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Frightening sleep paralysis and scared to go to sleep...

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Phuture1984
Phuture1984

Hi I'm a 31 year old male and the last few nights I have found truly terrifying. I have suffered with insomnia since my teenage years and suffered with panic attacks and anxiety since my mid 20's. I had a few bouts of sleep paralysis a few years ago but when i spoke to my doctor about it they almost looked as if i was speaking crazy talk to them, so i shrugged it off and just carried on as normal. But in hindsight these episodes of SP were completely insignificant compared to what i have experienced in the last few weeks.The first recent one was pretty scary< i was dreaming away as normal, nothing frightening just normal nonsensical dreaming when suddenly it felt like a car was dropped on my chest, feeling like im suffocating while a high voltage current was being passed through my head. it didn't just feel like a sensation it was really painful. i was trying to move but couldnt i was completely paralysed and fully aware of not being able to move. during experiencing all this (i know this sounds wierd), i'm looking down at my own body watching myself struggling trying to scream for help. i felt fully aware and awake during this. i dont know how long this went on for but i eventually managed to break out of it. i felt very disturbed by this but went and got a glass of water and tried to go back to sleep. just as i was falling back to sleep i felt the paralysis grip me again, accompanied by the electrocution feeling in my head and also some very disturbing buzzing/ grinding sounds.

it happened to me a few more times over the following weeks with similar symptoms, the feeling of electrocution, paralysis, sometimes a feeling of disconnection from my body, disturbing sounds, feelings of suffocation. etc. i'm a pretty strong minded person so i was just trying to battle through it, well that was until 2 nights ago. i had a kind of mild sp event and was ripped out of my sleep at about 2am. i was unable to get back to sleep so just watched tv all night. then at around 8am i must have drifted off. i woke up in an extreme sp state laying on my side. i had all the usual things, electrocution, panic, unable to breathe, but this time it felt like my heart was bouncing out of my chest in a completely messed up rhythm almost like it was going to stop, it didnt feel like a panic attack, ive had a few and havent experienced this before, it wasnt just like rapid panic beats or palpitations. i felt like i was dying and the life was leaving my body. just before i broke out of it it felt like what i can only describe as a large tentacle was squirming its way up my body. i am too terrified to sleep. i havent slept in over 48 hours. everytime i start drifting off it feels like im having a massive surge of adrenaline stopping me from sleeping as if my body is convinced im gonna die if i sleep. phoned my doctor explaining this and just had a 'sorry it's not my speciality all this'. im at wits end and the insane feeling is starting to creep in from sleep deprivation sad

sorry about the massive wall of text, im just hoping someone will have advice for me about this as im really shaken up and anxious as hell right now sad

  i="" was="" dreaming="" away="" as="" normal,="" nothing="" frightening="" just="" normal="" nonsensical="" dreaming="" when="" suddenly="" it="" felt="" like="" a="" car="" was="" dropped="" on="" my="" chest,="" feeling="" like="" im="" suffocating="" while="" a="" high="" voltage="" current="" was="" being="" passed="" through="" my="" head.="" it="" didn't="" just="" feel="" like="" a="" sensation="" it="" was="" really="" painful.="" i="" was="" trying="" to="" move="" but="" couldnt="" i="" was="" completely="" paralysed="" and="" fully="" aware="" of="" not="" being="" able="" to="" move.="" during="" experiencing="" all="" this="" (i="" know="" this="" sounds="" wierd),="" i'm="" looking="" down="" at="" my="" own="" body="" watching="" myself="" struggling="" trying="" to="" scream="" for="" help.="" i="" felt="" fully="" aware="" and="" awake="" during="" this.="" i="" dont="" know="" how="" long="" this="" went="" on="" for="" but="" i="" eventually="" managed="" to="" break="" out="" of="" it.="" i="" felt="" very="" disturbed="" by="" this="" but="" went="" and="" got="" a="" glass="" of="" water="" and="" tried="" to="" go="" back="" to="" sleep.="" just="" as="" i="" was="" falling="" back="" to="" sleep="" i="" felt="" the="" paralysis="" grip="" me="" again,="" accompanied="" by="" the="" electrocution="" feeling="" in="" my="" head="" and="" also="" some="" very="" disturbing="" buzzing/="" grinding="" sounds.="" it="" happened="" to="" me="" a="" few="" more="" times="" over="" the="" following="" weeks="" with="" similar="" symptoms,="" the="" feeling="" of="" electrocution,="" paralysis,="" sometimes="" a="" feeling="" of="" disconnection="" from="" my="" body,="" disturbing="" sounds,="" feelings="" of="" suffocation.="" etc.="" i'm="" a="" pretty="" strong="" minded="" person="" so="" i="" was="" just="" trying="" to="" battle="" through="" it,="" well="" that="" was="" until="" 2="" nights="" ago.="" i="" had="" a="" kind="" of="" mild="" sp="" event="" and="" was="" ripped="" out="" of="" my="" sleep="" at="" about="" 2am.="" i="" was="" unable="" to="" get="" back="" to="" sleep="" so="" just="" watched="" tv="" all="" night.="" then="" at="" around="" 8am="" i="" must="" have="" drifted="" off.="" i="" woke="" up="" in="" an="" extreme="" sp="" state="" laying="" on="" my="" side.="" i="" had="" all="" the="" usual="" things,="" electrocution,="" panic,="" unable="" to="" breathe,="" but="" this="" time="" it="" felt="" like="" my="" heart="" was="" bouncing="" out="" of="" my="" chest="" in="" a="" completely="" messed="" up="" rhythm="" almost="" like="" it="" was="" going="" to="" stop,="" it="" didnt="" feel="" like="" a="" panic="" attack,="" ive="" had="" a="" few="" and="" havent="" experienced="" this="" before,="" it="" wasnt="" just="" like="" rapid="" panic="" beats="" or="" palpitations.="" i="" felt="" like="" i="" was="" dying="" and="" the="" life="" was="" leaving="" my="" body.="" just="" before="" i="" broke="" out="" of="" it="" it="" felt="" like="" what="" i="" can="" only="" describe="" as="" a="" large="" tentacle="" was="" squirming="" its="" way="" up="" my="" body.="" i="" am="" too="" terrified="" to="" sleep.="" i="" havent="" slept="" in="" over="" 48="" hours.="" everytime="" i="" start="" drifting="" off="" it="" feels="" like="" im="" having="" a="" massive="" surge="" of="" adrenaline="" stopping="" me="" from="" sleeping="" as="" if="" my="" body="" is="" convinced="" im="" gonna="" die="" if="" i="" sleep.="" phoned="" my="" doctor="" explaining="" this="" and="" just="" had="" a="" 'sorry="" it's="" not="" my="" speciality="" all="" this'.="" im="" at="" wits="" end="" and="" the="" insane="" feeling="" is="" starting="" to="" creep="" in="" from="" sleep="" deprivation="" sad="" sorry="" about="" the="" massive="" wall="" of="" text,="" im="" just="" hoping="" someone="" will="" have="" advice="" for="" me="" about="" this="" as="" im="" really="" shaken="" up="" and="" anxious="" as="" hell="" right="" now="" sad="">

it happened to me a few more times over the following weeks with similar symptoms, the feeling of electrocution, paralysis, sometimes a feeling of disconnection from my body, disturbing sounds, feelings of suffocation. etc. i'm a pretty strong minded person so i was just trying to battle through it, well that was until 2 nights ago. i had a kind of mild sp event and was ripped out of my sleep at about 2am. i was unable to get back to sleep so just watched tv all night. then at around 8am i must have drifted off. i woke up in an extreme sp state laying on my side. i had all the usual things, electrocution, panic, unable to breathe, but this time it felt like my heart was bouncing out of my chest in a completely messed up rhythm almost like it was going to stop, it didnt feel like a panic attack, ive had a few and havent experienced this before, it wasnt just like rapid panic beats or palpitations. i felt like i was dying and the life was leaving my body. just before i broke out of it it felt like what i can only describe as a large tentacle was squirming its way up my body. i am too terrified to sleep. i havent slept in over 48 hours. everytime i start drifting off it feels like im having a massive surge of adrenaline stopping me from sleeping as if my body is convinced im gonna die if i sleep. phoned my doctor explaining this and just had a 'sorry it's not my speciality all this'. im at wits end and the insane feeling is starting to creep in from sleep deprivation sad

sorry about the massive wall of text, im just hoping someone will have advice for me about this as im really shaken up and anxious as hell right now sad

 >

0 likes, 42 replies

42 Replies

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  • RobertT
    RobertT Phuture1984

    Posted

    You may want to look up hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations.

    My experience, however, of sleep paralysis is just one of distress when I can't move and yet want to move out of a not too comfortable position in a chair or on a sofa. As much as it's utterly distressing, I can't really call it painful.

    • RobertT
      RobertT

      Posted

      If you haven't already found it, try searching for "Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis: Neurological and Cultural Construction of the Night-Mare".

      Quoting from the abstract: "Another  factor, Incubus, comprising pressure on the chest, breathing difficulties, and pain, is attributed to effects of hyperpolarization of motoneurons on perceptions of respiration."

    • Phuture1984
      Phuture1984 RobertT

      Posted

      thank you Robert I will look it up. I have been trying to look up stuff about SP on the internet but couldnt really find much relating to my experiences< apart="" from="" the="" disturbing="" sounds="" possibly="" being="" exploding="" head="">< the information on that was pretty vague to be fair. the="" information="" on="" that="" was="" pretty="" vague="" to="" be="">
  • lorraine52317
    lorraine52317 Phuture1984

    Posted

    Hi phuture

    I am so sorry you are going tthrough this. Up until six months ago I had suffered from night terrors frequently where I knew my surroundings ie in bed facing a certain direction. But could not wake myself up as my body seemed to be in paralysis mode. I would have a sensation like an evil entity was surrounding me and would actually feel real pain when it hurt me. I would think I was awake only to find out I had been pulled back into this sp state. Like you I dreaded sleep and when I did fall asleep within an hour or so the night horrors would start all over. Never watched so much night TV in my life! I don't know why we get this condition but strangely enough i was diagnosed with depression six months ago and was given citalopram antidepressants. Never had one night terror since taking that med!

    Your doctor needs to take your condition seriously. It's the worst thing to be scared of sleeping.

    Please keep me updated

    god bless

    Lorraine x

  • Phuture1984
    Phuture1984

    Posted

    Thank you Robert and Lorraine for your replies. i feel like im bordering on th edge of insanity at the moment, i am not someone that is easily scared. but what i experienced two nights ago was the most terrifying experience of my life. If it was only paralysis/ hallucinations, then i dont think i would be too bothered its all the other stuff that accompanies it, the electrocuting pain in my head and the feeling that my heart was going to stop . i truly thought i was going to die. I tried explaining all this to my GP and it was just like i was brushed aside and dismissed sad
    • RobertT
      RobertT Phuture1984

      Posted

      If you don't believe pain can be hallucinatory, try: "When Waking Up Becomes the Nightmare: Hypnopompic Hallucinatory Pain".
    • lorraine52317
      lorraine52317 Phuture1984

      Posted

      Hi phuture

      please challenge your doctor. They are paid to help you. Start demanding or tell them you want an urgent referral sent to a professional who can help you. Don't take no for an answer!

      God bless

      Lorraine x

    • Phuture1984
      Phuture1984 lorraine52317

      Posted

      I will Lorraine, unfortunately i will have to wait till monday or later if i can't get an emergency appointment. Not looking forward to this very long and nerve-racking weekend rolleyes however i will be badgering my GP surgery from monday onwards
    • lorraine52317
      lorraine52317 Phuture1984

      Posted

      Hi

      Robert has made a good point. It's worth calling 111 you will definitely get help from there! Call them now and tell them you are petrified about tonight and the fact your too scared to sleep . Don't feel embarrassed your condition will be taken seriously.

      Thinking of you

      god bless x

    • RobertT
      RobertT Phuture1984

      Posted

      Yes. Maybe there are emergency psychiatrists – they will know perhaps.
  • Phuture1984
    Phuture1984

    Posted

    I thought that after the treatment i recieved from my doctor i would be laughed at if i rang the NHS line sad Thinking back i told another doctor about my SP when it was happening a few years and the electrocution feelings i was having in my head (but not as severe as recently) and the terror it was making me feel and i was pretty much just smirked at and told it must have just been 'bad dreams'. it made me humilated to bring it up to anyone and its only since the last episode ive been compelled to speak about it.
    • RobertT
      RobertT Phuture1984

      Posted

      Perhaps sometimes these things just pass and doctors don't want to make too much of them before it's obvious help or intervention is totally necessary.
    • Phuture1984
      Phuture1984 RobertT

      Posted

      i told my doctor i was in a great amount of fear and anxiety about this, i thought that would be enough for a doctor to at least take an interest. When its affecting someone to the point of making their life a misery i thought that would warrant at least a chat about it. But...nothing.. sad
    • RobertT
      RobertT Phuture1984

      Posted

      I expect in some circumstances someone taking someone else's problems like this too seriously only gives psychological reinforcement to the problem. A GP probably only has so much training in the psychiatric field.
    • Phuture1984
      Phuture1984 RobertT

      Posted

      I will just request that I see a specialist, psychologist etc. Obviously im not going to get much help from a GP on this matter. Just looked at the article on hypnopompic pain hallucination, saw nothing on the electrocution feeling but it did say that an episode can result in very quickly occurring palpitations. this has reassured me alightly as although the feelings in my heart were frightening it probably wasnt an arythmia or something sinister along those lines ;/ which has added greatly to my anxiety
    • RobertT
      RobertT Phuture1984

      Posted

      It's up to them to refer you, of course. Generally they will just want to help, I would think. Maybe if they feel strongly it's nothing that's harming you physically they won't tend to act – but since you're losing sleep with the fear of it ...

      I know what it's like to not want to go to sleep for fear of very painful night cramps, so I can sympathize a little.

    • Phuture1984
      Phuture1984 RobertT

      Posted

      I will try and push to see a psychiatrist once i speak to my doctor next, theres no harm in trying i suppose
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