Need some ATS piece of mind!

Before I even try to explain what happened to me last night, know that I am by no means making this up or trying to get some "cyber attention" of any kind. I am by nature a very sceptical person, coupled with the horrible human condition to constantly be deceptive my scepticism can sometimes get the better of me. Again please note this occurrence I am about to attempt to explain is the very first time I have experienced something of this frighting calibre and I am solely sharing this here on ATS because of the diversity of mentalities that dwell within this IP. Your input, opinions, and interpretations will be dearly appreciated.

After arriving home from a friends farewell to the USA (I am from South Africa) I engaged in my usual routine of midnight snacking and watching some comical programmes that one can only view at that time of night. I started getting tiered so I went to bed, please not I did have a couple of beers but nowhere near to the complete debilitation of any my motor functions.

I fell asleep in no time and all was dandy. I have no idea how long I was fast asleep but when I awoke (still being dark), and this is were things get really strange. I felt a solid and firm pressure on my chest, like someone quite strong was holding me down. I could see no physical figure over me even with the bit of ambient light cascading through my window from the street lights. The worst thing was as I felt this pressure on my chest, I also struggled to breath normally, not full on asphyxiation but more like the shortness of breath when one exercises. I started to panic as I struggled to sit upright so I started yelling "hey, hey! what the f@%k".

My old man opened the door to my room and flicked the light on and as he did that I was able to sit upright but I felt weak and confused. As he asked me what all the fuss was about I suddenly felt extremely nauseous and literally pushed him to the side to get to toilet and vomit. I mumbled my predicament to him in my crappy state and he ruled it off as a nightmare. Not in the mood to argue I just nodded my head and climbed back into my bed to only feel that I was sopping wet, the kind of sweating you would experience from intense exercising. Needles to say I couldn't fall asleep again as this incident was just looping in my head over and over.

The only logical explanation that came to mind was sleep paralysis, but it still does no justification to the fact that I was wide awake when I felt that pressure on my chest and fully capable of clear speech. I am not a firm believer in poltergeists or demons for that matter so I am still flabbergasted about this whole ordeal.

ANYBODY OUT THERE WITH ANY KNOWLEDGE ON THIS TYPE OF PHENOMENON OR SIMILAR EXPERIENCES, I WILL REALLY APPRECIATE SOME PIECE OF MIND.

Sounds like you had a panic attack. If it is, you need to recognize what it is, or else you'll start associating it with things you're thinking about and it will develop into a phobia.

EDIT: alcohol can lower you're threshold for panic attacks. Start thinking about laying off the midnight snacking and get some exercise.

reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice



The only logical explanation that came to mind was sleep paralysis, but it still does no justification to the fact that I was wide awake when I felt that pressure on my chest and fully capable of clear speech.


Yes it does, and that's what it was...holy rhyme..!


Copious amounts of alcohol help, so consider that as one of many aids for those moments...


BTW - in the South they call it Witches Broom...very scary.

I woke up one morning to a Dark figure standing over me, i panicked and struggled for air, i realized it was just my eyes adjusting to the light, but it sent my body into panic initially.

Panic attack would be my bet, probably caused by an uneasy transition from Rem sleep to awareness

Originally posted by facelift
reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice

 

The only logical explanation that came to mind was sleep paralysis, but it still does no justification to the fact that I was wide awake when I felt that pressure on my chest and fully capable of clear speech.


Yes it does, and that's what it was...holy rhyme..!


Copious amounts of alcohol help, so consider that as one of many aids for those moments...


BTW - in the South they call it Witches Broom...very scary.

And how does alcohol help exactly?

reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice


Sleep paralysis can manifest itself in different ways and sometimes different effects. I had a similiar experience once while sleeping at work (a fire department). There was pressure on the chest (no not a heart attack), struggling to catch my breath, a feeling of panic and anxiety, lights flickering from behind a door, and I struggled to sit upright and head to the door to open it. When I did, no lights were on in the hallway, yet it was those lights that permitted me to see where I was going after struggling to get up. It felt like my whole body was asleep, without the tingling like when a leg falls asleep.

Also, on a side note, considering the well constructed opening post, it's format, and the lack of other word's spelled wrong, and excellent grammar ... I have a question: In South Africa is the word "skepticism" also often spelled "scepticism" there? I don't mean to sound like a grammar or spelling police officer or anything. Just wondering.

Hope you find the closure and peace of mind you seek about this issue. Good Luck.

reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice


You know, the only way to really know if this was an outside force and not some bodily dysfunction called sleep paralysis, is to have someone who has the ability to clear 'negative entities', sit down and do so without your actual knowledge of it. This can be done from afar so its no big deal. But for this to happen, you'd have to experience this thing on your chest either every day or every night. So when the person chooses a specific day to do the cleansing, and it correlates with the one day you were free of said sensations, and days after ofcourse, one can truly decide if this was an outside force or entity to begin with.

Needless to say, if with the cleansing going on you still have these sensations, you should seek some physical help from a doctor who knows more about sleep paralysis.

reply to post by TedHodgson


True. Also maybe waking up too fast in an unfamiliar place or waking up in a place you don't usually wake up can cause a small amount of panic in someone when transitioning from rem sleep to awake. Good point!

Originally posted by TedHodgson
I woke up one morning to a Dark figure standing over me, i panicked and struggled for air, i realized it was just my eyes adjusting to the light, but it sent my body into panic initially.

Panic attack would be my bet, probably caused by an uneasy transition from Rem sleep to awareness

I've had that happen to me, it wasn't a pleasant experience. The figures I seen weren't very static, and I think I was looking at my room with an overlay of what I was dreaming about, which made it look like there was something moving in the room. That coupled with the fact I was having a panic attack.

Originally posted by satron
Sounds like you had a panic attack. If it is, you need to recognize what it is, or else you'll start associating it with things you're thinking about and it will develop into a phobia.

EDIT: alcohol can lower you're threshold for panic attacks. Start thinking about laying off the midnight snacking and get some exercise.

edit on 3-3-2012 by satron because: (no reason given)

Understood but I am by no means a regular drinker and my midnight snacking consists of proper food, I am also very fit, jog 21km a week and train with my kick boxing friends on a regular basis. I don't think I can link this experience with eating habits or physical fitness. Never get panic attacks either. I am in my early twenties and quite an adventurous type of person with no phobias of any kind.

reply to post by ILikeStars


It's funny how the mind like to play , Myself scares myself at times

reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice


Did you eat cheese before bedtime?

i was thinking of a seasure. it can do all those things. pressure in the chest cloudy mind and nausia

Originally posted by facelift
reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice

 

The only logical explanation that came to mind was sleep paralysis, but it still does no justification to the fact that I was wide awake when I felt that pressure on my chest and fully capable of clear speech.


Yes it does, and that's what it was...holy rhyme..!


Copious amounts of alcohol help, so consider that as one of many aids for those moments...


BTW - in the South they call it Witches Broom...very scary.

I was no where near drunk throughout the course of the whole night, so It cant be the alcohol, I am in a decent physical condition and suffer from no psychological conditions accept a sick sense of humour, Witches Broom lol

Originally posted by TedHodgson
I woke up one morning to a Dark figure standing over me, i panicked and struggled for air, i realized it was just my eyes adjusting to the light, but it sent my body into panic initially.

Panic attack would be my bet, probably caused by an uneasy transition from Rem sleep to awareness

Okay could most likely be the case but I did wake up because of the initial pressure I felt on my body, I only started panicking when I could not get my body into an upright position and my shortness of breath was from the struggling.
Good observation though thanks for your input

reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice

With no mean to scare you, maybe its some sort of mild heart attack?
You should visit your doctor first, there is plenty of time for paranormal explanations...
Take care

reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice


The transition between been asleep and awake can occasionally catch you off guard, Our dreams rule our minds and occasionally our bodies as well, Nothing to worry about unless it happens regularly in which case a sleep aid might be prescribed but i imagine it'll be an isolated incident that wont re-occur

Originally posted by ILikeStars
reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice

 

Sleep paralysis can manifest itself in different ways and sometimes different effects. I had a similiar experience once while sleeping at work (a fire department). There was pressure on the chest (no not a heart attack), struggling to catch my breath, a feeling of panic and anxiety, lights flickering from behind a door, and I struggled to sit upright and head to the door to open it. When I did, no lights were on in the hallway, yet it was those lights that permitted me to see where I was going after struggling to get up. It felt like my whole body was asleep, without the tingling like when a leg falls asleep.

Also, on a side note, considering the well constructed opening post, it's format, and the lack of other word's spelled wrong, and excellent grammar ... I have a question: In South Africa is the word "skepticism" also often spelled "scepticism" there? I don't mean to sound like a grammar or spelling police officer or anything. Just wondering.

Hope you find the closure and peace of mind you seek about this issue. Good Luck.

Interesting similar experience, and terrifying one at that. I like to be in control so when my body is stuck in a place without any evidence of physical restraint it raises alarming concerns in my state of mind. Hopefully I will never have to experience something like that again.

As for your query on the spelling of scepticism, our English spelling is based on the united kingdom system of spelling. I presume you are from the USA if you spell it with a "K".

Thanks for sharing your experience glad to know I am not the only one who felt that almost indescribable feeling of sudden panic. Keep well

One day I was lying in bed and felt a weight on my abdomen. I was sure it was just one of my sons putting his head on my tummy even though the room was dark enough that I couldn't see anyone. When I went to touch his head with my hand and no one was there I screamed and jumped off the bed. I couldn't tell you what is was.

I've had sleep paralysis/old hag syndrome ????? it felt like a giant python was squeezing me to death and I could not scream.

Either way, both times I felt like I was not alone in the room. Sounds like you felt another's presence, also.

Originally posted by nusnus
reply to post by FreeThinkerbychoice

 

You know, the only way to really know if this was an outside force and not some bodily dysfunction called sleep paralysis, is to have someone who has the ability to clear 'negative entities', sit down and do so without your actual knowledge of it. This can be done from afar so its no big deal. But for this to happen, you'd have to experience this thing on your chest either every day or every night. So when the person chooses a specific day to do the cleansing, and it correlates with the one day you were free of said sensations, and days after ofcourse, one can truly decide if this was an outside force or entity to begin with.

Needless to say, if with the cleansing going on you still have these sensations, you should seek some physical help from a doctor who knows more about sleep paralysis.

Thank you will most definitely consider supernatural forces if it ever had to occur again, especially on a regular basis. That will be the time that I contact a professionally in all things that go bump in the night. Keep well and once again thank you for your input.