to REM atonia, the paralysis that occurs as a natural part of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Sleep paralysis occurs when the brain awakes from a REM state, but the body paralysis persists. This leaves the person fully conscious but unable to move. The paralysis can last from several seconds to several minutes by which the individual may experience panic symptoms and the realization that the distorted perceptions were false. As the correlation with REM sleep suggests, the paralysis is not entirely complete; use of EOG traces shows that eye movement can be instigated during such episodes. When there is an absence of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis is referred to as isolated sleep paralysis (ISP).

In addition, the paralysis may be accompanied by terrifying hallucinations (hypnopompic or hypnagogic) and an acute sense of danger. Sleep paralysis is particularly frightening to the individual because of the vividness of such hallucinations. The hallucinatory element to sleep paralysis makes it even more likely that someone will interpret the experience as a dream, since completely fanciful or dream-like objects may appear in the room alongside one's normal vision. Some scientists have proposed this condition as an explanation for alien abductions and ghostly encounters. A study by Susan Blackmore and Marcus Cox (the Blackmore-Cox study) of the University of the West of England supports the suggestion that reports of alien abductions are related to sleep paralysis rather than to temporal lobe lability.

Possible causes
Several studies have concluded that many or most people experience sleep paralysis at least once or twice in their lives.[citation needed] A study conducted by Sedaghat F. et al. has investigated the prevalence of sleep paralysis among Iranian medical students. 24.1% of students reported experiencing sleep paralysis at least once in their lifetime. The same result was reported among Japanese, Nigerian, Kuwaiti, Sudanese and American students.

Many people who commonly enter sleep paralysis also suffer from narcolepsy. In African Americans, panic disorder occurs with sleep paralysis more frequently than in Caucasians. Some reports read that various factors increase the likelihood of both paralysis and hallucinations. These include


Sleeping in a face upwards or supine position
Irregular sleeping schedules; naps, sleeping in, sleep deprivation
Increased stress
Sudden environmental/lifestyle changes
A lucid dream that immediately precedes the episode.
Excessive consumption of alcohol coupled with lack of adequate sleep.

Treatment
Treatment starts with patient education about sleep stages and about the muscle atonia that is typically associated with REM sleep. For most healthy individuals, avoiding chronic sleep deprivation is enough to relieve symptoms. It is recommended that patients be evaluated for narcolepsy if symptoms persist.


copied from wikipedia

[hippie37]

Sleep paralysis

In the shamanic culture, particularly in the North Tundra region, this is usually a sign of a disturbance at a soul level, even that your soul is possibly being possessed. The fact of the paralysis I would imagine is that your soul is strong and fighting off the possession.

What's troubling you in your life today? Are you under any stresses emotionally or feeling fearful before the event?

Many Blessings
Phil

[rebirth]

Sleep paralysis

Hippie. hmm. Interesting concept.but I am actuelly the happiest I have been for many years...don't know about Loop though.

[Hippopotamus]

Sleep paralysis

Loop

Do you think its to do with the Bac?

Maybe you were feeling very anxious because of your Bac shipment getting delayed and that caused it?



hippo

[hoping4better]

Sleep paralysis

Another person posted this situation a month or two ago -- can't remember who it was -- maybe Henrietta. I think it probably is related to bac.

[Hippopotamus]

Sleep paralysis

I just wondered, cos I've been slooooowly titrating up on the bac myself. I'm only on 50mg per day and that's taken a month to get to. One false start already, where I thought I was having an allergic reaction to the bac - ithing head and hives - turned out to be a bad case of nits!!! Dropped the bac immediately, but then got rid of the nits and started again.
I realised I was having a tendency to put every slightly strange thing down to the bac - but I suppose you've got to when you're self-medicating. I've had some sort-of vivid dreams but nothing out of the ordinary. And the other night I kind of screamed out and woke myself and boyfriend up, but I do that every so often anyway so I can't put that down to the bac - in fact I think its just down to booze. Bac at 50mg has not made any impact on the drinking, not that I'm expecting it at that dose. i'm not on any other drugs/medication and never have been but I do have weird sleep issues if I'm stressed - have been known to sleep walk when I get very stressed. I always do the screaming in sleep when I'm stressed and have been drinking,. Which is why I wondered. I've never had sleep paralysis though - not looking forward to it but at least I'll know what it is when and if I get it!

[Cinders]

Sleep paralysis

It has happened to my twice, and only when I have titrated up too high on Bac too fast.

Scariest thing I ever dealt with.

I told my hubby if he ever finds me sleeping and can't wake me up to shake me until I wake up.

He said, "I'll just think you are drunk."

I can't blame him.

Sleep paralysis is the one SE of Bac that keeps me going up verrryy slowly. I am doing it though.

Not going to give up.

Nope.

Love,
Cindi

ps Lo0p, did you do something different with the Bac? I am trying Beatle's method of taking smaller amounts more frequently. That does seem to help me a lot.

[Lo0p]

Sleep paralysis

I didn't do anything different with the baclofen, just 200mgs at midday like I always do. I was extra tired and laid down watching TV at 9:00 PM and it happened.

I was fully conscious but my body was asleep. The TV was blaring and my eyes were open but I COULD NOT MOVE! I could breathe but I couldn't move my mouth. I was trying to roll myself off the couch and every time I tried to move my arms it felt like I was but I wasn't.

Scary as hell, lasted like 10 minutes.

I think it was the baclofen just because I've heard other people mention it, but I can't be sure.