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Aug 24, 2009, 10:11 AM
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Member Since: Jul 2009
Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA
Posts: 2,779
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Ouroboros,
I must say, your posting tweaked my curiosity. I have never heard of sleep paralysis. So I did some research, nothing extensive, and although I am sure that you may have done your own research and already know everything I am about to report, I am sure that it will be of little comfort because it seems to me that it would indeed be a very frightening experience.
What I read indicates that sleep paralysis occurs normally at some time in around 30% of the adult population. During REM sleep, the body is normally paralyzed, something I was not aware of, but is true so that during the dreaming activity, one will not move in violent ways which would be self-injurious. So far, all of this is normal.
The abnormal part is, sometimes the mind regains consciousness before the actual event is complete. In other words, the dream sequence is proceeding in the normal REM cycle, the body is still in it's usual paralyzed state, but unexplainably, the mind partially wakes up. Vision is restored and focuses on the external surroundings, although parts of the dream state remains in the mind. Thus the person experiences hallucinations. The visual stimulation can cause immense fear. Individual experiences vary from shadowy figures to people or animals to alien abductions! But it only lasts minutes at most and the person "goes back to sleep" and awakes normally but usually confused and frightened by the experience.
It would make sense to me that the drugs we take for our various psychiaric illnesses would make this type of experience more likely. It is often also induced by prolonged periods of lack of sleep.
I don't recall ever experiencing this. But if I do, I'm glad I know what it is now. Thanks for the post. 
__________________
 Vickie
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