Frightening sleep paralysis and scared to go to sleep...
Posted , 10 users are following.
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 
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
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="" ="" 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="" ="">
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
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
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0 likes, 42 replies
eryn74453 Phuture1984
Posted
Hi! Did you ever find out a way to help with this? I've been having those same problems the last couple months and it's terrifying.
donna7777777 eryn74453
Posted
Sleep perlaysis. It's when your mind is awake but your body is sleeping. When we sleep our body puts ourselves in a perlaysis state, so we cannot harm ourselves when we sleep. When our mind Wakes up and our body is still sleeping. That is sleep perlaysis. This is also a way to learn how to soul travel (pull your soul out of your body) that's that vibration feelings you get during. Also, when you panic during SP it fears the mind and feeds the hallucinations and creates images or a sence of fear. The mind can play tricks on you. Either enjoy it and dont be scared , or don't panic , try and move your fingers or toes. That will wake u up quicker .hope this helps
donna7777777 Phuture1984
Posted
susan76136 Phuture1984
Posted
Hello there and sorry so late to reply to this. But when I read it I was amazed at how closely ur experience resembles mine....I two have suffered with all of this and more while sleeping. I have done deep research in the subject, scientifically and spiritually. And I felt that I needed to share a few things that helped me understand why this happens, that I found...now please keep n mind that this is just my personal opinion and please, if ur able, keep an open mind... if u ever get the time Google Astral Travel and Astral Projection....it may sound silly and alot of people discount it but I found answers to most of my questions I had when trying to understand all this....also Google the PDF called "THE VAMPIRE GATE, THE VAMPYRE MAGICKIAN" written by Michael W. Ford. It talked abt the Astral Plane and Travel and Projection but b aware that it is meant for darker purposes in this book. Over look all the Satanic stuff and try to focus on the subject at hand. Hope this helps u as much as it helped me. And some advise to help u not b fearful of sleep. ..when it does happen and u come out of it, get up, move around, and get u something to eat....IDK why but it works everytime for me...good luck to ya, sending love and light to u. Take care
Dannie310 Phuture1984
Posted
I notice that I prefer to watch tv than sleep even if I’m dying of sleep! Oh when my body just had enough and I’m fighting to stay awake I just feel this buzzing pulling sensation as if I was losing control of my body!
I’m awake at the moment because I had fallen asleep, I was resting normally when suddenly I felt very heavy so In my Conscious I quickly tried to grab the remote control only to find my body unresponsive, I started to panic because I was in complete darkness I manage to press the on button in my control only to find it not working. I was able to get up and I tried screaming for help and nothing came out! The pain that these feelings cause is so unexplainable! I finally was able to I guess you can say wake up
And here I am trying to stay awake in “reality” just because I’m too scared to lose control of my mind and body again.
cassie94065 Phuture1984
Posted
Hi my name is Cassieopia, and your experience with sleep paralysis and feeling suffocated, while somehow seeing your own body laying there, I'd too close for comfort to what I experience. I too am in my 30's, I have some pretty severe ptsd, and I'm terrified to fall asleep, especially at night, the only way I've been able to sleep in the last week, is to sleep when it's day time, and know someone is around me to literally pull me to a sitting up position if I'm in de-stress, thus pulling out of the paralysis. It is as if I'm screaming at the top of my lungs, but I can't move my mouth, and have to voice. It's very scary, but you are not alone.
lily65668 cassie94065
Posted
Cassie, there's absolutely no need to be afraid of this. It's sleep paralysis (SP). It's estimated that around 5% of the general population suffer from SP, and about half of those have vivid hallucinations, like yours. I've had it, together with pretty bad hallucinations, for more than 50 years now, and nothing bad has ever happened to me!
I too was terrified when it first started, when I was in the run-up to my nursing finals (no internet then) and only calmed down when I went on to a neuro nursing course after I'd somehow managed to pass my exams. That was when I found a single paragraph about it in a neurological textbook. In the intervening 50-odd years I've made a study of the subject, partly from contacting others but mainly from observation of my own attacks.
It's normal that you can't move or scream in this state. I've explained all this in another post at the head of this thread, but here goes again, briefly. When we're in the REM (rapid eye movement) phase of sleep, which is when we dream, the brain secretes a hormone that paralyses all our voluntary muscles. This doesn't however, affect the autonomic nervous system, which controls the muscles we use for automatic breathing and other essential body functions.
The feeling of suffocation during SP is due to the fact that in waking life, we tend to use both systems for breathing. The diaphragm and abdominal muscles provide a basic level of respiration throughout the day and night, but when we're awake we take frequent deep "rinsing breaths", which use the chest muscles. These are paralysed during SP attacks. It's normal that when we're scared we consciously try to take extra-deep breaths. This is the bit that doesn't function during SP attacks - just when we're most scared. This gives the impression of not being able to breathe at all, though in fact basic respiration - giving you enough air to survive - is still going on via the abdominal muscles, which aren't paralysed.
You say you're suffering from PTSD, but I can't make out from your post whether the SP is the cause or the effect of the PTSD. If it's the PTSD that has caused the SP, it's important to treat the PTSD. Anxiety and stress are common triggers for sleep paralysis.
SP can't be "cured" - though it isn't a disease in the first place, just a harmless brain glitch. It can however be managed quite successfully. It's important to identify what triggers the attacks, then you can reduce the number and severity. Obviously, fear of having another attack is a very common trigger, especially when it first starts, as is stress in general. There are lots of physical or environmental triggers too. In my own case, getting too warm in bed is the main trigger. I'm also more likely to have an attack if I'm sleeping too much, e.g. when having a lie-in or an afternoon nap. However, with some people it's lack of sleep that triggers attacks. Certain foods eaten too late at night can also trigger attacks, as can alcohol or recreational drugs. Sleeping too close to electronic equipment can trigger some people too, so it's not a good idea to sleep with your phone switched on and next to your bed.
There are as many triggers as there are people. The ones listed above are just a few examples. You need to try and identify your individual triggers, perhaps by keeping a diary.
Try to calm down a bit, and work out what brings on the SP attacks. You're not mentally ill or being attacked by supernatural forces, and you can't come to any physical harm during these episodes. If you have any questions don't hesitate to post again on here, or send me a private message via this site.