See Images When Awake From Sleep Posted: 02-24-06 00:31am
I don't know if this is a sleep disorder,
but I thought someone might know what this
is. For the past couple of years, I have
seen dark shadowed images of things
(people & animals mostly) when I awake
in the middle of the night. It usually
happens once a week. This is what
happens. I awake slowly, say around 2pm,
thinking I see someone in the room hiding
in the corner. It takes a couple of
seconds of registering but I usually look
over at my dog that is sleeping and if she
is fast asleep then I know its not real
and I go back to sleep. I do recognize my
surroundings. It is always my room that
i'm in but its like a small piece of a
dream creaped in. It's not like the other
disorders i've read where their eyes are
closed and unable to move. I usually get
up and try to attack the thing or even
grab a baseball bat and approach it. When
I turn on the lamp, the dark images fad
away right in front of me. Its very
strange because it's like if you were to
turn your lights off in your room at night
and walk at someone or thing in the room.
I'm very aware and I have gotten to the
point where I know its false and I just go
back to sleep. The images are always
shadows of the real thing. Strange isn't
it. I'm not worried about it, only if
someone really is in my room and I
willingly go back to sleep.
Has anyone heard of this?
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skittleseer
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 8
Posted: 02-24-06 09:28am
I remembered reading this a while back and
thought it might intrest you. Search for
symptoms of narcolepsy and see if you're
experiencing any of the other symptoms.
The hallucinations doesn't necessarily
mean you have narcolepsy, but it is a
symptom. It probably would be a good
idea to get tested. If you don't have
narcolepsy, the doctor may know of a
treatment for the hallucinations. Here's
the info I had seen:
hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations
are visual, tactile, auditory, or other
sensory events, usually brief but
occasionally prolonged, that occur at the
transition from wakefulness to sleep
(hypnagogic) or from sleep to wakefulness
(hypnopompic). The affected individual
may hear sounds that aren't there and/or
see illusions. These visual and auditory
illusions are very vivid and may be
bizarre or disturbing to the victims.
People report being fully awake and aware
but completely paralyzed. Sometimes they
see a strange light. Most often there is
pervasive fear, sometimes so strong that
people are sure they are about to die.
Other parts of their hallucination, which
may include people, animals, parts of
objects, or just shapes, have a
mysteriously nightmarish quality.
The hallucinations are quite vivid and
specific. People visualize intruders in
their bedroom; they see someone coming
through the window, they hear footsteps
getting closer and closer and they fear
they would be murdered in their bed. Some
victims see frightening stranger walk in
and out of their bedroom.
This phenomenon also can occur in
individuals who do not suffer from
narcolepsy, particularly in children.
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jmt7777
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 2
Not Narcolepsy Or Any Other Sleep Disorders I've Researched Posted: 02-24-06 09:41am
The hallucinations that I experience
aren't very scary, they are if you thought
you saw someone but you know it really
isn't there. I'm not paralyzed either. I
really get out of bed with my eyes open
and walk towards the item. Its very
faint, not vivid. My wife catches me most
of the time and I wake up (although my
eyes are already open, I just realize that
the object isn't there). Most of the time
I reason through the halluncination as I
sit up in bed. I reason that the object
really isn't there and convince myself to
lay back down. It's like i'm sleep
walking with my eyes open and I used logic
to wake myself up. Its strange because it
doesn't bother me at all. I think I have
the hallucinations when i'm overly tired
or stresses.
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skittleseer
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 8
Tough Call Posted: 02-24-06 11:24am
I'm not sure what else it could be.
Since it started just a couple of years
ago, it could be a chemical imbalance.
But one thing is sure, something has
changed and it definitely could be more
stress. Stress can do strange things to
the body. All the same, I would at least
get a physical and blood profile (if you
haven't done so already) and mention the
hallucinations to your doctor. Everyone
doesn't always react the same to certain
conditions. For example, some people
that have stress may experience an upset
stomach and that's it. Others may have
anxiety attacks. Back in 1995, I thought
I had an allergy or something because
every time I went to a place that involved
me sitting down for a while, my nose would
run, I would have an upset stomach, and my
arms would go numb. It was very
disruptive and I just dealt with it the
best I could. I finally mentioned it to
my doctor and he said that it sounds like
a panic attack. For the 27 years before
1995, I didn't panic about such things -
it was quite the opposite. I wasn't
bashful about anything. It was just a
chemical imbalance. Now, i'm back to my
old self, making my wife blush and laugh
again wherever we go. The bottom
line...I misdiagnosed myself.
The thing I found out during my research
is that the brain can do strange things
(check out my post "i see skittles"). I
can close my eyes right now and see that
stuff swirling around. My problem really
isn't sleep related but it does affect my
sleep. The best answer I have gotten is
that it's an overactive visual cortex and
is most likely benign since i've had it
all my life. You would thing that there
was someone out there experiencing the
same thing but I haven't found anyone yet.
Maybe they think that it's normal, just
as I did until I started asking people.
Best of luck finding out what it is and
remember that it doesn't hurt to ask.
