Hi, My name is Brad. I'm 21 years old and
I have been knowingly been dealing with
sleep paralysis for about 5 months now. I
have had attacks with in the last 2 years
or so.
Lately It seems I don't want to sleep at
all as I'm terrified. I have experienced
various symptoms of sleep paralysis.
Pressure, the presence, terror, unable to
breath, ringing in my ears,
hallucinations, lucid dreaming, out of
body experience, other worldly
experiences, communication with people (
hard to explain. )
As strange and embaressing as this is. I
literally slept in my parents room the
other week. It was that bad. I collapsed
on the floor on the way there and had an
attack. I'm so terrified of the attacks
that I literally faint and loose strength
due to the fact I deprive my self of sleep
out of complete fear. In fact Right now I
have not slept for 36 hours.
The hardest part is with my job I don't
have a set schedule. After complaining to
management for nearly 6 months I landed a
full time schedule only to have my shifts
snatched away from me by staff members who
have been with the company longer. That on
it's own has taken a huge toll on me. I
typically work one shift one day and a
completely different shift another. I do
have time to sleep, I just can't get a
regular pattern going, nor do I have the
desire to try to sleep due to my problem.
It doesn't seem to matter in which
position I sleep. I can have an attack on
my side, my back my stomach. I can even
have them sitting. I've been listening to
calm music but it's really loud right now
as to keep me awake. It's 10:12 PM where I
am located and I have to be up for 4am,
and get to work for 5 am.
My mother's friend suggested taking Coffea
Cruda as sort of a natural sleep aid. It's
supposed to help me relax and calm down.
Make it easier to sleep. Well... It made
me fall into an attack quickly. I let the
three granules melt under my tongue as
directed. Laid down on my side as I'm most
comfortable that way and BAM ! I couldn't
move and I got that familiar ringing in my
ears that only seems to grow louder and
terrify me greatly.
I will be doing my best to avoid all forms
of caffeine and avoid as much sugar as
possible. I sort of became reliant on both
those things for a while back because I
wanted to stay awake and avoid the
attacks. I know it probably hasn't helped
me any now, but I just figured if I stay
awake I'll be okay. That's not the case.
Any advice ? Any help ? What should I do ?
Do many of you suffer from this same Sleep
disorder ?
Thank you for your time. Even if you don't
reply, thank you for reading my story.
-Bradley
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1980 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
Thanks: 30
Thanked:10
Posted: 04-29-08 01:53am
Did the attacks of sleep paralysis start
after you started working on shifts?
How many times you are experiencing sleep
paralysis in one week?
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Ilyich
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 28 Apr 2008 Posts: 2 Location: Abbotsford, BC Canada
Posted: 04-29-08 06:35am
So far this week, I've had 2 seperate
nights worth of attacks. I worked
yesterday, and now I'm about to head out
to work right now.
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MandMs
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 1980 Location: Strumica, Macedonia
Thanks: 30
Thanked:10
Hi, llych! Posted: 05-07-08 06:43am
I understand your fighting not to fall
asleep, but, due to your sleeplessness you
gonna experience more frequent attacks of
sleep paralysis, cause lack of sleep is a
one contributing factor for this
condition.
An attack of sleep paralysis is usually
harmless and self-limited (the brain and
body re-establish connections and the
person is able to move again), but, the
memory of the terrifying sensations felt
during sleep paralysis can long endure.
Disrupted sleep schedules, like in your
case (due to shift work) is one of the
causes for experiencing sleep paralysis.
Can you remember if your first attack was
preceded by a bad sleep hygiene?
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CrazyBeautiful
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Location: , Australia
Posted: 07-15-08 02:56am
Hi,
the only thing that has stopped sleep
paralysis for me is the brand of
antidepressant tablests - Zoloft. I
initially started the tablets because I
had other problems but my sleep paralysis
actually stopped. And I know it's these
tablets because whenever I stop taking
them for a bit (if I run out of them) then
the sleep paralysis comes back. But as
soon as I'm back on the tablets, sleep
paralysis disappears.
It's the only thing that has worked for
me.
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NightStar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Galesburg, IL USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:1
Posted: 07-22-08 12:36pm
I had sleep paralysis, and one time the
doctor asked me to get tested for a EEG (
where they make you go without sleep ) and
put wires on your head and have you sleep
for the test. And BAM I got an attack of
sleep paralysis right in the middle of the
test.
That was when I learned that lack of sleep
was the contributing factor to sleep
paralysis. That has been over 5 years now
without further attacks. I make sure each
night to get 8 hours of sleep.
I think you are making your situation
worse by not wanting to sleep. When what
you really need is to get as much sleep as
possible.
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g3mma
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2008 Posts: 1
Posted: 07-22-08 18:33pm
hello i've been havin terrible attacks of
sleep paralysis. its gettin to the point
where im afraid to sleep! need advice and
some1 to relate to
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CrazyBeautiful
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Jul 2008 Posts: 4 Location: , Australia
Posted: 07-23-08 02:16am
NightStar
wrote:
I had sleep paralysis, and
one time the doctor asked me to get tested
for a EEG ( where they make you go without
sleep ) and put wires on your head and
have you sleep for the test. And BAM I got
an attack of sleep paralysis right in the
middle of the test.
That was when I learned that lack of sleep
was the contributing factor to sleep
paralysis. That has been over 5 years now
without further attacks. I make sure each
night to get 8 hours of sleep.
I think you are making your situation
worse by not wanting to sleep. When what
you really need is to get as much sleep as
possible.
I would love to do an EEG. I'd love to see
my brain activity when SP happens.
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NightStar
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jul 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Galesburg, IL USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:1
Posted: 07-23-08 09:06am
The test came up with no results, it was
normal. Even though I had an attack right
there in front of the nurse. All she did
was lay a hand on me, and patted me, I was
so mad that she didn't shake me out of it.
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