Hypnopompic / Hypnogogic Hallucinations

So if nothing else, learning I am bp has opened up the door to some of my more distressing issues...learned today that I have Hypnopompic and hypnogogic hallucinations. It's when you think you're awake and seeing or hearing something that isn't there. It's a hallucination when you are going to or waking up from sleep.

I've had what I've named my Spider-mers for around 15 years. I'll wake up and see a spider. Of course I freak and in really bad instances I thrash and hit. I've hurt my husband doing this. I only thought about this again since I've had two now in the past two weeks. Haven't had them in a long while. I also used to have night terrors. My poor daughter has them now too.

I looked around and couldn't find anything but was wondering if this is related to bp or not. It seems a lot of my abnormal behaviors are bp related so just wondering if this is too.

I have hallucinations daily , but not at the asleep/awake times as you.

Hopefully someone comes along and can give you more practical information.

That's happened to me a couple of times when waking from nightmares --a few months ago, I woke up convinced that the (terrifying) man in my nightmare was in my apartment, it took me a while to realize/believe he wasn't, that it had been a dream.

I don't know if that's what you're talking about, because this is specific to nightmares. Are you dreaming of spiders and then wake up thinking you see one or do you not remember the dream but suddenly wake up and see a spider (or other things)?

In any case, it sounds terrifying, I'm so sorry this keeps happening

I frankly don't know about these things, but do know that there are all sorts of sleep disorders out there and this does sound to me like it's more sleep-related than mood related (re BP), but certainly worth some research.

Did your pdoc give you any suggestions on what to do about them, is there anything that can be done?

This is common. People without mental illness get them, too.

Yup, they're normal. Not related to BP. They can feel disturbing sometimes, but are not any kind of pathology. I've had a lot of them (mostly hypnopompic), and freaked when they started happening too. (As in... They're so REAL! I've even gotten up, so I know I'm not sleeping! Omg, I must be losing my mind!), so I'm happy to be able to share the comforting information that they're nothing to worry about.

I've seen bugs, people, giant heating systems(!), night sky through missing roofs, you name it. One memorable one was very pleasant though... a white feather gently drifting towards my face. Kinda cool.

Uhm, wow, I've seen swirls of colors (very mild, kind of like "auras") in a dark room and short noises when close to falling asleep but that is the extent of these hallucinations. I also know that they are rather common, the sounds and the colors. I didn't know that they get stronger than that for other people.

I had a lot of anxiety the other day and heard a strange zapping noise in one of my ears for a second or two as I was near to being asleep. It made me think that I could have a seizure, and I was actually afraid to relax. Eh, silly me, I've never had a seizure. I'm not sure if hearing electric noises is even a warning to one.

Whew! Finally something abnormal that is normal! HA!

Not that I'd wish this on anyone.

It's ALWAYS spiders I see. But I've felt the bed move before while falling asleep and have heard people walking or music at night. I guess these are part of it too.

It does seem to happen during times of stress. Perhaps it's related? Either way, thanks for the replies! I didn't know such a thing existed let alone that many people experienced them too!