Shadow people

[Ryansbk]

So I'm not exactly sure where to start with my story. I never heard of such beings, never believed in anything of the supernatural. The first experience that lead up to eventually seeing them was when I had crashed at a friends house and woke up in the middle of the night paralyzed almost entirely and couldn't make a sound, something felt off, fearful, but I did not see anything at the time or was aware that anything might have been around somewhere. Around 6 months later it had happened again and I saw a figure this time, just watching. Sometimes it would seem like I was paralyzed and actually awake but I couldn't have been because I would be manipulated around my room in them and then I would be awake lying on my bed where I had started out at. I became aware during dreams that something was wrong and could pull myself awake and look around my room to prevent anything from happening. When it would occur it became more and more frequent, it seemed to get closer and closer to me. The last time it happened was last December, I was in the middle of one dream when i felt something hit my back, my dream tried playing it off as a friend doing so but I knew it was something real and I woke up and looked around, then went back to sleep. During the next dream I got into a struggle with someone, was being shoved about, and I woke up during it, on my side, paralyzed. I couldnt really see much of it but some shadowy figure was right up on my back doing something. I just tried to remain calm until it was over. After that I looked into it more and found out it perhaps could have been something real while the whole time I thought it was just some interesting new experience and I was the only one to ever go through such things, my dad and brother had even heard of it and were worried. Ever since that last time I have left a small light on in my room at night and never again was paralyzed, saw anything. Just wondering - if it is something real - does the light keep it away, or did it get whatever it came for? This entire year I have felt like something has been missing, normally I'm stressed out, depressed, more emotional, and constant waves of thoughts always would go through my head. Now it's as if I'm empty, emotionless, I feel nothing anymore, even when I should. My memory has become a bit iffy, I have almost felt zombie like. I counted it as a blessing because without all the worry and pain constantly at my doorstep it's easier to get through days, but something just is not right.

[TopToffee]

I saw one last night as I got up to go to the bathroom.I smacked him one but was later to discover it was my shadow all along.I also have a bad hand today and a rather large bill to repair my plasterboard. Its also related to Sleep Paralysis on a serious note.Should maybe go and talk to a medical professional.

[rashore]

Well, a couple of things....

If you haven't done so recently, might not be a bad idea to get into the doctors for a checkup. You could be having medical issues- or not. But better safe than sorry, always wise to take care of your health first.

There are a gajillion shadow people threads on UM. You might want to use the search function at the top of the page to get a feel around for what all is already here

And welcome to UM

[sophSPOOK]

Has this thing spoken to you at all?

[Occult1]

The scientific explanation is that you experienced what is known as sleep paralysis.

According to scientific researches, sleep paralysis is a normal reaction of the body to protect one during sleep time. The paralysis is due to an abrupt transition between wakefulness and rest. (the sleep process undergoes different stages). It can causes one to hallucinate figures and result in a complete incapacity to react. It can go on for 1 or 2 minutes and occur recurrently or inconsistently in one's life.

A frightening form of paralysis that occurs when a person suddenly finds himself or herself unable to move for a few minutes, most often upon falling asleep or waking up. Sleep paralysis is due to an irregularity in passing between the stages of sleep and wakefulness.

The symptoms of sleep paralysis include sensations of noises, smells, levitation, paralysis, terror, and images of frightening intruders. Once considered very rare, up to half of all people are now believed to experience sleep paralysis sometime during their life. Sleep paralysis is not considered to be a sign of a serious condition, although it can be frightening.

source: http://www.medterms....articlekey=9806

In the paranormal field, this explanation is generally accepted but there are cases which are very peculiar and doesn't seem to be 'natural'. The phenomenon is known as the old hag syndrome or shadow people.

Rosemary Ellen Guiley, a paranormal researcher and writter is a strong advocator of the phenomenon been of supernatural origin. You might want to read about her, if you're interested to look for alternative explanations. http://www.visionary...what-you-think/

I personally think there can be more than one causes at play. Some Alien abductees claim to have felt paralyzed before their experiences. In some cases, more than one experiencer claim to have have seen the exact same figure, in the same location, with a hat, standing there observing. There is something unusual about the phenomenon and while I think a medical causes make a lot of sens due to conditions such sleep deprivations, anxieties an stress I can't seem to rule out the possiblity that there might be more to it.

You might want to consult your doctor and make sure that you have no health problems, if that doesn't stop. That's the first thing I would do.

Edited November 17, 2013 by sam_comm

[WhispersInTheAttic]

Welcome to the forums, Ryansbk. I've heard of shaowdy people myself but never had an experience such as yours. The only thing I saw was shadow people in the night as I was sitting outside my house but I kept thinking to myself that my eyes were playing tricks on me. Just to be sure, try seeing a professional and telling them about you're experiences. Hope everything turns out for you okay otherwise.

[Ryansbk]

Ah sorry, been busy and away from this, forgot entirely about posting on here. The sleep paralysis stopped after the last time ever since having a small amount of light on at night. I've never witnessed shadow people during any other time but I'm not exactly looking for them either.

[Ryansbk]

Also @ soph as far as I know this thing has never spoken to me, brother had asked me the same question because his friend was wondering about it.

[Ryansbk]

The one I saw wasn't wearing a tophat like most described, the shape looked hooded, but different than some descriptions out there, some claim red eyes and so forth but I didn't see anything of the sort. It was just a shadow that stood out in the darkness compared to the other shadows, was much darker and it wasn't transparent, would cover up areas if it stood infront of them.

[Frank Merton]

Did it actually cover up areas it stood in front of?

[sophSPOOK]

The shadow people i have seen haven't spoken to me. Although my first experience with them was abit freaky for me. I was 15 at the time and i was sleeping in the lounge on the couch. I was facing inwards and i was starting to feel sick. As i was starting to turn over to lay on my otherside i saw this black figure standing right beside me. It wasn't see through at all, and by looking at the shape of it, it was dressed in clothing from the early 1900's/ late 1800's. 'She' had one of those big wide brim hats with an assortment of flower arrangement on the front side, dress with puffy shouldering and the shape of her hair was loosely up. I panicked and rolled back on to my side facing inwards of the couch and hid under my blanket. I held my breath, my heart was racing. I didnt want to look back. I was looking at her for a good 10 slow seconds. As i was under my blanket which felt like an eternity, the clock that we had above our fireplace started rattling frantically as if it was being shaken against the wall. This went on for atleast a couple of minutes and when it stopped i got up and ran to turn the light on and nothing was there. To add to this story, my uncle is obsessed with our family history and about a year ago i was visiting him. He brang out all the old photos that he had collected. This one photo stood out to me, should i say this particular woman. In the photo are four women, sisters. Who are my great, great, and so on aunts. All dressed in that era as i mentioned but this one woman especially resembled the figure i saw. Same shape with the clothing on, same hat etc. They were all dressed in different dresses and hats but i am so sure it was her who i saw. When i came across the photo i had chills instantly, i went cold and she was the first one my eyes laid upon.

[sophSPOOK]

Before the figure i was feeling sick but once that spooky experience had stopped i wasn't feeling sick anymore. It happened on June 11 @ 6.30am

[Ryansbk]

Are you positive it isn't a ghost then? Don't believe what I saw is anything related to me in any way shape or form. I could never move when it would happen aside for maybe the smallest bit, couldn't make a noise either. That made the whole thing frightening feeling so vulnerable. It only started happening to me when I was 18, almost 19

[Frank Merton]

Look for mundane ordinary likely answers first before thinking about shadow people and ghosts. Dreams come to mind at once, and they can seem very real. The paralysis testifies to that. Once you realize it was probably something of that sort there can be a great deal less fear.

[Ryansbk]

Oh I did, I'm a man of facts. I even argue the bible and just about everything else where there is no solid evidence.

[Nenaraz]

I've never experienced anything similar to "shadow people", but what people refer to as "Old hag", I did.

The pain was very real. being helpless and the knowledge that "I'm going to die". It was very frightening but I wasn't scared of the witch, I was scared for my life.

My friends have reported to have seen the "shadow people". Figures that it happens during a very tired state and deep REM. Regardless, the weird aspect for me is that it's always the same "entities" appearing. Why the witch and why the shadow people with red eyes? While from a psychological aspect it's understandable that they are a personification of a threat it's very weird that it's not, let's say, a giant spider or a flying shark or anything similar to that extent. Always the "hag" and always shadow people.

But what i experienced is the craziest nightmare ever. I hope to have never experience such a thing again.

[sophSPOOK]

Yeah most likely a ghost, i'm not sure. But during the experience i couldnt move much. When i saw it, i panicked and i was transfixed. I was half up on my side (leaning up on my elbow/arm). I eventually thought **** this and hid under my blanket thinking ****! what if it gets me? I couldnt move, it was so hot under the blanket, i was sweating and couldnt breathe properly, i was holding my breath. I was well, trying to play the whole 'i'm pretending to be asleep, please don't hear me' whilst freaking the hell out but the ixing on the cake was the clock rattling. I thought 'oh ****' and kept wondering what it was going to do next but it stopped. Forgot to mention when it had stopped i just layed there for about 10 minutes, i couldnt move. I was afraid it was still there. bu then i got the courage to get up. Ever since then i am constantly experiencing strange and random paranormal happenings. I often feel and see things. But i like it. I have always been into it.

[Ryansbk]

Heh, I liked it when I thought i was alone in experiencing it. Now I'm not sure what to make of it

[sophSPOOK]

Yeah, we live in a weird and strange world hey? For me when i experience things i just embrace it even though sometimes at the time things are happening it can be quite scary and there's that sense of fear. Sometimes we will never understand why it happens and what not, it's all so intriguing though.

[Ryansbk]

Indeed.

[Skep B]

Seems like pretty clearly whats going on is that you're aware of the concept of shadow people and when you have these dreams your subconscious is bringing them to light.

well, dreams/sleep paralysis

[Ryansbk]

Actually no, not at all. I had never heard of or seen anything of the sort until looking into it more after the last time it has happened. So I'm sorry to say Sir, but your educated guess is wrong.

[Nenaraz]

I have to support what Ryansbk wrote. In my experience with my friends they clearly were never impersonated nor inclined towards paranormal, subconscious or subliminal things regarding the "shadow people". Rarely do anyone connect dreams with paranormal even when actually believing in paranormal things. Dream is often taken as a medium.

I can say the same for the "old Hag" thing which I personally suffered from. Didn't have even the slightest clue how it happens and why exactly "old hag". There's no proper explanation for it, either, other than guessing. Luckily, I'm not one of those people who dream it constantly and have very serious problems falling asleep after constant experiences of such things.

The explanation in this particular case can't come from the aspect of "wanting it to happen" after hearing it out of curiosity.

Though, I must add for the purpose of justification that the subject was quite popular (is) on the internet and that it's not hard to come to the info, even superficially. As such it's still quite possible to have experienced it subconsciously.

Still, nothing explains why different people, of different age, personality, imagination etc report same things.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Nenaraz

[Ryansbk]

Seemed I was the last person to ever come across it, never once heard of anything related to shadow people. Never believed in or looked into anything of the paranormal aspects of this world. I would have called myself crazy if I could have met myself now before ever experiencing it first hand.

[DancingCorpse]

From what I gather coming across the concept of shadow people a lot, it's rare that the experience ain't linked with being half-asleep thus sleep paralysis, hypnagogia. Perhaps many are aware of shadow people and thus self invent them, like lucid dreaming but influenced by fear and unease at being between both states. Many claim that the entity/alien has control over their unmovement. Then there are many that have never heard of shadow people yet claim to see dark figures in the corners of the room. Why does this description recur and correlate when folks have never even heard of these things?

I'm not sure whether to believe in them or not, I've had endless weird experiences in the in between consciousness state since I'm a light sleeper and also don't sleep for days sometimes but never experienced the shadow person phenomena. It's clear the mind invents just as in dream or drug hallucination but the shadow people is a constant recurrence in tandem with the state. What's more interesting is the experiences where people were fully conscious.

Alien abduction/shadow person/old hag (feeling a presence holding down) can all be experienced with hypnagogia but the shadow person concept intrigues me as it's such a unique thing to describe. It's always convenient in abduction tales that people are 'subdued'by the aliens so the whole journey can't be remembered. There at least is a MOTIVE for aliens and it's a hell of a lot more accepted as potentially true and not mere sleep paralysis episode, endless theories. Old hag syndrome, so the entity just likes holding folks down for laughs and moving shadows just like staring at people? What do they want? If there is any sense of intelligence if they ARE real? Are they some kinda energy/projection that has no logic, just kinda interacting?

Edited November 19, 2013 by DancingCorpse