Last night I experienced the most frightening thing in my whole life.

HowAreWe

Okay before you read this, understand that I am just a normal 19 year old lad. I'm not religious one bit and I don't really believe in the paranormal. I have no history of mental illnesses. Nothing out of the ordinary has ever happened to me.

If you believe I'm crazy, then you can. Just have to tell someone about this. I also agree there is possibly a scientific explanation to all of this.

I went to sleep last night like any other night, just reading for a short while before going to sleep. In the early hours of the morning I woke up, struggling to breathe. I was completely paralyzed I remember being absolutely terrified. I couldn't even move a finger.It also felt like I had pins and needles all over my body.

I couldn't turn my head but I was faced towards my bedroom door, and standing there was a tall, black shadow. I couldn't tell if it was male or female. It started moving towards me slowly, while this was happening the pressure in my ears ( I think?) was making a noise which was getting louder and louder.

As the shadow was moving towards me,I was panicking,sweating like mad. I was calling out for help but I couldn't, I had no voice. the shadow started pressing down on me breathing heavily on me, and it then put its arms around my neck and started to choke me. I was gasping for air. My eyes were closing, I obviously must have fallen asleep then. It felt like hours but it was probably only minutes.

It was definitely not a dream, I remember waking up and being terrified, I never remember my dreams but I remember all of this.

I woke up the next day having completely forgotten until I realized I had a sore neck, I didn't think much of it. When I went to the bathroom I noticed in the mirror red marks around my neck. I took a picture because I know nobody will believe me.


I've read about sleep paralysis and hallucinations today, so that sort of reassured me that there really isn't a demon trying to kill me.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? or worse awoken to relevant injuries?

deecom

Emmm, i'd lay off the cheese before bed if i were you.

kennryyr

HowAreWe wrote: »

sleep paralysis and hallucinations

No way.

Boogeyman

Play To Kill

I've had similar experiences when I was in my 20's. The paralysis, the shadow at the door etc etc but the most frightening thing I had was that throughout the dreaming stage I would realize i was asleep and wake myself up, unfortunately this was actually a part of the dream so I would see a demon coming towards me and think it was actually real, but then I'd realize that I hadn't actually woken up and force myself awake but the same thing would happen again' I wouldn't be awake and still see the demon, when I did wake for real I never knew if I was really awake and would be terrified that I'd see the demon again.
I also would be someone who says that I don't ever remember my dreams so and these episodes were extremely vivid and I can still now many years later remember every little detail.

IamtheWalrus

Yet another 'paranormal' event happening at night/sleeping state.

They never happen at my desk at work. Chance would be a fine thing.

PlainP

Slenderman...

On my phone so can't link but a quick Google will show you what I'm on about......

TheMilkyPirate

Sounds like "the aul hag" The shadow you see is just your brain playing tricks on you seen as your still half asleep. The paralysis and difficulty breathing and talking is very real. There's a reason it happens I'm not arsed searching now but do a quick google about it and you'll get all the info you need.

Here's a little article:

http://paranormal.about.com/od/humanenigmas/a/Old-Hag-Syndrome.htm

Play To Kill

baraca wrote: »

The paralysis and difficulty breathing and talking is very real.

This is very true, years after I first had these dreams I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and I go for long periods without breathing when I am asleep, I think it was this that initiated the dream of being unable to breathe because I was being strangled by a demon.

zenno

You haven't had a real nightmare until you have had one of those encounters in your sleep that's for sure.

I used to have them a lot years ago but not any more, but the thing that gets me is the feeling of absolute fear and dread while paralysed and having the feeling that something pure evil is coming at you, it's quite an experience.

If i ever have one again i'll let it play through just to see what happens but i can see older people that experience this having a heart attack because it is seriously frightening to experience, and i would say that some folks died in their sleep because of having one of these.

demakinz

Happened to me a few times before but its just a weird dream. If only i could dream the shadow in the room into a sexy lady.

Doom

Shadow people, google it.

Dietsquirt

It sounds like Sleep Paralysis, i've experienced it before, feels like a you're having a seizure and totally aware of it. It generally happens to me when i fall asleep on my back (supine). Sleep on your side and it shouldn't happen again. It is a horrible feeling but i've experienced 4/5 of them and i'm used to it now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

zenno

Dietsquirt wrote: »

It sounds like Sleep Paralysis, i've experienced it before, feels like a you're having a seizure and totally aware of it. It generally happens to me when i fall asleep on my back (supine). Sleep on your side and it shouldn't happen again. It is a horrible feeling but i've experienced 4/5 of them and i'm used to it now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

They used to happen me when i slept on my left side.

With me it wasn't anything like a seizure, it was just like i woke up in the real waking world normally but not being able to move and waiting in horror as the evil feeling got more intense the longer it went on.

For some reason i remember i could get out of it from physically trying very hard to tense my body and eventually i would come out of it, then i'd sit up in bed thinking something real happened sweating like crazy. It does feel real on a major scale.

I am pie

Nope, definitely shadow people. You´re done for.

Galway K9

It's sleep paralysis. usually before going to deep sleep or before waking

you see the room, can't move , shadow at door....believe it or not the room looks real and vivid but your eyes are actually closed. the only way of subsidi.ng this is to give in to the fear....you won't win fighting it.

possible causes of sleep paralysis are stress etc.

paranormal speaking....it's believed that in sleep paralysis it's caused by your ether (spirit) coconnected by cord has no entered the body fully so you can't move.


also I get them twice a week about no specific days. very used to it now I just give up and it goes within seconds

HowAreWe wrote: »

Okay before you read this, understand that I am just a normal 19 year old lad. I'm not religious one bit and I don't really believe in the paranormal. I have no history of mental illnesses. Nothing out of the ordinary has ever happened to me.

If you believe I'm crazy, then you can. Just have to tell someone about this. I also agree there is possibly a scientific explanation to all of this.

I went to sleep last night like any other night, just reading for a short while before going to sleep. In the early hours of the morning I woke up, struggling to breathe. I was completely paralyzed I remember being absolutely terrified. I couldn't even move a finger.It also felt like I had pins and needles all over my body.

I couldn't turn my head but I was faced towards my bedroom door, and standing there was a tall, black shadow. I couldn't tell if it was male or female. It started moving towards me slowly, while this was happening the pressure in my ears ( I think?) was making a noise which was getting louder and louder.

As the shadow was moving towards me,I was panicking,sweating like mad. I was calling out for help but I couldn't, I had no voice. the shadow started pressing down on me breathing heavily on me, and it then put its arms around my neck and started to choke me. I was gasping for air. My eyes were closing, I obviously must have fallen asleep then. It felt like hours but it was probably only minutes.

It was definitely not a dream, I remember waking up and being terrified, I never remember my dreams but I remember all of this.

I woke up the next day having completely forgotten until I realized I had a sore neck, I didn't think much of it. When I went to the bathroom I noticed in the mirror red marks around my neck. I took a picture because I know nobody will believe me.


I've read about sleep paralysis and hallucinations today, so that sort of reassured me that there really isn't a demon trying to kill me.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? or worse awoken to relevant injuries?

Savage93

HowAreWe wrote: »

Okay before you read this, understand that I am just a normal 19 year old lad. I'm not religious one bit and I don't really believe in the paranormal. I have no history of mental illnesses. Nothing out of the ordinary has ever happened to me.

If you believe I'm crazy, then you can. Just have to tell someone about this. I also agree there is possibly a scientific explanation to all of this.

I went to sleep last night like any other night, just reading for a short while before going to sleep. In the early hours of the morning I woke up, struggling to breathe. I was completely paralyzed I remember being absolutely terrified. I couldn't even move a finger.It also felt like I had pins and needles all over my body.

I couldn't turn my head but I was faced towards my bedroom door, and standing there was a tall, black shadow. I couldn't tell if it was male or female. It started moving towards me slowly, while this was happening the pressure in my ears ( I think?) was making a noise which was getting louder and louder.

As the shadow was moving towards me,I was panicking,sweating like mad. I was calling out for help but I couldn't, I had no voice. the shadow started pressing down on me breathing heavily on me, and it then put its arms around my neck and started to choke me. I was gasping for air. My eyes were closing, I obviously must have fallen asleep then. It felt like hours but it was probably only minutes.

It was definitely not a dream, I remember waking up and being terrified, I never remember my dreams but I remember all of this.

I woke up the next day having completely forgotten until I realized I had a sore neck, I didn't think much of it. When I went to the bathroom I noticed in the mirror red marks around my neck. I took a picture because I know nobody will believe me.


I've read about sleep paralysis and hallucinations today, so that sort of reassured me that there really isn't a demon trying to kill me.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? or worse awoken to relevant injuries?

How your man stayed up on the surfboard after 14 pints of stout:D:D:D:D:D

Kettleson

I'd say put it down to a bad, but natural enough experience and forget about it.

You might want to have a look at this.

There's a part in it (24:05) where a "Priest" reckons there is a spirit involved in one case, but in my opinion its all sleep paralysis and he's talking sh1te for whatever reason.

I wouldn't ordinarily be recommending this video as a worthwhile use of anyone's 49 minutes and 05 seconds, cos I want mine back.

http://youtu.be/5dEeHU6farA

zenno

None the less, it is an interesting topic especially in relation to people that have actually had this crazy experience and can relate to each other as the experience is so similar.

What makes it unique is that when it happens it seems very real (too real) compared to an ordinary dream, this is what makes it very interesting.

Like a previous poster said... play it out and it will go quick/in seconds, not sure if that would work for everyone unless you have a very personally controlled mind, easier said than done but possible.

Play To Kill

zenno wrote: »

None the less, it is an interesting topic especially in relation to people that have actually had this crazy experience and can relate to each other as the experience is so similar.

It has always puzzled me how similar the dreams of others who have had this experience are to my own experience. It seems to be always described as an evil presence at the far end of the room or outside the door that is coming closer at first which later in the dream becomes a demon, the marks on the skin the next morning, in my own case they were around my neck and I guess I did them myself while trying to stop the imaginary demon from choking me, the description of the sheer panic when you realize you are paralized, trying to scream for help but unable to do anything more than whisper and thinking you have woken up only to find that you are still asleep and the nightmare continues. Its a terrifying experience but thankfully it either stops happening after a while or you develop an ability to deal with it.

Rasmus

HowAreWe wrote: »

Okay before you read this, understand that I am just a normal 19 year old lad. I'm not religious one bit and I don't really believe in the paranormal. I have no history of mental illnesses. Nothing out of the ordinary has ever happened to me.

If you believe I'm crazy, then you can. Just have to tell someone about this. I also agree there is possibly a scientific explanation to all of this.

I went to sleep last night like any other night, just reading for a short while before going to sleep. In the early hours of the morning I woke up, struggling to breathe. I was completely paralyzed I remember being absolutely terrified. I couldn't even move a finger.It also felt like I had pins and needles all over my body.

I couldn't turn my head but I was faced towards my bedroom door, and standing there was a tall, black shadow. I couldn't tell if it was male or female. It started moving towards me slowly, while this was happening the pressure in my ears ( I think?) was making a noise which was getting louder and louder.

As the shadow was moving towards me,I was panicking,sweating like mad. I was calling out for help but I couldn't, I had no voice. the shadow started pressing down on me breathing heavily on me, and it then put its arms around my neck and started to choke me. I was gasping for air. My eyes were closing, I obviously must have fallen asleep then. It felt like hours but it was probably only minutes.

It was definitely not a dream, I remember waking up and being terrified, I never remember my dreams but I remember all of this.

I woke up the next day having completely forgotten until I realized I had a sore neck, I didn't think much of it. When I went to the bathroom I noticed in the mirror red marks around my neck. I took a picture because I know nobody will believe me.


I've read about sleep paralysis and hallucinations today, so that sort of reassured me that there really isn't a demon trying to kill me.

Has anyone else ever experienced this? or worse awoken to relevant injuries?

Where's the pic?

Solair

OP : what you're describing is sleep paralysis.

However the difficulty breathing and pins and needles could be actually caused by sleep apnea.

If this is a regular problem, ask your GP about visiting a sleep clinic.

Also get the GP to run sone basic tests for blood sugars, and anything like that to rule out 'simple' problems.

This phenomenon is often responsible for people seeing ghosts or thinking they've been abducted by aliens.

In the meantime try and make sure you've simple things like the rooms properly ventilated and that you don't have any issues with black mould growing in the room Etc that might make breathing difficult.

brock92

@op I used to get this during my late teens to early twenties. Its fairly frightening for the first few times it happens, then you get used to it.

Stereomaniac

I have had vivid nightmares for my whole life. But, like anything, you just learn to adapt eventually.

dellas1979

Sure-probably is sleep paralysis. But how can he account for the marks around his neck? (can you show pic ?)

Play To Kill

dellas1979 wrote: »

Sure-probably is sleep paralysis. But how can he account for the marks around his neck? (can you show pic ?)

Self inflicted while trying to stop himself from being strangled in a very vivid dream.

HowAreWe

dellas1979 wrote: »

Sure-probably is sleep paralysis. But how can he account for the marks around his neck? (can you show pic ?)

I can Pm it to you if you want, but like the person above said probably just me doing it to myself.

Its definitely sleep paralysis, also you could have been grabbing your own neck in your sleep.

The interesting thing about sleep paralysis is, nobody can explain how people are having similar experiences.

Tragamin2k2

next time it happens, recognize it, accept it, close your eyes, and leave your body for a while

MrPoker

I get episodes of sleep paralysis a few times a year. Thankfully im not the only one from reading this thread. The feeling of fear and helplessness when you are in that state is just surreal and extremely frightening. Whenever I get a episode now I understand that its sleep paralysis but it still scares me when i am in that state as my brain is fully alert and I cant call out or move any part of my body. I would not wish it on anybody.

indy_man

Next time this happens say three Hail Mary's, and then get up and bless your room and bed with Holy Water. That should take care of it. At least if you are scared it will help you feel safer, eventhough I agree with most others here this is most likely just sleep paralysis. But you never know so also consider the prayer to St Michael the Archangel.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.


Waking up from a demonic experience during sleep paralysis can be horrifying and believe it or not these prayers help.

okioffice84

indy_man wrote: »

Next time this happens say three Hail Mary's, and then get up and bless your room and bed with Holy Water. That should take care of it. At least if you are scared it will help you feel safer, eventhough I agree with most others here this is most likely just sleep paralysis. But you never know so also consider the prayer to St Michael the Archangel.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.


Waking up from a demonic experience during sleep paralysis can be horrifying and believe it or not these prayers help.

OR, OR, you cold sprinkle just dead chicken's blood over the bedroom door to prevent further demonic experiences. That should take care of it.
Amen.

fishy fishy

indy_man wrote: »

Next time this happens say three Hail Mary's, and then get up and bless your room and bed with Holy Water. That should take care of it. At least if you are scared it will help you feel safer, eventhough I agree with most others here this is most likely just sleep paralysis. But you never know so also consider the prayer to St Michael the Archangel.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.


Waking up from a demonic experience during sleep paralysis can be horrifying and believe it or not these prayers help.

thats more scary than the "dream".

indy_man

fishy fishy wrote: »

thats more scary than the "dream".

You think thats scarym red what this poor lady is going through.

http://www.spiritdaily.com/sleepparalysis3.htm

captainzero

with sleep paralysis and hallucination most people have similar experiences, because were conditioned to fear much the same things -demons, dark shadows, being attacked while asleep, ghosts, savage animals, being sexually molested etc. i have suffered from these all my life since late teens due to a sleep related condition. hallucinations can be visual, auditory or tactile. it helps if i avoid stimulants late in the evening coffee tea (i use decaf) minerals chocolate etc.

Dietsquirt

indy_man wrote: »

Next time this happens say three Hail Mary's, and then get up and bless your room and bed with Holy Water. That should take care of it. At least if you are scared it will help you feel safer, eventhough I agree with most others here this is most likely just sleep paralysis. But you never know so also consider the prayer to St Michael the Archangel.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.


Waking up from a demonic experience during sleep paralysis can be horrifying and believe it or not these prayers help.

Oh dear :rolleyes:

brick1

read the book by stanislav grof-discovering self

endacl

indy_man wrote: »

Next time this happens say three Hail Mary's, and then get up and bless your room and bed with Holy Water. That should take care of it. At least if you are scared it will help you feel safer, eventhough I agree with most others here this is most likely just sleep paralysis. But you never know so also consider the prayer to St Michael the Archangel.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.


Waking up from a demonic experience during sleep paralysis can be horrifying and believe it or not these prayers help.

Isn't that your anti-ouija board prayer? It works for this too? Is it any use against zombies? I'm feckin' plagued here with the walking dead. All hours of the day and night, FFS....

FanadMan

It is so frightening when it happens. It used to happen to me a lot - exact same as the OP. Thankfully it hasn't happened in quite a while.......probably because I'm on anti-depressants and sleeping tablets (not because of the sleep paralysis lol).

jarvis

This brought back some memories an made the hair stand in my neck. Wen I had these, they were the scariest thing imaginable. I don't think the shadow ever touched me as described by the op but it would come closer, sit on the side of my bed and then it would start to surround me like a dark cloud, an that's when the real panic kicked in. I would often wake curled up in the corner clutching my knees into my chest and having the most horrible cold sweat and shaking.i had it all through my teens and early twenties, I'd ne'er heard of sleep paralysis before and there was no Internet, both my parents had died before I was in my teens and I used to always associate it as a paranormal experience somehow related to them!!!!

I never want to have one of these again.

rockygsd123

H you're completely normal this thing happened to my mum twice this year It's supposed to be really scary so I hope you're feeling OK now...I'm sure it does have a scientific explanation

Pretzill

I've had these sleep episodes for decades - some frightened the be jaypers out of me but I've learned in recent years to go with them. Like the op unable to breath some one else in my space squashing me - being flipped into.the air and that rushing sound in my ears! Once a grim reaper type character rose up at the foot of the bed. But it's sleep paraylisis often brought on by being over tired to start with. Other family members suffer it too. Also I have a problem with anasthetic and often woke under sedation and as a child I was gassed for tooth removal often wonder if it stems back to that - frightening but not paranormal. IMHO.

Kettleson

Pretzill wrote: »

Also I have a problem with anasthetic and often woke under sedation and as a child I was gassed for tooth removal often wonder if it stems back to that - frightening but not paranormal. IMHO.

I had similar childhood experiences at the dentist, absolutely horrible. The "Gas Man" would be at the dentist on one particular day a week.

If you had an appointment on the day the "Gas Man" was there, you knew you were getting a tooth pulled or a few deep fillings.

He would be there with his big grey tank of anesthetic gas and a smelly black rubber mask which was placed over your mouth and nose from behind as you sat on the dentists chair.

I can remember one time in particular, the room spinning, triple vision of the dentists light blinding me, a voice saying "We'll get him now" with a swirling metallic Dr Who-type noise deafening me. It was like a horror movie.

I'm guessing that they didn't want to give too much anesthetic as that could have been dangerous, especially to a child, so they probably gave as little as they could to get the job done (?).

I hope those days are long gone. But I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

indy_man

http://www.spiritdaily.com/nightterrors3.htm

It is an "in-between" time, and for that reason, as we have also pointed out, it's important to "seal" our sleep with prayer and Scripture before slumber (and then seal our day with prayer upon rising).

maccored

an advert selling a book? Really?

indy_man wrote: »

http://www.spiritdaily.com/nightterrors3.htm

Play To Kill

indy_man wrote: »

http://www.spiritdaily.com/nightterrors3.htm

Erm, no, it's not! If you ever had these type of dreams you would know that!

Colash

I've had an experience on 2 occasions now of waking up either in the night or very early morning , and being absolutely terrified or worried about something that I can't pinpoint in my mind . Infact the fear or worry just takes over my mind and once I had to get up and run to the kitchen and drink water and make coffee just to rid my mind of it . It's like something was trying to take over my mind . It's the strangest feeling ever . And once I felt it randomly coming on or beginning to come on during the middle of the day . It dosent go as far as having a panic attack as it subsides fairly quickly after it happens but it certainly is a scary experience . I work alot of nights and only get 5 hours sleep a night most nights so I have put it down to a lack of sleep or over tiredness

gcgirl

I've suffered from sleep paralyses most of my adult life always end up with a head ache afters known a few others that have suffered too from them, its pretty scary but it has a scientific explanation to it

shadowcomplex

It's the devil trying to get you

Play To Kill

shadowcomplex wrote: »

It's the devil trying to get you

He's hasn't been very successful considering how powerful he's supposed to be!

Gearhead1395

I think the hallucinations are to do with the brain and its state of awareness. Part of it is still in a state of sleep, meaning whatever goes through it when you are K.O.'d is still going through it-and we think of pretty messed-up things when dozing off. In combination with awareness of your surroundings, the brain can't distinguish between reality and fantasy, and so has hallucinations such as what you had.

I used to get these all the time, my most recent one being one of actual Slenderman-which makes sense, considering I had been reading up on the lore so it was probably still in my head. Weird, though.

Myrddin

Plus fear & a sense of vulnerability is the first thing the sub-conscious would feel once you know you can't move.