When I try to fall asleep it feels like an electrical surge passes through my brain. I think I jolt a little. It lasts maybe a second and then comes back five minutes later and is very annoying. It's been going on for maybe two weeks. I think it happened a few times before that, but nothing too significant.

Last night it was bad and kinda scary. The zaps were very intense and when they happened I would hear things. It was usually a couple guitar notes or a chord on the piano, but also sometimes actual music or the sound of sirens. I didn't get to sleep until 3am.

I also have been having trouble staying asleep, but no trouble falling asleep except for last night. I know I'm not getting enough rest. My mood seems stable though.

I'm on a bit of a med vacation right now. It's been maybe two months, but I can take Risperdal or Ativan PRN should I need to. I haven't taken the risperdal for two months but the Ativan I used it a couple nights a couple weeks ago. I was contemplating taking the Risperdal last night, but I didn't think the things I were hearing were from bipolar psychosis and wasn't sure if it would help.

Same zaps used to happen to me when I used to do coke. If I was in your shoes, I would take half the dose...apparently I'm a doctor now

[theKow]

happened to me while I was on risperdal. the shocks would be enough to make me fall out of bed.

i blamed the risperdal, but there are these things called myclonic or hypnic jerks. i suggest you look into those and maybe talk to a pdoc about.

for me, i still get them, but no where near as strong or frequent. while on risperdal (i was on everyday for 2 years) it got to the point where i really needed sedation to even try to fall asleep and i would frequently flop out of bed all the same.

[theKow]

A hypnic jerk, hypnagogic jerk, sleep start, sleep twitch, myoclonic jerk, or night start is an involuntary twitch which occurs when a person is beginning to fall asleep, often causing them to jump and awaken suddenly for a moment. Hypnic jerks are one form of involuntary muscle twitches called myoclonus. Physically, hypnic jerks resemble the "jump" experienced by a person when startled,[1] sometimes accompanied by a falling sensation.[2] Hypnic jerks are associated with a rapid heartbeat, quickened breathing, sweat, and sometimes "a peculiar sensory feeling of 'shock' or 'falling into the void'".[3] A higher occurrence is reported in people with irregular sleep schedules.[4]
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine there is a wide range of potential causes, including anxiety, caffeine, stress and strenuous activities in the evening. However, most hypnic jerks occur essentially at random in healthy people.[5]

pretty sure they're not the same thing. bu they could be. talk to someone with a fudd and if necessary ask for a specialist.

If it's from the Risperdal, why would it start 2 months after tapering off? I'm not saying it isn't, but that doesn't make much sense. And is it normal to hallucinate? I can't find that on the web.

[twistypringle98]

I sometimes hear things when I'm trying to sleep too. They are called hypnagogic hallucinations. It's weird that you couldn't find anything on the internet!

https://patient.info/doctor/hypnagogic-hallucinations

Well I didn't type in the term "hypnagogic hallucinations"

The thing is it's not just when I'm falling asleep. It's pretty much whenever now, but is worse when it's dark out (could psychological nocturnal changes cause it? higher stress levels? the fact that I've just gone another 18 hours without sleep after only sleeping 2?)

I'm just trying to figure out the cause and how to stop it. It's not too pleasant when I'm more or less doing nothing and suddenly feel like someone's trying to jumpstart my brain engine and hear pluck, pluck, pluck.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Do you think the zap could be a hallucination itself, I used to get them before being on an AP when I was actively hallucinating although in my case they could occur anywhere I was worried about, a leg, a heart whatever. Personally I’d take a risperidone and see if they go away after a few days on that.

[unaluna]

Could even be sleep apnea.