Sleep Paralysis

My mother suffers from sleep paralysis. For those who may not know, it is characterized by waking up with the body totally paralyzed and with vivid visual/audio hallucinations. It can be brought on by stress, irregular sleep patterns, certain foods, etc. I have to check on her nightly to make sure she is okay.
Like many disorders in their early stages in history, a lot of religious folk see this disorder as, well, religious, as the hallucinations always take up a demonic form. I am not religious and am an Atheist. So I am making a note now to say that I respect others' beliefs. Please respect mine.
The point of this thread is:
I am pretty surprised that this is not a recognized disorder with available help to its sufferers.

Hmm. You mean it's not even recognized as a physical disorder?

I once heard the idea that schizophrenics are actually dreaming while awake. This problem seems to lend some support to that idea, I think.

I am sorry your mom has to deal with this problem.

I also suffer from recurring sleep paralysis. I am not too religious but I found out that they are demonic possessions so I decided to test this...
During an episode when I felt the presence entering I said "Jesus please protect me and keep me safe" and I only had to say it 3 times (well I know during SP it's impossible to speak but I was thinking it and it was like my thoughts were coming out loud) anyway after I had said this I heard a piercing screeching sound coming from behind me, I felt something push me and I started feeling vibrations and I woke up. When I had woke up the screeching sounds were still ringing in my ears. It was a terrifying experience but I at least know what to do to stop an episode instantly. And also they want you to be scared, so saying that really does turn the tables. But anyway even if you just say Jesus, it will help! Believe me. I hope your Mother get's better, I know what it's like! Good luck!!

It sounds like physical because of the paralysis but that occurs because of waking in a specific sleep state. Also the hallucinations make it mental/sleep related. This is only listed as a "side" symptom of narcolepsy. And that is not the case here. It seems to be unrecognized as a disorder of its own. That's very interesting about schizophrenia but that that is also not the case. I appreciate your comment and thank you for the concern =D It really is a horrible experience just seeing it second hand.

Thank you for sharing your experience =D My mother used to be religious and actually went through something very similar when her SP first began happening. The screeching is something that most people with SP do get. And once she went with it, it passed (not right away but). She is no longer a religious woman. I am not religious either nor do we believe in demons or anything of the like, lol. It is something that occurs when waking up during a certain sleep phase (when we REM sleep, our bodies are paralyzed; waking up during this stage will result in waking up paralyzed =/)
My mom has a very tough time sleeping because of the fear of this, her stress, and semi-irregular sleep cycles. Unfortunately, I don't think the SP will go away unless the above things are fixed.

I've had episodes of sleep paralysis from the time since I was about 12. Sometimes, I'd have a sense that a Terrible Man was in the room, hovering over me. I'd sometimes feel like I was choking and unable to breathe. I'd fight against it with all my might, but I couldn't move.

It's a recognized sleep disorder; however, it's not considered dangerous, just upsetting.

From WebMD: Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking.

Once it was adequately explained to me, I stopped fighting it. As I lay there, unable to move, I'd focus on breathing and within a minute or so, my brain waves and my body would move back into sync and I'd be fully awake and able to move. It's not scary any more. Perhaps if it's fully explained to your mother, and if she accepts it, she can stop being afraid and you won't have to interrupt your own sleep to check on her.

First couple times it happened, it freaked me out. Thought I was dying. I was afraid to go to sleep. My mother knew a psychiatric nurse who gave a complete Freudian analysis that was all about sex. It wasn't. It's not a psychiatric disorder. It's neurological. Once that was all explained, I was okay, eventhough I continued to have episodes.

Is your mom able to have an evaluation at a sleep disorder clinic?

Here's the full WebMD article: Sleep Paralysis Symptoms, Treatment, and Causes

Snake Charmer, thank you so much for your response! Oh jeez, yes ive spent countless house with her researching it and watching youtube vids with people explaining their experiences. I was unaware that it is neurological, though that and psychiatry/psychology go hand in hand for the most part.
She is able to come out of it by forcing her head to the left, if he is able. Also by forcing out any noise she can muster unless I check on her. Going with it is possible and she has done it before but Just from listening to her and others talk about it I imagine it is very hard for most people to just flow with it, lol. That is amazing that you have found yourself able to!

Yes, I have had this problem in years past. I haven't had it recently. It is terrifying, especially if you don't know what's going on...

Yes, I have been choked before, I have also been burned, pushed, raped, stalked & slapped. They are all the most horrible feelings because it feels like it is happening in real life! I hope your mum finds a way to get better. I was reading online and this girl was getting really terrible episodes of SP and she told her grandma. She went to mexico and got her a blessed cross. She put this cross above her bed and ever since she didn't have any more SP at all!

It's also called 'out of body experiance' and I had it twice years ago when I was totally stressed. Didn't help I was staying over my ex H's house for the holidays and fully believe the place is haunted lol (long story). I can attest to it being terrifying. I felt I'd woken up, only to realize as I sat up that my body was still laying down...then I tried to lay back down, then somehow rolled out of my body, then seemed to be asleep again. It was like I was dreaming I was waking up but I wasn't. I did FINALLY really wake up, but not before seeing a faceless man standing in the kitchen staring at me. Yeah....scary stuff.

Hasn't happened since. This happened when I was in my twenties also, without the terror (except for feeling my body fall thru the bed whilst my BODY remained...that was freaky) but I kinda understand how it happened and I think it was more a case of self-hypnosis than anything else.

Not fun.

At all.

This has been an issue of mine my whole life, but interestingly enough, whenever I'm on my Antidepressants it stops happening. I took a break from them and the episodes returned until I was back on them again.

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