[therealme]

this morning i was in bed sleeping as normal, when about 3am i woke to get a drink... (drink is normally on the night stand next to the bed) but when i woke up and opened my eyes. i was face to face with a face of a old lady. i would say we were about a inch or two away from each other.
then this lady reached out her hands and started to hold on to my neck and her grip got tighter and thighter....
i was finding it hard to breathe. and at one point i thought i was going to pass out.
it was the scariest moment of my life. and then without any warning she was gone again.
sleeping after that was hard.
i have been told it may of been a aniexty attack. but i wasnt having a nightmare before i woke.
is it possible to be dreaming a normal dream and to woke into a nightmare.... ?
am i madder then i first thought ?
or
is there something here (in this house) that doesnt like me...?

so many questions, and so many answers i dont want....

thank you for listening to the insane rants of a scared poolboy

dec x0x

[sabby]

(((((((((((( poolboy ))))))))))))))

Our subconscious minds are funny sometimes....we don't always remember our dreams or nightmares. And sometimes we may think we are awake and dream something horrible and it feels like we are awake but we really are not. Does that make sense?

I'm not taking away from you how very real it felt hon. Not at all. That is the scariest and most unnerving thing to go through. (I've been there too) I'm just saying that our minds sometimes play tricks on us....and no, you are not mad.....not in the least!!

I hope you can feel better today....relax and breathe.....take some time for you and treat yourself well!


sabby

[Fuzzybear]

(((((((((((((( Dec ))))))))))))))

[pegasus]

Hello Dec, REM sleep that involves dreaming is an essential part of how our body/mind sorts things out. It could be that you have not been sleeping well lately and this can cause waking-dreams, and yes they can seem very real. Dreaming consists of past/present and our hopes and fears. Going to bed in a state of anxiety will not help and will come out in nightmares. People who suffer from PTSD have a lot of nightmares as this is the way the brain is trying to sort out the fears and trauma.

Try not to think/worry about the nightmare too much, it was a nightmare and in reality now you are safe. Make sure tonight that you go to bed as relaxed as possible. Before dropping off to sleep purposely think of lovely things or think about how YOU would like that nightmare to end.

Recurrent nightmares that are connected to trauma need proper treatment with a therapist.

(((((((((((((dec))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I think you one of the bravest ppl I know

At least my brave brother...awww

can I ask a question? does the old lady represent anything to you...

The feeling of being not able to breath?

My brother is not mad........hes spoke his truth

what he saw in your mind, and felt..........

All these things are real to you......

and I believe you

your sister
muffy

[Der_Sohn_des_Leides]

((((((((dec))))))

You are definitely not crazy, and there is a perfectly logical explanation for what you experienced. It's actually a rather common occurrence among humans: it's called sleep paralysis. When we go into REM sleep, our minds are active, but our bodies are entirely paralyzed. Normally, conscious awareness of this paralysis is not pssoble because our conscious minds are pretty much "shut off."

However, sometimes, in between transition from waking to sleeping or vice versa, the conscious mind doesn't get "shut down." So you experience a total feeling of paralysis, and a feeling like you can't breathe. Accordingly, your brain is still trying to process things consciously, so you have vivid dreams and visions; and depending on latent fears, your mind creates visions that explain this 'inability' to breathe (you're not actually choking, it just feels that way because you can't control your breath). In past times, like the medeival era, people had visions such as succubi sitting on their chest and choking them. Today, some people hold that alien abduction is really just a modern succubus: a fearful hallucination dreamed up during sleep paralysis.

I know the experience is frightening, and you may want to investigate who this woman is and why you're afraid of her (when you're ready). But know that it is normal and very explainable.

I'm sorry if this message was a bit long; this is just a really fascinating topic for me, and I don't want you to feel like you're losing your mind or whatnot when you're experiencing something fairly common.

Hope this helped!

Take care,



J

[therealme]

the woman i was, was ...i think... my great gran. but she was angree at me and her face changed when i was looking at her. thats why im saying ...i think....
if it was my gran it makes no sense, as we were close.
the woman last night/morning wanted to hurt me, something my great gran wouldnt do...

im hoping it was sleep paralysis, as im still feeling like i dont want to go to bed tonight.

thank you all for your replies, it helps to know im not completely mad. (just a little is just fine)

[nightbird]

(((therealme)))

the sleep paralysis explanation is something else, isn't it?

amazing how the mind works.

i wouldn't worry.

if it happens again, you can talk to you md. and see if anyone else in your family has these experiences. if it's a problem, get a referral and talk to someone like pegasus said.

i understand some foods, like MSG, can trigger nightmares/vivid dreams in some people.
best to you ...

peace,
nightbird