Struggles & Identity > Physical Issues

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I overcame sleep paralysis

It’s like waking up. I can’t say for sure if it was sleep paralysis, but I did have an experience years ago when I was completely paralyzed in my bed with shadowy people in my room. This time, my room was completely dark, and I didn’t see any shadow. My body was under pressure and it was hard to move. I felt a deep fear. However, I raised an arm up into the air against the pressure holding me down, and I peeled off the heavy pillow that was laying on my chest. I realized I just woke as normal.

Again, this might not be sleep paralysis since I was able to move, but I’d like to believe that I shook off the paralysis with my strength and woke up as normal.

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ymmuyummy · 31-35, F

A friend once told me if sleep paralysis happens to me i should not panic and since I know that is happening to me, just relax and try not to fight to move. Relax and breathe deeply repeatedly inhale and exhale and you'll find yourself able to move. Then get up and drink water.
I did that and it works everytime.

SW-User

@ymmuyummy nice! I wish I could be that rational when it happens. To me, it feels like I’m in a primitive trance fighting for control. The feeling of dread is inherent as I struggle to break free.

pride49 · 31-35, M

I remember when I was watching my grandmother when she was alive this happened a lot. Scared the crap out of me seeing children outside playing in the snow in daylight. When it was 2am and pitch black outside. Monsters and dementors hovering over me. My grandmother zombified without eyes walking down the hallway in a tattered grey dress. A white dog walking beside her. Scared the crap out of me. Had to focus on jolting my body awake. Scared to open my eyes. Yeah. Not fun.

SW-User

@pride49 I saw a group of hooded shadows surrounding my bed once. What you saw sound very crazy scary compared to my own experience. That’s wild. Honestly though, I find it more fascinating than it is scary. Like it’s freaky, but I feel I can’t get hurt from them.

pride49 · 31-35, M

@SW-User My experience it felt completely real so. Yeah

WhateverWorks · 36-40

Sounds similar to how I’ve learned to wake myself up from sleep paralysis. I focus on twitching my fingers. It’s very difficult, but once I get a pink wiggling a little I can jolt awake. I’ve never had an observer to confirm when it’s gone on, but I’m guessing my brain tells my body to really move a finger, which helps me wake up.

SW-User

@WhateverWorks that’s really interesting. I’m wondering if moving our hands and arms might be the way to break free of the paralysis. First time it happened to me, I was a bit freaked out by shadowy people and I remember trying to shake my head and body, but to no avail. I’ll try to grab onto something with my fingers again next time. Maybe it’s the solution.

deadgerbil · 26-30

I've had sleep paralysis a couple of times and am able to get myself out of it, it's pretty interesting and not scary now.

The first time, I flipped out bc I thought something was attacking me and my stomach tensed up so hard I was sore after for a while

SW-User

@deadgerbil yeah, that feeling of dread sucks. I remember feeling like a captured zoo animal, laying there while my shadowy captors were observing me. Kinda wild to be pushed to the point of tensing up so hard that it became sore.

I honestly didn’t think breaking out of it was possible. I read from another user named whateverworks that moving our fingers can set us free. I moved my arm and it worked for me, so maybe hand/arm movement is the key.

SW-User

Shadowy people?

SW-User

@SW-User yes, or as someone else here put it, dementors. Tall, hooded, shadow people.

SW-User

Wow..and yikes. When I was a kid I saw a figure of darkness that resembled what you described –around dusk time. He was thin, tall and featureless. Still not sure what that was @SW-User

SW-User

@SW-User lucky. I wish I can see more of shadow people.

melissa001 · 51-55, F

I used to have them too.

V00doo

It's a pretty scary thing when it first happens. After that it's pretty cool

SW-User

@V00doo it’s really cool to experience something that feels paranormal.

NativePortlander1970 ·

I had my share of it in the past, strangely enough when I recanted and became an Atheist it stopped.

SW-User

@NativePortlander1970 I’ve always considered myself as atheist and it happened to me at least three times. My family are more religious and they think prayers help fight against the darkness of it all.

NativePortlander1970 ·

@SW-User That's my family as well

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