Today, in the early hours of the morning, I woke up in sleep paralysis, hallucinating the sight of children hanging from the ceiling. Now I'm scared to sleep. FML
Collection
Halloween
A failed costume, stolen candy and a very real scare: Halloween, the one night when fear is allowed.
Same thing different taste
Today, I went downstairs a little after midnight to grab a snack, and in the dark hallway, I clearly saw a small child walk into the kitchen. I was freaked out, but I followed him in. There was nobody in the room. I'm now too scared to sleep, and am seriously considering moving house. FML
Spooked
Today, I was trying to sleep when I saw a head looming from the darkness with no eyes and a mouth open like a silent scream. I just froze and pissed myself. It was my daughter wanting to cuddle with us. Alas, the bed was wet, so she got put back in her bed, while we had to share the sofa downstairs. FML
First time?
Today, I had such a realistic dream that I was about to be hanged by the neck until I was dead. I was dropped through the hole and I felt the noose snap my neck at the exact moment I woke up. I ended up crying in my wife’s arms for a solid five minutes. Now I’m afraid to sleep, maybe forever. FML
Get me out of here
Today, I had a sleepover with two of my friends. We only had one bed, and it ended up with me against the wall. I then remembered that I'm very claustrophobic, and can't sleep. It's 4 a.m. FML
Terrorized
Today, I woke up loudly screaming from a "night" terror. I say "night"; I was actually at my desk at work, in the middle of the day, surrounded by dozens of co-workers in their cubicles. FML
Sleep tight
Today, it's been four straight nights of terrible nightmares. I’m afraid to go to sleep. FML
Spooked
Today, I came home late from work. As I got out of my car, I noticed a child-shaped silhouette in my bedroom window. I almost shat myself, since I live alone. I searched the whole house, sobbing in fear, only to find no trace of whatever or whoever I'd seen. FML
Zzzzzzzz
Today, after a week of insomnia, I finally managed to fall asleep. Thirty minutes later, my friends decided to bang on my door, yelling at me to wake up and party with them. I'm now wide awake and hallucinating from lack of sleep. FML
Today, my daughter hugged me around the neck and whispered, "I'm going to cut your head off." I'm afraid to go to sleep now. FML
Today, while sleeping, my foot was stabbed by something in my bed and I woke up to it bleeding. I looked around for the cause and found nothing. Now I'm afraid to go to sleep because it might happen again. FML
Top comments
dramaelf 37
I had them all the time when I was five. I saw a black octopus dragging itself towards my bed every night. They went away by themselves eventually, hopefully they will do the same for you.
Nathan_Henry 15
Morning after a metal concert be like...
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Comments (86)
carlfirebolt 27
Comment moderated for rule-breaking.
go to the doctors
ExtremeEncounter 32
It happens to me fairly often. It's best not to fear it. You almost always will see hallucinations and hear things during sleep paralysis if you start to panic, which is understandable. It's best to try and remain calm and try to wiggle your toes / move your feet to "wake yourself".
Replyka 17
When it happened to me I thought I felt something sit on the edge of my bed. Unpleasant hallucinations are really common with sleep paralysis.
OysterPearls 33
My first experience with it was waking up to the Grim Reaper standing by my bed, black cloak and scythe and all. It's not a solution for everyone, but for me personally I asked my mom to pray with me for the next couple of nights until my fear subsided. Some might consider that a placebo, but whatever works, right?
EvilTurtle 35
When I experience sleep paralysis, I always see clowns. I ******* hate it.
Seabass_Chan 33
I ******* hate clowns too. Goddamn Joker gave me nightmares until I was fifteen.
Ichiya 29
I hate ******* clowns too.
kaitlynjane 28
#59 it's actually pretty fun if you go at it with an open mind and are willing to experiment ;P
igive 29
I haven't had the hallucinations but I start having trouble breathing when I realize I can't move. It's scary, the only way I break from it is by falling back to sleep. Are there other ways?
Diarrhea_Volcano 29
Am I the only one that gets sleep paralysis and nothing ever happens? I just hear the sound of TV commercials and that's it. I can't even open my eyes.
Myo_fml 20
The time that I had it severely, I didn't hallucinatory but I remember Scrubs was on tv and I don't care for it. I got to be stuck there for half the show.
Mauskau 36
I had this when I got ill from eating a Dominos pizza earlier this year. Every time I fell asleep, I'd get woken up to the feeling of something sitting on my chest. There was nothing there and I couldn't see anything there but I could feel it. :(
TheMusicLover 16
#81 When I get it, it feels like I'm screaming in my sleep but no sound is coming out and I can't open my eyes. I'm aware of where I am but I'm not awake...
Stooby61 18
I've never tried doing that!
yingeh 11
Mine are usually spiders. Big, disgusting spiders dangling over my head.
Myo_fml 20
You guys sound like you've had some horrifying adventures. I'm happy now more than ever I haven't hallucinated from it yet. o.o
Its_Haylee_ 5
Omg that has happened to you tooooo. Dude I was in the car and the grim reaper kept coming closer and closer to y eyes until I eventually couldn't wake up
Velhalv 12
I only had it once, and a dark figure entered my room, walked over too me and pointed, then left. I was terrifying being unable to move while it was coming toward me.
Velhalv 12
I only had it once. A shadowy figure walked over to me, pointed, and then left my room. It was terrifying being unable to move during that.
ahippienamedrae 10
If you just stay calm, it's nothing to worry about
Brandi_Faith 34
I didn't even know that these "hallucinations" were a thing. I've woken up and been paralyzed for a few seconds, but that's it; I've never experienced (or even heard of other people experiencing) hallucinations. And why are they all scary hallucinations? Sounds like you're all being haunted or something. :/
rt58killer10 20
@76 I get that too but I manage to wake myself up, I wake my self up by trying to move as much as possible
Hiimhaileypotter 53
I had sleep paralysis complete with hallucinations once. I'd just graduated from high school, and I was home alone (parents work, sister was at school since she's younger than I am). It was ******* terrifying. I heard someone say my name in a super creepy voice (which is what initially woke me up), and then I realized I couldn't move. So I was laying on my left side unable to do anything but breathe and blink, while I heard *something* BIG slithering from the hallway door behind me around the bottom of my bed. (It sounded more like a person dragging themselves by their arms with their legs dangling behind them rather than just a huge snake or something relatively normal, by the way). Right before whatever it was got to where I was going to be able to see it, my body finally "woke up" and the hallucination vanished. Thankfully I haven't had it since. If you haven't had sleep paralysis, you're lucky! Though it sounds like most people here have had the same horrible experience I've had. :P
cheshirecat13242 32
...I'd be scared to sleep after that, too...
beeferjay 34
you wouldnt be so scared if you prayed to the spaghetti monster for peace. try it
AbtractAngela 17
I've had two incidents of sleep paralysis in my life. The first one wasn't super scary, I just couldn't move at all and felt like somebody was holding down all my limbs. Second time was the same, except I heard demonic laughing in my head, no joke. I really thought Satan was laughing in my room. By then I'd learned the signs of it coming on and whenever I get those signs (usually when I'm extremely tired) I WILL NOT let myself sleep for fear of sleep paralysis yet I know it's caused by sleep deprivation. Truly one of the most terrifying hallucinative experiences you could have...
Anony2014 10
So sorry that you saw that, OP. I have sleep paralysis too, but I've never seen anything too vivid. I only see shadowy figures either standing in one place or looking like they're moving toward me to attack.
SunnySideUpp 9
Oh, no biggie. Now I'm scared to go to sleep.
mariathehoe 15
Same! After I'd be too scared to go to sleep but I'd always drift off again, but nonetheless it's scary
missambitious 21
I've had that happen a couple of times. Sleep paralysis is actually not that uncommon. I heard that moving your tongue can actually help snap you out of it.
zebrababe123 12
I had sleep paralysis several times. In the most recent one I felt this heavy pressure on my chest that was very uncomfortable. There was a huge colorful turtle sitting on me and I wanted to ask it to get off but I didn't because I thought it was trying to be friendly, and I felt kind of bad for it and didn't want to be impolite.
Vaati_fml 20
When I have bouts of sleep paralysis, I usually see chairs moving around.
holyshmolly 13
damn, I didn't know this was a thing that happened regularly to others let alone it has a name...I've had these experiences and never mentioned them to anyone ever..just thought it was weird it happened
Cryptiic_ 10
Sorry OP maybe you should see a doctor and they can give you some sleeping pills or something good luck!
dramaelf 37
Depending on the sleeping pills they could actually make it worse.
SnowxSakura 17
OP has also likely already seen a doctor, sleep paralysis isn't something you usually self-diagnose.
smokecloud_ 37
I've never seen a doctor and I get sleep paralysis all the time. It sucks. I usually try to move my hands/arms or shake my head to wake up and adjust my sleeping position. I've had up to five episodes in a single nap. I don't want to be all medicated up for something that's really not a big deal when you understand it. It used to terrify me, now it's just an annoyance. OP, I know it's scary. Just remember that what you see and hear isn't real. I've actually heard if you try to slip back into sleep it can lead to lucid dreaming which is pretty cool. :3 Even though I can never make myself fly really well...
BananEnigma 24
It's not necessary to be medicated for this, unless the doctor thinks (incorrectly) that you're hallucinating while AWAKE. Sleep paralysis is a normal part of sleep and dreaming, and so are the hallucinations. The reason you notice it sometimes is because in rare instances your mind wakes up while
BananEnigma 24
(Continued)...your body is still asleep/paralyzed. It's paralyzed as a protective mechanism, so that you can't act out your dreams. It happens to everyone and is nothing to worry about. :)
BananEnigma 24
Uh, yes it is, lol. It's not a medical disorder, it's a normal part of dreaming and happens to everyone at one time or another. Most of the time it happens when your brain isn't awake enough to remember the incident (if you're thinking "Well it hasn't happened to MEEEee!")...
BananEnigma 24
(My first two replies were directed at #56, last one at #49).
rainbowsRlove 15
I have done this but I seen a back pack hanging from a tree. I'm sorry this has happened to you try not to let it get the best of you!
simleader 13
What's a black pack?
yve1220 20
That used to happen to me when I was younger. It is absolutely terrifying. I used to shut my eyes and say the our father and it seemed to help me every time. So sorry op.
Angsty_Armadillo 25
I suffer from sleep paralysis fairly often. I'm just happy I don't see TOO many ****** up things. -shudder- I feel for ya OP.
FluffyPandas156 13
sleep paralysis can be frightening. Reduce stress. Stress could be the problem..
Nathan_Henry 15
Morning after a metal concert be like...
dramaelf 37
I had them all the time when I was five. I saw a black octopus dragging itself towards my bed every night. They went away by themselves eventually, hopefully they will do the same for you.