[cashart10]

I have Bipolar 1 but I have only ever hallucinated a few times and only when either extremely manic or extremely depressed. Well, yesterday, I hallucinated that I was being cremated. I could feel heat, see smoke roll over my eyes, smell burning, and worst of all, I felt panicked like I was actually being burned alive but yet couldn't move or make a sound. I have been stable for a short while (but truly stable) and nothing like this has ever happened. What gives? Should I call my pdoc? Just wait and see if anything else happens? The only "off" thing was I had (and still have) a pretty bad stomach virus. It's going around my house. Has anyone else ever experienced anything like this?

Edit: I was also in and out of sleep but definitely awake. Don't know if that helps?

[letsgogh]

Could it be sleep paralysis or something similar? I've hallucinated what I was dreaming upon waking but don't contribute it to bipolar.

Not to say that you didn't have a bipolar related hallucination, just a thought!

[jesusplay]

smell burning?

see a doctor

[Crazy Hitch]

Yeah probs best to sett your pdoc I think cashart. Not sure what's causing this one.

Burning - common aulfactory one.

I get those too. Guess it depends on the severity of the halluncination ... some ... harmless for me...others, can be pretty destructive ... so just keep in touch with your pdoc ...

[boydisappearing]

I get sleep paralysis and hallucinations while falling in and out of sleep, and they have nothing to do with my bipolar. It's just hypnagogia. Some of them are scary, but I just try to relax even though I can't move, and let myself go back to sleep. Sometimes I can wrench myself out of it and move, but I still feel unsettled for a long time.

Hypnagogia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[~Christina]

I have a recurring issue, started when I was maybe 7 or 8 years old. it never changes at all, but when it happens I am 100% terrified.

If this is something new then you need to let your pdoc know.

[Espurr1989]

Yeah, let him/her know, but if it was me, I wouldn't make a special appointment for it. I had something like this happen to me when I was about 14 or 15. From where my bed was positioned at the time, I could see all the way down the hall into the living room where my dad had left a lava lamp on. I was drifting off to sleep when suddenly I thought I saw the lava lamp catch our curtains on fire since it was setting close to a pair of them. I tried to scream to my dad that our house was catching on fire, but I couldn't scream. I just laid there watching it for a little bit because there was nothing else I could do. Finally I 'woke up' and realized that everything was fine. It was still really unsettling though. I guess it is possible for the brain to fall asleep and dream even if your eyes are still open.

Sleep paralysis/hallucinations while in and out of sleep and ill are pretty common and usually nothing to be alarmed by. But yep bloody scary.

[cashart10]

Thank you all. I think it must have been sleep paralysis because it was just so random. I hope it never happens again!!! If it does, I will call my pdoc but if it doesn't, I will just wait until I see him.

[Imah]

Cashart10,

You feel daring today. I envy you that phase. Daring is such a fun time, albiet impulsive. lol.

Re: your experience. I am so sorry you felt that! You didn't say if it was a fullblown delusion where you were unaware of reality at the same time you were being cremated, and also - about how long was it.

I would suggest, if you were totally unaware of reality when this occurred, but you realized what happened after, contact your doctor. If you were in one of those, half in half out - is this real or is this fantasy situations, journal it and wait til your appointment.

Its hard for us to notice when we are part way into a manic or depressive phase unless something big like this happens. But the fact that you feel daring today suggests your still in the mania state.

Best of luck to you, and each one of us.