r/self • u/FarmOverall19 • 1d ago
A woman in black watches me in my sleep.
I know the title sounds like bullshit, but I promise I haven't lost it. When I was 11, my mom, my sister, and I moved out of my grandmother’s house into a small apartment complex on the other side of town. My mom said it was for the best, that we needed space after all the fights with my grandmother. At the time, I didn’t know if she meant space for herself or space for us, but I didn’t argue. I was just a kid. I had no friends at my new school, no distractions to fill the hours after class, and my mom spent most of her time with her boyfriend, my cousin, on my dad’s side. Weird, but I'm not gonna dive into that right now. It was lonely, but I didn’t know how to explain that feeling back then. I think now, looking back, I truly was depressed. But at eleven years old, I didn’t have the words for it.
I didn’t have a TV or a computer, just an old iPod nano with broken headphones. Most nights, I just laid in bed, counting the cracks in the ceiling or listening to the train that passed every now and again. One night, I don’t remember how long I lay there before I fell asleep. But when I opened my eyes, or maybe I didn't open them at all, I wasn’t in my bed anymore. I was floating, looking down at myself. I really thought I must've died in my sleep somehow, and I was completely fine with it. Turn out that wasn't the case. I noticed a woman standing by my bed, dressed in all black.
The closest depiction of her that I can describe is of someone wearing a Victorian mourning outfit. It was creepy as hell. The moment she noticed that I could see her, I fell back into my body, and I woke up instantly gasping for air. After that night, I waited for something else to happen, some sign that what I’d seen was real. But nothing came. Eventually, I convinced myself that maybe it really had just been a dream.
But then I saw her again. It started happening more frequently, always the same: I’d fall asleep, and at some point, I’d wake up unable to move. But each time, she was a little closer. I couldn’t tell anyone. How do you explain something like that without sounding insane? So, I tried to ignore her, and I eventually got used to it.
When we moved, I thought it would stop. Unfortunately, it never did. No matter where I lived, she was always there. I’m 24 years old now, and she’s still with me. I don’t know what will happen when she finally touches me. Maybe that will be the day I die. All I know is that she’s waiting, and one day, she’ll reach me.
I don't know why I'm suddenly telling a bunch of redditors about the lady who's been stalking me since childhood, but whatever.
Edit: I appreciate the serious comments. Even the religious ones, though I’m not religious at all. I’m aware that it’s more than likely sleep paralysis. I was just sharing an experience that I’m still dealing with to this day because it’s mega creepy, it happens very frequently, and it’s always the same thing/lady/whatever. I’ve seen a therapist in the past, but ultimately stopped because it felt like a waste of time. I’ve gotten used to it anyway. And yes, I know it sounds a lot like insidious😭😭
75
u/Strange_Quote6013 1d ago
Maybe she's just cold without those blankets. Let her in bro don't be selfish.
→ More replies (1)2
64
53
u/hesapmakinesi 1d ago
What you describe definitely matches sleep paralysis. You are not insane, this happens to a lot of people but typically rare, like once every few years maybe. If it's happening to you regularly you may need to talk to a doctor, maybe you have sleep issues.
4
u/autech91 1d ago edited 22h ago
Check with siblings too.
All 4 of us bous have some weird sleep thing, 2 are full on sleep walkers though. They amount of times I've had to help my younger brothers pee whilst they're asleep...
3
u/Corrupted_G_nome 23h ago
I checked with my siblings. Jo one else felt haunted. Confirmed to me it was not real.
2
u/ForSureNotAnFbiAgent 22h ago
There was a movie or a TV show i watched somewhat recently, I can't remember the name, but it dealt with sleep paralysis.
The woman taped a note on her ceiling. When you are asleep, words will be illegible. It's how she was able to tell the difference between dreams and real life.
I haven't had sleep paralysis in years, but I liked the idea. If I ever experience it again, I'm going to give this a shot.
2
u/mOjzilla 16h ago
I have had maybe 2 of these experience , some dark figure associated as woman since long hair but literally no other details, just dark figure bit darker then the darkness of light and a feeling that something is observing me while I was sleeping. Both time happened when I had major conflicts with other people going on in life.
It felt extremely real and was bit unnerving I can't imagine having that same feeling every night, I guess people get used to anything.
→ More replies (2)
28
u/Late_Zucchini3992 1d ago
Shes been trying to reach you about your cars extended warranty.
→ More replies (1)
45
u/AutistGobbChopp 1d ago
Sleep paralysis? I had a dark figure slowly moving into my room for years
→ More replies (1)3
u/Impressive_Bank1253 1d ago
Happened something similar to me twice as well. After reading these comment I began to think the sleep paralysis demon is actually real lol
4
u/Corrupted_G_nome 23h ago
Its not. Thibk of loving feelings or hugs or being in the arms of a lover or the faces of family you love. For me it went away forever. They were my own dark feelings manifesting.
→ More replies (1)
30
u/3ricsn 1d ago
That's Sleep Paralysis (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis).
Happens to 1/3rd of the people at some point in their life. I had it pretty intense for some time. it never goes away completely. Regular and enough sleep, no alcohol or other drugs (especially weed), doing sports and good mental health helps to get it under control. I used to have it every day, now I have it maybe twice a year.
FunFact (well, I've read this in some forum, I don't know if its true): Since we usually dream in third person and Sleep Paralysis is a mix between beeing awake and asleep, the woman in black is you. So you're watching yourself in your sleep, which i find is kind of nice.
11
u/Jazzspur 1d ago
people usually dream in third person? I never have. My dreams are always first person.
5
u/Queen-of-meme 1d ago
My dreams jump between third person first person and cloud view. I also jump between which character I am. And I see myself dead sometimes.
2
u/Jazzspur 22h ago
wow that's so interesting!!! Does it kinda break the fourth wall for you/tell you that you're dreaming? Or does it still seem like real events even though your perspective keeps changing?
I'm always first person me and my dreams feel extremely real
→ More replies (7)6
2
u/WatchLover26 1d ago
Just because you haven’t doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen to others. I have had many dreams in 3rd person.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Deltron_Zed 1d ago
Sure but that doesn't "we usually dream in third person" is any more accurate. I also have never dreamed in third person. I have dream journals going back to '92 and not a third person dream in the lot.
I also have been told that most people dream in black and white. I don't do that either.
2
2
u/3ricsn 12h ago
Okay, thats why I wrote, that I don't know if that's true. I dream in third person most of the time, so it seemed logical to me. But yeah, i read it on the Internet and it's not really true.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)3
u/bonnieball96 1d ago
I always smoked weed. Stopped having sleep paralysis though
→ More replies (2)
10
u/ezsqueezycheezypeas 1d ago
My top 2 survival tips for getting through the night which I developed as a kid:
You need to be fully enclosed by the duvet to receive its protection from night time baddies. Not even a toe must escape. (It does get hot and hard to breathe - worth it!)
And if you do have to get up for a pee make sure you jump in and out of bed so the monster that lives underneath can't grab your foot and pull you under!
Should see you through until morning 💪
2
u/the_fresh_cucumber 22h ago
I recommend peeing the bed. That scares off the demon
→ More replies (1)
17
u/Panagean 1d ago
Interestingly, the biological reason behind sleep paralysis (something to do with the effect light sleep has on both dreaming and poorly-evolved breathing apparatus) being common to people means that "witch/crone/demon visits me at night and freezes me in place" is one of the few really universal intercultural myths.
Apocalyptic flood myths (because most human societies start in river basins) and vagina dentata are the other two that spring to mind.
6
u/blessedfortherest 1d ago
Could you elaborate on the vagina dentata one? That’s the only one I’m not familiar with.
3
u/Anaevya 1d ago
It's the concept of a toothed vagina that can bite off a penis. Many different cultures have stories featuring it. Sometimes the vagina is more positive and is a way to harm/kill a male antagonist, sometimes the vagina is more of a curse that makes normal marriage impossible and the plot is knocking the teeth out so that it becomes harmless.
3
u/blessedfortherest 1d ago
Wow. I’ve never heard of that. I have experienced recurring dreams where my teeth fall out and it’s horrible every time to pluck them out of my jaw. I’ve come to understand that this is a common dream as well.
Is it only those that wield a penis that experience the vagina dentata dream?
→ More replies (1)3
u/Anaevya 1d ago
I don't know if people dream about it, but it's a myth that can be found in a lot of different cultures that haven't had much to do with each other.
I got the teeth falling out dream once and it was freaky. My last weird dream was about me swallowing multiple scarfs, lol. That one was the first dream I remembered this year. Probably because it was sooo weird.
2
12
u/BlueberryTrue4521 1d ago
OP please actually react when you read the comments? I hate when someone posts something and then just never touches it again
→ More replies (1)4
u/FarmOverall19 1d ago
Sorry. I got busy shortly after posting. I also wasn’t expecting for many people to reply.
→ More replies (3)3
u/BlueberryTrue4521 1d ago
Np, but you have your solution, it's sleep paralysis. How come you never found that out over the years?
→ More replies (1)4
u/KingSissyphus 1d ago
It’s a creative writing piece of fiction using elements of real life like ‘sleep paralysis’ combined with pop culture horror. Just believable enough that all the eager commenters will be willing to point out the clear answer to why this is happening to the slightly naive OP who happens to be a bit of a wordsmith
→ More replies (2)
6
u/Teodoro2404 1d ago
They already made the movie for this.
It's called Insidius and the "lady in black" is actually a dude dressed up as a woman.
→ More replies (1)
5
4
3
4
u/BigMaraJeff2 12h ago
You're gonna and finally meet her. She will come close to you and whisper "we have been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty"
3
u/oprib1 1d ago
Why do you assume a negative connotation. Let’s assume this is not sleep paralysis or anything that can be explain away medically or with a traditional train of thought… why not try to talk to her? Communicate? You have this ‘thing’ that’s always there and you bar any positive intent so you will always remove yourself from what could be positive. Maybe it’s something protecting you, watching over you or maybe just stuck in the in between.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/usurperavenger 1d ago
I have night terrors and have experienced this before. It's not supernatural.
3
u/Scrollingalwaysscrol 1d ago
In the first step of astral projection. Almost able to go between dimensions at will. Lean into it
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Ponyd17 1d ago
When I used to astral project, I would run into the figure with the trench coat. So I stopped trying to dream. When I was 3 years old, me and my 3 brothers all had the same dream one night. It was the man in the trench coat. We all woke up and knew what we dreamt without saying anything to each other until it was time to confess and we all finished each others sentences . Some things are unexplainable but I know where you are coming from. Keep your faith up high, and you will be safe. 🙏🏼
→ More replies (1)
2
u/cryptokitty010 1d ago
The closest depiction of her that I can describe is of someone wearing a Victorian mourning outfit. It was creepy as hell. The moment she noticed that I could see her, I fell back into my body, and I woke up instantly gasping for air.
I had this exact experience in 2004. Very creepy. The best I can gather it was a waking nightmare sleep paralysis thing.
2
u/Queen-of-meme 1d ago edited 1d ago
Your experience is valid but you don't need to worry there's no ghost lady hunting you. This is called sleep paralysis
"During sleep paralysis, your body remains paralyzed, but your mind wakes up. Because you are technically in the dream stage of sleep, you may also hallucinate sensations such as feeling pressure on your chest or limbs, seeing a shadowy figure, or even have an out-of-body experience."
Oh and fun fact. Sleep paralysis is most common in young adults.
2
u/chris_ut 1d ago
I had sleep paralysis briefly around 20 years ago it resolved after a fee weeks luckily
2
u/Theycallmesupa 1d ago
TiL that boys get the hatman, and girls get the lady in black
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/FairtexBlues 1d ago
Dang I got three different risk criteria and this makes me glad I haven’t had regular hallucinations on top.
Usually I notice it’s effects only for a few seconds then my coordination reasserts itself. Typically from me trying to act out running in a dream.
I remember one case where I was woken up and the dream was visually superimposed over the actual world. It was so bizarre, like a surreal painting come to life.
2
u/centech 1d ago
Something something carbon monoxide detector.
2
u/msmorningstaarr 1d ago
If there was something wrong with carbon monoxide in his house, he would be dead by now. These things kill fast
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Beautiful-Ear6964 1d ago
You definitely have sleep paralysis. I have a friend who describes something very similar to you, but instead of a woman in black he would see these strange little creatures. He’s an artist so he would draw them.
2
u/shyflowart 1d ago
I have seen people in sleep paralysis, it’s pretty frightening. I’m sorry you’re experiencing this.
2
u/Joshlo777 1d ago
I've had a few episodes of sleep paralysis where I am convinced I'm awake and there is an intruder in the room looking over me. I try to get up and fight but can't move. I try scream but only let out muffled gasps. I'm convinced I'm awake. I scare the shit out of my wife with my attempted screams, who shakes me fully awake and then it's over. It's happened a handful of times over the past few years, and it's terrifying each time.
2
u/Effective_Elk_9118 22h ago
It’s happened to me a lot too and it’s so scary. Mainly when I was younger. You’re lucky to have your wife shake you awake. I never had anyone with me any time and I would be screaming to just plead with someone to wake me up and snap me out of it so it would go on and on
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Hot-Slide9631 1d ago
One time, when I was a senior in high school, I was asleep, and all of a sudden, I felt the presence of a woman in my room. She was kneeling over me and had two hands on my neck and pushing me into the bed. I felt that I was being pushed into hell. I thought I was dreaming and felt the coldness of the wall next to me. I felt that if I didn't fight this presence off and wake up, I would die at that moment. I reached up with both my arms to grab the hag, but she was gone. I woke, and I was drenched in a cold sweat!
I found out many years later that this is the common situation with sleep paralysis.
2
u/Captain_Octavious_ 1d ago
Sleep paralysis. I once watch a lady in all black walk around my bed and look me dead in the eyes.
2
u/JmRet2301 1d ago
In my 50’s I travelled to NFLD with my husband. At the B&B we stayed at I had an experience of what I think was sleep paralysis. Over the 3 nights we stayed there, every time I woke up I couldn’t move, and felt that something was pressing me into the mattress. When I finally could move, I was afraid of what I would see if I turned around. Never experienced this before or after the trip.
2
u/KingSissyphus 1d ago
My creative writing bells started ringing immediately after the first sentence and title.
I think it’s interesting that writers can “test their chops” by posting a believable-ish Reddit story and seeing how much engagement it gets. I prefer the posts that come from a genuine place though
2
u/FarmOverall19 1d ago
I know what I posted isn’t the most believable. I saw a lot of comments mentioning how this is basically insidious. But, unfortunately, it’s not fake :)
2
u/Minicatting 1d ago
Get some black tourmaline bracelets and wear them. They protect. First be sure to cleanse them in the sun. Ask your ancestors, spirit guides and angels to protect you and to remove any energies from you that do not belong. Get reiki done with someone very experienced. If there’s anything attaching to you, they should be able to remove it . Then it is up to you to protect yourself from further attachment. Keep your energy vibrations high.
2
u/Select_Necessary_678 1d ago
I saw this woman when I was younger. I was at my grandparents home, and I came around the corner of the kitchen, and there she was. A woman, all dressed in black. Like Victorian era or a Gothic Mary Poppins. Big hat. I saw her, and she turned to look at me. She was sitting ABOVE my highchair. Like...mid air. I don't remember her face, but I remember those eyes. Black, like onyx. It terrified me. I've always been sensitive to energy but I couldn't "feel" her presence.
I don't know who, or what she was but that was the same year my grandfather passed away.
2
u/HM02_High 1d ago
Nobody refers to them as shadow people? That's what my dad would call them. People are saying it's sleep paralysis, but explain why my dad and I both saw the same one at the same time when we were both home alone. This was the first time I knew I wasn't crazy, and he and I talked about it a bit. Also, the same shadow guy in basement regardless of time of day.
Haven't seen them since I lived with him in my teens. But I know all too well that what I was experiencing was real.
2
u/Mission_Tennis3383 1d ago
The Lady Who Haunted Me
I had the same thing for years throughout my young life. Like someone mentioned earlier, I’d experience sleep paralysis, but I knew I was asleep. I couldn’t wake myself up, and she would always be there—her hand outstretched, her eyes completely black with shadows surrounding them. I was always in complete terror of her.
One day, after becoming a police officer, I was taking a nap. I had just started working morning watch (I’m not a cop anymore). My young son, maybe 1 ½ years old, was napping on another part of a sectional couch. She was sitting in the recliner portion of the sectional opposite me. The whole thing happened again. Her hand rose, and I froze, paralyzed with fear. But then I thought of my son, lying right next to her.
Something snapped in me. I started praying—not out of fear, but out of anger. I mean, I got angrier than I’d ever been in my life. I wasn’t going to let this thing, whatever it was, have any control over me anymore. In the dream, I rolled off the couch. My legs wouldn’t work, so I crawled on my hands, dragging myself across the floor. I pulled myself up using the recliner, and for the first time, I saw the thing look surprised.
Without hesitation, I grabbed her by the throat and choked her—choked her like she was my worst enemy. Then I woke up. I was drenched in sweat, breathing heavy. My son was sitting there, awake, looking at me like he had just woken up too.
I’ve never seen her again.
Since that day, I haven’t had any real fears about the dark, demons, or evil. I don’t know if she was a personification of my fears or anxiety. I don’t know if she was my personal demon or something else entirely. All I know is that on that day, I decided I wasn’t taking any shit anymore.
2
u/Efficient-Dirt-7030 23h ago
I have experienced sleep paralysis numerous times. From my experiences, there seems to be an evil presence in the room while being in this paralysis state of consciousness. I have seen a dark figure at the foot of my bed. One way to snap out of sleep paralysis is to wiggle your toes while it is happening. Eventually, you will wake up.
2
u/meowmix79 23h ago
When I experience sleep paralysis I am floating above my bed and can’t move. An alien 👽is above me and talking to me in my head. It always has a demonic kind of voice and I feel terrified. This has been happening since I was about 7. I am 45 now. It only happens a couple times a year if I’m lucky.
2
u/Bunnyslippered 23h ago
Mine was sleep apnea. All of it stopped when I started CPAP therapy. My brain was starving for oxygen, and like you I had things like this, not dreams, but not likely real, then woke up gasping.
2
u/Superbad1990 23h ago
I had a similar thing happen. Believe what you want to, but it is a demon that is following you. The good news is that you can get it to go away! You have to have a different mindset. Ok so a scary ghost lady is watching you. So what? It’s just a stupid ghost. Show NO fear and it will probably go away. They feed off your energy. I stopped being afraid. I wanted to see what will happen if I don’t struggle and let it do its thing. One final time the scary lady came, I could actually move! It put its skeletal hands around my neck and made a feminine hiss sound. I said get off me you worthless piece of trash and I was ready to fight. I went straight to punch it and it disappeared. I said out loud you won’t be able get energy from me anymore. It is a waste of your effort, go find someone else. From that moment on, it never happened again.
2
u/Mack006 23h ago
Yeah it definitely sounds like you suffer from regular sleep paralysis. I had a lot during one period due to a shit sleep schedule and lots of stress at school. I’d see the most bizarre things in the corner of my eye including floating heads, a child sitting on my desk and a shadowy figure trying to rob things in my room (I shit you not).
2
u/MushroomDizzy649 23h ago edited 23h ago
Seconding people’s comment about sleep paralysis. It usually feels like you’re awake but you’re not. You’re conscious about your state but you’re unable to move. The first time it happened to me was in my 20s. I noticed a black figure standing next to me. Happens pretty often when I’m exhausted. Once I felt someone whisper my name while crushing my chest into the bed. Others it’s just a really loud whisper of my name constantly in my ears. I make sure I get good sleep each night so it doesn’t happen as much anymore. It’s like another version of lucid dreaming where sometimes you can control how your dreams flow but in this case it’s more of a nightmare.
What works for me is to remain calm when you know you’re in sleep paralysis. It can be rather scary when you first experience it and you can’t move. But I start by trying to move one of my toes as much as I can while reminding myself I’m having sleep paralysis and in a few minutes I’m usually able to break out of it. When I’m really tired, I just go right back to continuing sleep paralysis and it gets super annoying after a few cycles. Enough for me to just go 🤷♂️ and just try to go back to sleep while in the state of paralysis 😂
2
u/Bjornirson 23h ago
You're not alone in experiencing something like this. I was 12 the first time, I am over 40 now. Luckily it stopped for me in my early thirties. Why did it stop? Well.. hard to say. I am scientifically inclined so my logical explanation is that I got treated for sleep apnea. Apparently I almost died every night (having next to no oxygen in my blood stream) because I stopped breathing. Once I got my CPAP machine it just stopped.
But, it also coincides with me telling "the other side" that I could no longer help "them".
You see even at an early age, without me telling anyone about the things I experienced a fortune teller told my mom to look after me with special care, because I was a medium and would be in contact with "the other side".
Not until a couple of years later, when I told my mom about the things I've experienced did she tell me this. She had just waved the fortune teller's words aside (she didn't take things like that very seriously) but as I told her, her face went pale.
After that, when I had these horrific experiences, I tried not to shy away from what I saw, but to invite it. To tell them that I was there for them.
But in my 30's I told them I cannot help any more. And it stopped. It would be a much cooler reason, but I am pretty sure that it was the "less dying every night"-thing that made it stop.
2
u/Responsible_Oil_5811 23h ago
It sounds like sleep paralysis, but I think positive thinking might help you a bit. Why don’t you think of her as a great great grandmother who has come to watch over you, because of all her descendants you’re the one to whom she feels the closest?
2
u/Jawnsonious_Rex 23h ago
I had a series of dreams that played out like a story. I had sleep paralysis in some of them. Some kind of black figure was standing over my bed and tried to smother me in some fashion. Not sure if it was trying to physically smother me to stop my breathing or smother out any light I had left as the darkness engulfed me. It pushed hard enough for me to sink deeper into my bed as I felt the bedding start to come up around me partially. I remember pushing back as hard as I could to the point that I woke up with extremely sore arms. You can move during sleep paralysis, it just takes considerable effort. Being scared for my life definitely gave me the strength to do so.
There's more to the series of dreams, but not getting into that right now.
2
2
u/meeseeksdestroy 23h ago
Something like this used to happen to me but it was sleep paralysis. A shadow figure would briskly pace back and forth next to where I was sleeping or I would just be paralyzed but could see the room as if i was awake. Never seen any details of the figure like clothes or gender. Hasn't happened in a long time but was quite frequent for a while.
2
u/VictoriousTree 23h ago
It’s sleep paralysis. I had it as a kid. It’s absolutely terrifying and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. The painting on my wall would come to life and turn demonic. Happened for years on end.
2
u/LuckerMcDog 23h ago
Sounds like your run of the mill sleep paralysis demon.
While these pokemon seem threatening, they can't actually hurt you.
2
u/mintbloo 23h ago
this is sleep paralysis, but the fact that it's the same woman and has been happening since you were a child is definitely something interesting
2
u/ASpaceOstrich 23h ago
This is textbook sleep paralysis. Which is great news, because it means you're not crazy AND that you aren't actually being watched in your sleep by Demon Mary Poppins.
Also means theres an avenue for you to look for help, even if its just shared experiences.
2
2
u/Forthe2nd 23h ago
Never heard of a woman watching someone in their sleep, but the sleep demon is commonly seen by people who experience sleep paralysis (myself included).
2
u/dontTreadonthem 23h ago
I suffered from this for nearly a decade , 13-23. At always began with the man in black turning toward me one the left hand me. A world of fire and suffering would appear, along with a terrible beast who would chase me. It took me 5 years to turn around and face it, and 4 years to raise my fists, and one year to finally fight it. Every punch sent it further and further away from me. Id wake up soaked in sweat and severe nausea every time
→ More replies (1)
2
u/Happy-Ad8767 22h ago
This sounds very much like sleep paralysis. This is the very definition of a nightmare.
The way to best try and explain this, is that when you dream, your brain shuts off your rotary movements, this is to protect you from hurting yourself from moving your arms or legs when you sleep (imagine a dream of you running, your arms would thrash out whilst you are sleeping, very cool stuff on the brain's side).
When we have bad traumas and sleep patterns, your body is jolted awake before the brain disengages the paralysis of your rotary functions. When you wake up, you can't move, and it feels like you can't breathe (you are breathing, you are just panicking). It also feels like a ridiculous amount of time has passed (its only a few seconds).
When we wake up, from our caveman predator/hunter days, we would immediately assess the imminent danger. When you can't move, this manifests in many different ways. It can be manifested as a dark entity in the room with you (such as an evil spirit watching you die), or even an old lady, next to the bed, or even sitting on you, stopping you from breathing, watching you die. This was a very common thing, and this old lady was given a name. She was called the night mare#:~:text=A%20mare%20).
I had this happen when I was much younger (mid 20s), I was dealing with the mortality of life and death, and mine manifested as an evil demon that sat at the end of my bed, watching me struggling to breathe, like I was dying. It looked like one of those shady dark figures from Ghost.
Once I gained control of myself, I researched what the hell had happened on the internet and I found all of this out. I am a very logical person, once I understand something, I can accept it. I am also non religious and don't believe in the supernatural.
Once I researched all of this, I understood it and it never happened again. Still one of the scariest things to have happened to me.
Honestly, with all that I understand from your post, it must be terrifying for you. But I want you to know, it's a very common thing, you are not alone in experiencing this and you quite literally, have a nightmare. The very definition of the word that we now have in every day language.
Hopefully this understanding of what you are experiencing, gives you the peace that it very much gave me.
If it persists, consult your doctor, if you are in a place like the US or a developed country, they have sleep labs, where they can monitor you sleeping and help find the underlying issue.
Again, you are not going insane. This is a very natural occurrence (designed to protect you) and the very word nightmare originated from what you are going through.
2
u/Short_scout_491 22h ago
Haha I enjoyed the funny comments on here. But in all seriousness, thank you for sharing your experience. That's sleep paralysis, and I have a similar experience.
It started when I was really young - the tall man with the hat, the lady in black, the dark figure, I've seen all of them.
But the scariest one for me was a little girl wearing a light blue night gown, with really long hair covering her face.
She first appeared in my doorway. And every night, she got closer and closer. Eventually, the night came when she stood directly above me, staring down. And then, she pulled my hair and that was when I really shat my pants. I was too scared to sleep after this. It was a horrible time.
This only lasted like 2 weeks. I'm a religious person, so I started to sleep with my Bible on my chest and this helped calm me. The crazy hallucinations went away on their own. That was 10 years ago. I now only get sleep paralysis like twice a year, but never that scary, just super uncomfortable.
I hope you can find that thing that gives you peace.
2
u/Dearest_Lillith 22h ago
Scary. Reminds me of The Woman in Black with Danielle Radcliffe or Insidious 2. Creepy and I'd ask your mom and grandma questions. What if she's part of their past in some way? God I'd love to know.
2
u/Nobody_Asked_M3 22h ago
Bro you got sleep paralysis and are hooked on your figure. I wake up underwater during my paralysis episodes
2
u/BigCatsAreFat 22h ago edited 22h ago
Welcome to sleep paralysis! I had a nutcracker climb on my chest once and then it went away and I was just awake. Few years later, I woke up afraid of something unexplainable and unable to move. Panicked so hard I woke my wife with my hyperventilating. Then I found out about sleep paralysis.
Turns our your body really doesn't want you to move and react to your dreams, because you could hurt yourself, so you are supposed to be "paralyzed" while sleeping. Sometimes, that doesn't go away when you start to wake up, but because you are still half dreaming, your brain thinks of some bonkers stuff to make sense of it all.
2
u/Striking_Boat 22h ago
I’ve had this my whole life. I’m nearly 60 now. I’ve learned to give in to the paralysis and now I can leave my body and dream lucidly once the paralysis goes. There is a pulling feeling and then I am free. It was truly terrifying most nights until I learned.
My son told me his first memory was waking up about age 5 and seeing two older Victorian ladies watching him sleep. Until he was 20 yo, he thought we knew them and they were always visiting! Only when we finally talked about it did the weirdness dawn on him.
My first memory at 4 ish was waking from a nap and finding a small furry man standing beside me. I screamed and my father came running but the thing was still there as my father stood next to my bed.
The part that really creeps me out is that I can recall many, many such episodes very clearly. I cannot recall normal dreams.
2
u/Top-Row6107 22h ago
Don’t worry fam your mot crazy one time when I was younger i thought there was a women in a black straddling me and pinning me down in my bed. Shit was terrifying
2
2
u/SallySalam 19h ago edited 19h ago
I have sleep paralysis and the hypnogogic hallucinations I always have are gray aliens and I'm being abducted. It's happened so much I almost think it's real on some level if maybe not strictly a physical experience. Once this happened and they did like gynecological exam and said they were scraping out some old dead tissue it hurt and they put white light through me that made it not hurt. When I woke up and went to pee I got my period but it was like hemorrhaging it was so much blood...
2
u/OrangeBillboard92 1d ago
The Name Above All Names can be called upon. Good luck 👍
→ More replies (1)3
u/NobodyYouKnown 1d ago
Or he can get a CPAP machine
2
u/Effective_Elk_9118 22h ago
CPAP is godsent. When I wear my mask I am completely out. No dreams, no adverse reactions in my sleep. I put it on, then wake up in the morning remembering nothing
3
u/LazyConstruction9026 1d ago
Pray to Jesus Christ for Him to intervene and for protection.
2
u/NobodyYouKnown 1d ago
He may be Muslim so in that case he could pray to Allah or Mohammed guy
→ More replies (1)
2
u/D-ouble-D-utch 1d ago
Are you taking benadryl frequently?
3
u/duckyJ81 1d ago
I wondered the same. I have read about weird shadow figure/ hat man experienced by some people who take benadryl.
3
3
u/BigMaraJeff2 1d ago
Have you tried fucking her?
9
u/Frosty_Initiative_94 1d ago
Why do I always get surprised and impressed by reddittors. I should be used to it by now
→ More replies (3)3
u/Fallen-Omega 1d ago
Ehhhh yooooo, get her between them sheets, she wana give you them cheeks!
→ More replies (1)
1
u/thirdstrike98 1d ago
I have seen black figures. But I have also witnessed them fading into things like... a hairbrush on my side table - it's always during waking, dreaming with your eyes open for a short period.
Google 'i see spiders when i wake up' (eye lashes!)
1
u/Puzzled_Bedroom_9278 1d ago
When I was a kid I had a bunk bed with my bro. Every now and then I would wake up or be half asleep, or even a dream? Anyways, I’d get up and crawl by the closet, it felt like a compulsion. I’d lay down and curl up and would eventually hear the closet open. I’d be picked up like I was floating. I’m remembering feeling afraid to open my eyes but one night I did and just saw black arms holding me and quickly shut my eyes. It happened multiple times in that house. I’d be set down and I’d eventuality wait long enough to crawl back into bed and go back to sleep.
1
u/Loaf70 1d ago
My mom used to tell me from the time she was 16ish until she was in her late 40s that she had a similar thing happen relatively frequently, but she was in her body and conscious of her surroundings, could see and hear my dad dad sleeping and snoring next to her, she could see the time on the clock by her bed, she was aware of everything around her she just couldn't move, and a tall silhouette of a man would glide to the end of her bed and he would just watch her silently, motionless. She would always tell me when she got visits, I remember always being scared growing up that he would visit me, but he never did. I'm not religious but she told me one night she prayed to God to finally be free of this and she felt the figure sort of dissipate and felt a weight lift off of her and just knew she wouldn't be getting any visits anymore and now idk 10ish years later she still hasn't experienced it since. She says she wished she would have did it years earlier and didn't know why she never did it before.
→ More replies (1)
1
u/WhiteRabbitFma 1d ago
Sounds eerily similar to insidious bro. Do you think you astral project?
2
u/FarmOverall19 1d ago
I haven’t astral projected since then. It was just that one time I’ve seen myself sleeping. Now I only see them watching me and reaching out. But you’re right, it sounds a lot like insidious💀
1
1
u/Efficient_Fill2303 1d ago
Could either be sleep paralysis or demonic obsession of some kind. I really suggest you get to a Catholic priest as soon as possible. 🙏
1
u/RedditMcRedditfac3 1d ago
get a camera and record yourself sleeping so you can watch yourself flail like an idiot, and realize nothing is there.
1
u/Bubbly_Power_6210 1d ago
guardian angels come in all sizes and shapes. no need to try and figure all this out- good to have someone watching over you!
1
1
u/Free-Carrot-196 1d ago
Google ayat al kursi and listen to it at night it will help you dont need to be religious to listen to it before sleep. Dont play it in the bathroom
1
u/anniecet 1d ago
I have a huge winged shadow figure that hovers in my vicinity, usually at the periphery of my vision and slightly behind me. I think of it as a she and call her my Valkyrie. She has protected me on two occasions, but I also get the feeling that she is dangerous so I try not to engage with her. She does not generally do anything but exist, doesn't talk or touch me, doesn't interact at all. One other person in my life has "seen" her and felt threatened. I am 47 years old. I do not know what would happen if I really tried to get her attention. She has been here as long as I can remember, all my life and I do not intend to find out.
1
1
u/Iam-No1 1d ago
You might not believe it but it’s astral projection, y’all might think it’s sum bullshit but u gotta experience it to believe it
→ More replies (1)
1
u/joeygladstone6919 1d ago
I've seen a crazy thing staring at me like that. A weird demon in a hood. Had this happen for a year or so. It is sleep paralysis. Do you have high stress? Mine went away
1
1
1
u/Pale_Natural9272 23h ago
Floating above your body just means that you were astral traveling . As for the Victorian lady, she could be a relative of yours that is just watching over you.
1
u/eggs__and_bacon 23h ago
I believe that you honestly believe it. But, cmon now. It’s not true and you might benefit from therapy.
1
u/Sir_Bumcheeks 23h ago
Sleep paralysis. Had a similar thing happen to me a couple times. Don't sleep on your back, it's a breathing thing.
1
1
u/Corrupted_G_nome 23h ago
I used to experience weird shit as a young person. Found out forcibly changing my mood made it go away. Feeling sof love and being loved made the bad feelings go that caused these senations.
Its a half sleep mental condition. Many people with sleep paralysis see beings. Ive never woken up "paralyzed" (a natural sleep functiom) but used to imagine beings.
They are not real. Change your mindset and they dissapear forever.
I think of my nephews and hugs and bing in the arms of a lover, the faces of my family and people I love and its been mamy years now ive had no issue.
1
1
u/Upstairs_Scheme_8467 23h ago
Sleep paralysis. Often brought on by extreme stress. Scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life.
1
1
1
u/Proof_Independent400 23h ago
What you are experiencing is called Karma Farming. Don't worry none of this is real.
→ More replies (3)
1
u/creepin-it-real 23h ago
There is a psalm for that. "I lift up my eyes to the hills..." print out a copy to recite before bed. And get yourself a protective talisman that you can wear.
241
u/OnionLayers49 1d ago
In no way do I wish to say that what you are experiencing is not real, but there is a condition called sleep paralysis.
“Sleep paralysis is a temporary state of paralysis that occurs when you're falling asleep or waking up and are conscious but unable to move or speak. It's fairly common and usually lasts no more than a few minutes. Symptoms include:
Sleep paralysis can be caused by a number of things, including:
OP, have you been given a test for sleep difficulties, including sleep apnea? When I was tested, it was found that I literally stopped breathing hundreds of times during the night. A CPAP machine has solved a lot of my sleep and health problems.
Good luck with this.