Sleep Paralysis, Lucid Dreaming & Hallucinations.

[Phresh]

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For instance, in dreams where I have to run away from something/someone, I end up running away extremely slowly, as if I'm slightly paralyzed. This also happens in dreams where I am in a fight, where my punches are extremely slow, and again, I feel like there is something wrong with me because I am moving so slowly.

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This has happened to me all throughout my life. I think it's very common.


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This is always acompanied by sort of hallucinations where I am being attacked by shadows or dark figures that are rushing at me or flying at me.

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I don't believe I had my eyes open (although I could see exactly what was in my room, I just thought I was imagining it) but the first incident where I thought my friend was in my room (not the Mario one) I just saw a shadow on my wall walk off and assumed it was a friend.


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do you guy experience sleep paralysis with your eyes open and aware of your surroundings?

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I am very sure my eyes are still shut, but I can almost always tell exactly what is around me. Obviously I know what's around me because it's my room, but it really appears that I am just looking at it. Still, I think I always have my eyes shut during this.


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I looked at my hands because I read somewhere that they would usually be distorted in some way. I only had four fingers.

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I'm obviously no expert, but it sounds like you could've influenced this easily. Although that's still a lucid dream, I think.


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I still remembered the first time it happened to me. I woke up one night and I was fully awake. I could hear everything going around me, I just couldn't move at all. I was fully conscious and I couldn't get my eyelids to open. I couldn't move my fingers or wiggle my toes. My heart was beating a million beats per minute as I was seriously panicking as I really didn't know what was happening to me. I really thought I was paralyzed. After what seemed like an eternity I finally was able to open up my eyelids and move. Needless to say I was freaking out.

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Yeah, this is how it was for me for a long time. I mean I still feel slightly scared when it happens, but then I realize I just need to ride it out. Back before I knew wtf was happening I would say to myself, "Alright man, on 3, we're going to explode out of this.. 1-2-3 *nothing*" and then I'd start getting a bit more scared, heh.

Dave T,

I will check out that book. I have woke up laughing on a number of occasions. I've been falling asleep and whatever was playing on the TV at the time would somehow become a part of my dream (I think this is standard).

I don't think I've ever died in my dreams. I've been in situations where I was sure I was about to die, but that's about it. Your dreams really sound like they suck. You seen a doctor about any of this?

[jellesi]

I'm surpised noone has mentioned OBE (Out of Body Experience) or Astral Projection yet, Astral Projection being the more newageish term of the two. I would imagine both of these are connected to sleep paralysis.
Almost always people (including me) who gets this starts off with saying they experience 'being awake' in their dream. Then they hoover out of their body or just walk out of it thinking they are awake. Some people report seeing their body in bed and freak out and wake up because of it. That never happened to me though. Most of the time I freak out anyway, when having a dream like this.
Hearing your mom and dad speak to you is apparently common. As is hearing music. I often hear electronic music or what I would call battlefield metal. Stuff in my room often turn into what looks like characters in my dreams, which someone else mentioned. I definately think this is because your eyes are halfopen and doing that REMthing when dreaming.

To take this further try and get out of the room you are in and you are in for a big surprise. Also try and fly if you do manage to 'get out of your body'. It can be a lot of fun and the sensations in your body definately feel real, even if they are not.

When I wake up after a dream like this I feel completely exhausted most of the time. Then after 15mins or so the exhaustion fades away and I feel normal again.

As an important sidenote, I first remember experiencing this in a haschpsychosis and it was the most horrifying experience ever. This was 7 years ago and since then it happens regularly twice a month or so. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. But it all started with that psychosis.

I am also convinced these dreams occur when our brain produces a little bit more DMT (dimethyltryptamine, the stuff that you can really, really trip on) in our sleep than usual. Anyone else got thoughts on this?

Nice topic btw, and the dorrito bag hallucination was hilarious!

Peace

J

[Golden_Rhino]

OP,

I think Vava hit the nail on the head; it sounds like you get night terrors. I've been getting them for years. There is no real "cure", but I find if I stick to a routine, it makes it a little better. Also, try not to move things around in your room too much. The more familiar the room, the less likely you are to freak out at something you see, or think you see.

Good luck pal.

[BombayBadboy]

I'm not sure if it can be described as Lucid Dreaming, but most of the time I'm very aware when I'm dreaming. It is not scary in any way normally, like with you Phresh. I also don't have anything like the sleep paralysis you describe.

There is just a point in the dream where you realise it is too absurd to be true. This is the point where you can wake up, but after a while you can also 'dream on', which is quite fun and move around in the fantasy land of your dream.

Sometimes I choose to wake up, because its no fun anymore. For instance, I choose to wake up when I'm making a big fall. I just tell myself: its a dream, wake up now. And the next moment I'm awake.

[Phresh]

jellesi,

I've read a bit about OOBE, but am pretty sure I've never done it.


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There is just a point in the dream where you realise it is too absurd to be true. This is the point where you can wake up, but after a while you can also 'dream on', which is quite fun and move around in the fantasy land of your dream.

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Yeah. I've noticed that I can keep my eyes shut and go back to sleep and dream some more. This is very fun.

[dylan's alias]

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OP,

I think Vava hit the nail on the head; it sounds like you get night terrors. I've been getting them for years. There is no real "cure", but I find if I stick to a routine, it makes it a little better. Also, try not to move things around in your room too much. The more familiar the room, the less likely you are to freak out at something you see, or think you see.

Good luck pal.

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"Night terrors" is a specific condition which generally occurs in children. The child wakes up screaming and is inconsolable. Once the event ends, the child falls back asleep with no recollection of the event.

If you remember it, it isn't a night terror.

[jellesi]

Then you should try it.
Just concentrate on it happening throughout the day and then try as hard as you can to stand up when you get into sleep paralysis mode. It will work eventually. And whether it's just your mind playing tricks on you (which I am a firm believer in) or some other dimension you enter doesn't really matter. The experience is real anyway!

Let us know if you manage [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[kipin]

The subconscious is pretty fascinating.

Phresh, just curious do you take any daily medication that could trigger this, or use any kind of drugs?

[Phresh]

jellesi,

I will try and do this during my next episode.

Kip,

I take no medication. I've done shrooms once, many months ago, and a few other drugs since then. I was having these episodes before any of them, though.

[kipin]

That is some scary stuff. I'm pretty lucky in that I remember probably <1% of my dreams. The only way I remember my dreams is if I am startled awake. Interestingly enough, Thomas Edison suffered from the same "condition". He realized that a lot of his best ideas for inventions came in his dreams, so he started sleeping in a chair with two spoons in his hands held over a pot, so when he started to doze off, the spoons would fall and wake him up.

Unfortunately for me most of my dreams revolve around pussy, and nightmares, so I don't torture myself like Edison. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]