Sleep Paralysis...
January 24, 2017 at 2:44 am
(This post was last modified: January 24, 2017 at 3:02 am by Autolite.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY2gh51KdnQ
Sleep Paralysis (AKA Old Hag Syndrome) is a not uncommon stress and fatigue induced sleep disorder that can produce very realistic visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations. Many features of an SP episode are common across all cultures and belief systems and can explain why belief in the supernatural persists.
Anyone experiencing an SP hallucination might think that they have been visited or attacked by an 'evil' spirit, ghost or demon. Like one commenter in the linked video says, it can be more frightening and terrifying than anything experienced in real life. Although rare, I have experienced several episodes myself in my life and can attest to the fact that they can be most unsettling. I have twice 'seen' the Old Hag. Other times there has been an overwhelming sense of an unseen 'evil' or malevolent presence in the room with a feeling of being cloaked in a black shroud. It's like having a very bad dream, but while you're partially awake.
Although I never once believed that there was anything supernatural going on, I didn't learn what the actual cause or reason was for these episodes until very many years after having experienced them. Has anyone else here had a similar SP experience? Once you've had an episode or two yourself, you can appreciate why some people will believe in the supernatural. I just wanted to reassure anyone who has experienced this and does not understand what is happening, that although quite terrifying, it is otherwise benign and harmless...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY2gh51KdnQ
Sleep Paralysis (AKA Old Hag Syndrome) is a not uncommon stress and fatigue induced sleep disorder that can produce very realistic visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations. Many features of an SP episode are common across all cultures and belief systems and can explain why belief in the supernatural persists.
Anyone experiencing an SP hallucination might think that they have been visited or attacked by an 'evil' spirit, ghost or demon. Like one commenter in the linked video says, it can be more frightening and terrifying than anything experienced in real life. Although rare, I have experienced several episodes myself in my life and can attest to the fact that they can be most unsettling. I have twice 'seen' the Old Hag. Other times there has been an overwhelming sense of an unseen 'evil' or malevolent presence in the room with a feeling of being cloaked in a black shroud. It's like having a very bad dream, but while you're partially awake.
Although I never once believed that there was anything supernatural going on, I didn't learn what the actual cause or reason was for these episodes until very many years after having experienced them. Has anyone else here had a similar SP experience? Once you've had an episode or two yourself, you can appreciate why some people will believe in the supernatural. I just wanted to reassure anyone who has experienced this and does not understand what is happening, that although quite terrifying, it is otherwise benign and harmless...
