Sleep paralysis (HELP ASAP)

I am 20 years old and about six months ago I began to experience what many call "sleep paralysis." Sometimes I will have one episode, others numerous times a night, however this does not happen every night. It occurs every couple of monthes. Also I get it as I am falling asleep and as I am awakeing. I feel as if I can't move, and as if my organs are shutting down. I try to scream for help or move to snap out of it but it does not work instantly. Soon after I fight to wake I awake and all is calm. I also suffer from panic attacks and Tachycardia and take medications for the panic attacks, but have been on them for four yrs so I have ruled out the medication. I do not believe in evil spirits or demons, but am scared I will die in my sleep from these. I need help! I am scared to go to bed.

[shibujimmy]

I had a similafr issue, which happens once in a while, once i think i am half awake i can see the end of bed and the doorway and i thought i saw an intruder, or god in the form of intruder (a different moment) and I try to get up from the bed, and I can't. As if somebody is pushing me back to the bed, i struggle and finally for a moment, i see everything going blank, and i comming out of the sleep to find everything to be fine. Once when I was a kid i was half awake in my sleep as my eyes won't completely shut down (scared a lot of people whn they use 2 see me first timw when i slept) and I had a my eyes focussed on a particular round coconut. Somewhere in the middle of the whole sequence this cocnut seems to fly comming closer and bigger. This scared the hell out of me as I scrmbled out of the bed and ran for my life. Don't worry get enough sleep and sleep in a dark room.

[heyjude1]

Hi, I have this also.  There is a clinical name for it but I don't  rememvber it!  Alot of people actually experience this disorder.  Some people feel like they are being held down with a weight on their chest, some people feel like evil spirts are after them.  My experiences have been waking up with eyes open, mind totally alert but unable to move a single muscle for several minutes andr unable to scream, etc.  It is horrifying but I have learned not to let myself freak out and just know that it will pass away and it is all about my mind waking up and the body being behind.  Just knowing this and realizing it will pass helps alot.  The following is pulled from the web

Have you ever felt like you were awake but unable to move? You might have even felt afraid but could not call for help? This condition is called sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis may leave you feeling frightened, especially if you also see or hear things that aren't really there. Sleep paralysis may happen only once, or you may have it frequently -- even several times a night.  

Over the centuries, symptoms of sleep paralysis have been described in many ways and often attributed to "evil" presences: unseen night demons in ancient times, the old hag in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and alien abductors. Almost every culture throughout history has had stories of shadowy evil creatures that terrify helpless humans at night. People have long sought explanations for this mysterious sleep-time paralysis and the accompanying feelings of terror.

But sleep researchers now know that, in most cases, sleep paralysis is simply a sign that your body is not moving smoothly through the stages of sleep. Rarely is sleep paralysis linked to deep underlying psychiatric problems.

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. Sleep paralysis may accompany other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is an overpowering need to sleep caused by a problem with the brain's ability to regulate sleep.

Sleep paralysis usually occurs at one of two times. If it occurs while you are falling asleep, it's called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. If it happens as you are waking up, it's called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis.
As you fall asleep, your body slowly relaxes. Usually you become less aware, so you do not notice the change. However, if you remain or become aware while falling asleep, you may notice that you cannot move or speak.

During sleep, your body alternates between REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. One cycle of REM and NREM sleep lasts about 90 minutes. NREM sleep occurs first and takes up to 75% of your overall sleep time. During NREM sleep, your body relaxes and restores itself. At the end of NREM, your sleep shifts to REM. Your eyes move quickly and dreams occur, but the rest of your body remains very relaxed. Your muscles are "turned off" during REM sleep. If you become aware before the REM cycle has finished, you may notice that you cannot move or speak.

[rose18348]

I suffer from panic attacks as well and just recently, i have been suffering from this sleeping disorder. The first time it happend i saw somebody walk into my bedroom and i was very scared as i live alone in a flat. I then tried to scream but nothing would happen. this happend every night for about 30 seconds but recently its been longer like 5-10 minuites. i get very scared about it and have a consultation as someone recommended reflexology? im glad to see im not the only one who has experianced this.

[brandon421]

i got the same thing it happens to me to actually me and my father idk its crazy how it works there is no for sure anwser what it can be everyone that got this is could be a different anwser but i heard that feeling that weird unexplaniable feeling when your body is frozen and u know everything that is going on and you can see or hear something and swearrrr that its there or u heard it its your soul leaving your body not that many people got it idk im kinda young but im not crazyy i experienced death one in my life idk if thats why i get this or what but im not sure but my father gets it to so idk to me it feels like something evil is right next to me and its coming to do something with me but im not a evil person i dont do black majic or anything  but it is possible of demos comn by people idky y but its so hard to explain  why does our bodies get like that is it really a sleeping issue and can our brains really make us that crazy w.t.h. or can it be a evil spirit coming by us or is our spririt leaving our body at night and its trying to come back sounds 10000% crazy but what i come to see is that everyone gets is different way idk sorry if it sounds crazy but its the scariest feeling in the world wen you wake up in the middle of the night and this happens to you
email back someone
anyonee
thank you

[Dr Rajput]

Hi, welcome to the forum, sleep paralysis can be a manifestation of type of sleep disorder like parasomnias.

Few of the individuals are known to suffer from parasomnias esp. when they are on non-benzodiazepine sedatives, drug abuse etc. otherwise no definitive cause exists in few individuals apart from stress, positive past history of abuse etc.

The associated symptoms with the following disorder are confusional wakefulness, sleep paralysis, nightmares and night terrors. This can occur in any sleep stage (REM and non-REM stage).

To rule out parasomnias you need to undergo Polysomnyography and sleep analysis. You need to take out time for further evaluation. Sleep with light on. Short term benzodiazepine against prescription will help you. I suggest you to consult physician or sleep specialist. Take care and regards.  

[toxickittyn]

Hello, I too have experienced sleep paralysis. I have it every once in a while. A lot of the times when I am just napping. It feels as if I am awake, but drugged, and I can not move, and when I try to scream for help nothing comes out. It feels like people are surrounding me, or dark shadows sometimes, like something bad is coming for me. It's a really frightening feeling and I don't know what causes it. But I have read that it can be controlled. I just am not sure how.