[RedStorms]

Sorry if I'm wrong about this but I don't know what this could be.
Let me start this by saying I'm a very logical person, I know monsters and the like don't exist.. but even still, I keep having these.. "bouts of paranoia".

It happens exclusively at dark when everyone is asleep. I'll be laying in bed, reading or playing a videogame, when I get this odd feeling in the back of my mind. Like there's something not quite right. I ignore it, but it grows and grows until I'm petrified by fear. I feel like.. no, it's like I KNOW that there is something in the room with me. If the room is dark and I can't look around I just cower in fear, too scared to get up. If the light is on I just keep scanning the room - the corner of the room, the ceiling, the closet, the wall behind me... I just keep looking, searching for whatever it is. Tonight, I got the courage to get up and move to turn my lamp on, and the instant I got up I *KNEW* something was behind me. I thought I was going to die. When I fell back into bed, light on, I felt like crying.

I feel I should add lately, when I close my eyes.. I'll sometimes imagine horrifying things for no reason.. things too horrifying to explain. Then I can't get the image out of my head for a while.

I need to specify, I've never actually *seen* anything, or heard anything. I only see the "monsters" when I close my eyes, occasionally. Usually after a bout of paranoia.

Afterwards, I find myself shaking and full of energy, like an adrenaline rush.. but it doesn't feel like one.

I feel strongly it's anxiety, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder. Did anything ever really scare you in the dark?

I hope this helps.

[RedStorms]

Originally Posted by Helen Back

I feel strongly it's anxiety, specifically post-traumatic stress disorder. Did anything ever really scare you in the dark?

I hope this helps.

I'm thinking very hard about it, but no. I can't think of a single traumatic event in my life. I can think of unpleasant things, of course, but nothing like that. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[Als1495]

Hey Red Storms!

I totally get where you're coming from, I feel the same way. I too have those thoughts and feel the same way about the dark, and about the feeling that something is in the room with me. I have schizophrenia. I also see things, in the dark, especially horrible creatures, or images (sometimes through my eye lids).

I also cannot sleep comfortably in the dark, I sleep with my lamp on EVERY night. In my mind these "creatures " manifest themselves as demons. I have only seen them with my eyes closed, if that makes sense, except for one time. I also hear voices.

IMO if you aren't hearing, seeing or feeling them you might not be experiencing psychotic episodes. I see, hear, and feel them physically, and I am on medication that helps with that. I can assure you that I have schizophrenia. But about 6 months ago I began to feel "keyed up ", with a surge of energy and racing heartbeat, while trying to fall asleep. I felt as if something was revving me up like a car engine and I could not escape it. I told my Dr and he prescribed me gabapentin. I stopped feeling that anxiety and felt calmer more at peace during the night and during the day. It lessened the feelings from the demons as well... I later researched the med and found out it was for anxiety.

Sorry so long, but in my humble opinion and experience , it sounds more like anxiety than schizophrenia. Of course, you should try to see a psychiatrist.

[mindwrench]

That is a great question, and one i have asked myself before. Where is the line between freaking yourself out, and terrorizing things entering your mind on their own? As only each person knows how much influence they have over it. Are there always scary things trying to enter your thoughts that you always have to hold at bay? I hipe to unjderstand the answers to this myself some day.