Question: I am 34 years old, and I have been experiencing sleep paralysis / lucid dreaming / hypnopompic imagery episodes for over 20 years. Years ago I was diagnosed with a disorder involving repressed memories. Basically I have extremely violent and terrifying nightmares that are repressed violent childhood memories resurfacing.
What is more terrifying is the sleep paralysis episodes that will often occur along with these dreams. I wake from a nightmare to find myself unable to move. I can see and hear everything going on in my bedroom and my breathing seems very shallow or even strained, but I cannot move. I try to call for my wife or even reach out and touch her but I am unable to.During these episodes I can “sense” and even sometimes see a “dark presence” in my bedroom. It is never a very clear image. Usually only a silhouette or shadow, but that makes it all the more terrifying.When I finally come fully awake and I can finally move I usually will experience a mild to extreme panic attack, and an extreme sense of paranoia. I had an episode similar to this early this morning. The temperatures here have become very pleasant at night so I usually have my bedroom window open, and a fan running. Upon coming fully awake I was so terrified that someone was going to come in through the window that I closed it, and closed the curtains.There have been other episodes where when I fully
awaken I have come up out of the bed screaming at the top of my lungs and swinging my fists for all I am worth to fight off a dreamed up attacker. This is also a terrifying experience for my wife. She has learned to recognize when I am having a nightmare, and she will get up out of the bed, move across the room, and call out gently to me to help me wake up.I have studied and researched sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming on and off for many years, and I am well aware of what is causing these episodes. I am also well aware that they are more or less harmless. However, that does not make them any less terrifying. This is a serious long term problem for me that has resulted in what I would consider to be a serious case of long term unhealthy sleep hygiene. As I am sure anyone reading this is aware, sleep is when your body repairs itself, and because of a long term lack of healthy sleep I have developed several health problems including some mental health problems. Depression, anxiety, panic attacks, irritability, etc.I have yet to find a viable solution to this problem. Reading about the association between sleep apnea and sleep paralysis has given me a direction to look to though. It is my intention in the near future to seek the assistance of a sleep disorder specialist. Hopefully I can find a solution through this avenue.