Sleep Paralysis, or Am I In Big Trouble?

[sarahharmony]

I barely know how to use this site but I just want to get this out there and see what people had to say.

Something really weird happened to me last night and this morning. It was like my nightmare kind of followed me into my concious state of mind. Most of the nightmare is really hazy to me now, but I know I was in constant danger throughout it. I kept having to run away from something. Not actually run, but relocate, city to city, cause something was hunting me. Towards the end of it, everything got really vivid. I was standing in the backyard looking at the sky which was a really pretty dark purple color. Everything about the environment was the same in the dream as it is right now. The lawn mowers and shovels, all in there place as they are now. The bamboo fencing my parents put up to keep people from seeing over our fence was there, just like it is now. Everything was the same except that there was a small corn at the end of the backyard, which is right outside my bedroom window.

I was standing at the garage door, looking down the little breeze-way at the edge of the corn field, and I swear, it was the Grim Reaper. It was like everything I've seen on television, black cloak covering its face, and it was holding a big curved blade, you probably know what I'm talking about. It just stared at me for a few seconds, then nodded it's head at me. It must've gotten me because after that, everything was gone and I was in my bed, in the dark, awake and panicking. And I could move, but barely, which is why I question the sleep paralysis theorie. I felt like something was holding me down and I was trying so hard to just get up but I couldn't. And I felt like I was shaking very violently, but I wasn't cold. I could breathe fine I guess. I'm kind of a horror junkie, so it's hard to scare me. But this was completely terrifying. So terrifying that I tried screaming for my mom, but no sound would come out, just raspy, throaty gasps. Silently panicking. So I tried hitting the walls to wake someone up but when I tried lifting my hand to the wall it was like something just shoved my arm away from it. Or like I didn't have the strength. And when my hand finally made contact with the wall, I could only muster a couple quiet taps.

At some point I guess I just fell asleep again. My parents got up at like 4am cause they were getting ready to go fishing or something. My mom came in to open my window and I was still completely out of it. Then after they left, it happened again. It was a little different this time. I fell back asleep for a while then I'm guessing it was around 6am when I decided it was time to get out of bed. I know I was awake. My dog was laying at the foot of my bed, I heard her yawn. My room was normal, everything was normal until I tried to get up.

Everything looked like it was shaking again. I had that same sensation that something was holding me down, only it was more agressive this time. I would manage to sit up, and I'd get thrown back down again. I just wanted to get up so badly and enjoy the day that I had to myself. Then started hearing things. I heard my front door open and slam shut, I heard keys jingling, footsteps, voices, I couldn't tell if the voices sounded like my parents or not. I couldn't make out anything the voice or voices where saying. But I immediately assumed that my parents were home, which gave me something else to 'freak out' over. I didn't want them to think I was in bed all day so I tried everything I could to just get up but it was like I couldn't get a handle on myself. It didn't feel like anything was holdiing me down anymore, I didn't feel really exhausted or fatigued, I would just sit up and fall over. Everything still looked like it was shaking, and the voices were getting closer so I was trying even harder to get a grip which just seemed to make it harder. Eventually I just threw myself off my bed onto the floor, thinking that would help. Things were still shakey but I saw glimpses of myself still on my bed, which didn't make sense. Then it was over and everything just stopped. I was back on my bed and I got up as fast as I could, and I was happy as hell to be able to do so. I walkled into the kitchen to discover that no one was home. The front door was locked, my parents' bedroom door was locked(they don't trust me), there was no one in the house besides my dog and myself. Then I realized something that really freaked me out. My dog gets really riled up when she hears the front door open. When I was hearing those things, thinking my parents came home, she didn't bark, I don't even think she moved. She didn't hear anything. It was all me.

Nothing like this has ever happened to me. I've never even had a lucid dream.

[Ashotep]

That must of been scary but it does sound like sleep paralysis.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

I wouldn't worry mate, I dream of stuff happening in my yard all the time, it's basically an environment you know incredibly well so will naturally feature in your dream imagery heavily.

[Dark Of Night]

It must have been terrifying, but it looks like sleep paralysis to me. So I'd say there's no need to worry

[White Crane Feather]

Yup you had an sp event that cascaded into on OBE. Not totally common, but defiantly not unheard of. If you learn to control your fear reaction the shadowy figure and terror will go away and you will be free to take advantage of the experience. If it becomes a cronic problem you many want to learn how to induce it on purpose.

[SpiritWriter]

Your gonna be ok

If someone does die, you have some kind of special gift to receive its messages. I do believe SP is spiritual in nature and it could be a demon trying to hunt (haunt) you, but I also believe they don't have much more power than to scare or drive you somewhat crazy. But just one occurrence isn't too bad. I also believe watching too much horror invites these images/apparitions to you.... But all in all whatever is happening I am sure you are fine. If it keeps happening you probably want to talk to that guy who posted above that knows how to control the fear etc.. the guy with the dreamcatcher in his icon.

Peace be blessed and good luck!

If it means anything I will say a little prayer for you right now, trusting and believing God to take away your fear and to use any (if there should be more) SP or dream experiences for good and not for evil. Prayer is also effective in taking away nightmares. Just say "Dear God please take away my nightmares and let me only have peaceful dreams." This always works for me and my daughter. (I used to have major nightmare problems so this issue is important to me.)

[SpiritWriter]

p.s. I'm sorry that happened I'm sure it was very very scary

[caseychrap]

i've had several strange sleep experiences such as, having out of body experiences where i watched myself sleep from the corner of the ceiling in my bedroom, and dreams where passed loved ones were visiting me or present in my home. these dreams were extremely vivid and when i woke up i was sitting up in bed and the surroundings were exactly the same as when my eyes were open, only my departed visitor was no where to be seen. it is quite eerie and disturbing to wake up like that.

recently i was taking a nap on my couch when i had a nightmare in which i was in my upstairs bathroom at something was trying to break the door down, the thing forced the door open and lunged ontop of me, it was some sort of huge furry beast. it literally felt like something was holding me down, and laying on top of me on the couch i couldnt move and whats more disturbing is, that even though i woke up i could not open my eyes! i was in a mode of sleep paralysis i suppose but i could literally feel something pressing down on top of me and feel the fur.

i think that these lucid dreams may be some way of spirits communicating with us or visiting us, or in more serious cases, demons or harmful spirits. they say that in a state of half sleep-half waking we are most suceptible to see and connect with spirits because our guard is down and our minds are more open. hopefull that helped in someway.

[White Crane Feather]

Don't buy into the demon bit... Believing that will only make it worse. Also, if you prey, prey for strength not for deliverance. In altered states it is our sponsoring emotions that come to the front. If you are preying out of fear out will draw more to you.

[SaryBary]

It really does sound like a severe case of sleep paralysis to me as well. I'm sorry you had to go through that, how scary- I can't imagine! My mom once had a dream about the grim reaper many years ago.She dreamed that she was sleeping in her bed, woke up, looked out of her bedroom door and he was standing right there inside of the door frame facing her in the dark. She woke up screaming and panicking. My dad asked her if she saw his face or if it was covered by the cloak. She said that she did not see his face but that he was RIGHT there. My dad told her that as long as she didn't see his face that she would be fine. I never knew what he meant by that until I became curious and researched it. Apparently, many people believe that if you see or dream of the grim reaper that someone you know will die but if you see his face, that the one to die will be you. I don't know how accurate this idea is but shortly after her dream a family member of ours did die. However, that could have easily been a coincidence. I hope you find some answers! Good luck!

[coldethyl]

hit and run

[andiford26]

I am a new member to this website and your story caught my eye. I have suffered from sleep paralysis more times than I can even count! It was a scary feeling every time i ever had it occur so I understand what you were going through. I havent had it happen to me in about 2 years now but it used to happen everyday sometimes more than once a day. So maybe i can give you some advice... I saw where some people had said not to worry about the demon thing but I must say that almost everytime it happened to me it was a horrific experience.. and i saw demons in the lucid dreams. I am not a real religous person either but I do believe in god so i contacted a preacher who could give me some advice and he told me that what i was experiencing was possible demonic oppression and told me the next time it happened to say " in the name and blood of jesus leave me alone". It did happen again and when i tried to say what he had told me to say, the demon hissed in my face and I could barely say anything but I kept on trying and it left.Everytime it ever happened again that is the words I would try to say repeatedly and it worked the sp started going away and finally left me altogether.. So far anyway.. im not positive it was a demon but im not however ruling it out considering my own personal experiences. I think that demons prey on the weak and I was at a very weak point in my life at the time this was going on. I have since made changes for the better and thats when the sp started getting better for me. Best thing I can think of is... try to think about your weaknesses whether it be mental or physical and think of what you can do to better yourself so you are not so vulnerable... and also addictions if you might possibly be addicted to anything seriously consider dropping the habit! It is another weakness you dont need in your life! I hope that anything I have said was somewhat helpful and I hope that you dont have anymore troubles in this aspect again. Best wishes to you!