Frozen in Terror

by Slayer69 · posted July 1, 2008 · experienced October 11, 2002 · PA, US · 1,423 views

I am not an expert on dreams by any means. I know that my experiences however are not even really categorized as dreams, but rather as night terrors. To tell you the truth, I really don't dream much at all, but when I do it tends to be something like you are about to hear.

I have been out of college for quite some time now, but when I was in school I used to take power naps in the afternoon, long nights of partying sometimes made this a necessity. These power naps ranged anywhere from 15 min to an hour, and in this time I would crash into what felt like an extremely deep sleep. On almost every occasion of these night terrors I am sleeping, and visualize myself in the exact position that I fell asleep in. So if I crashed on the couch I would be awake on the couch, in my dream.

So I'm lying in this position, and the only things that I can move are my eyes. Nothing else. My body is completely and utterly numb. I try to move, but nothing. I try again and try to kick my legs, punch my fists, yell, scream, anything. It feels like I'm going to tear right out of my skin. At this point I would sometimes wake up, most of the time screaming loudly or moaning like an dying dog. Now take that same scenerio and let me tell you more.

I was out of school and had been living in an apartment in Allentown, PA. This occurred at night, in the bedroom. It was pitch dark and I had just fallen asleep. Sometimes I fall asleep very quickly. This time was no exception. Again, I woke up in my bed, but only it was in my dream. I couldn't move. Now here's where I vowed to never want to sleep again. As I laid, trying to break out of the dream, a figure appeared above me, cloaked in black, no face. It said nothing, but kept moving in closer and closer. I had to break out. Imagine being incased in plastic from head to toe, not being able to breath, trying to throw your body in any direction, just for the slightest possibility that you might break through. As the figure seemed to come upon me totally, I awoke, body writhing in fear, shaking, and sweating. Room still dark. Alone.

That night I didn't go back to bed. Since then I have experienced similar night terrors, but that was definitely the worst. My girlfriend has shaken me out of a few since we've been together. I thank her for doing that.

If anyone else has similar experiences, please share. Thanks for listening.

8 Comments

estrie187 Jul 4, 2008

If whats going on from your description is actually what im thinking is going on then whatever it is is feeding off of your fear. You need to figure out a way to force yourself to calm down and relax when it happens. I know much easier said then done but it should help stop it.

rey Jul 5, 2008

wow. sounds scary. btw i live in emmaus. i may b able 2 help u.

DarkScience Jul 6, 2008

Funny, I've seen the exact same thing you saw. Black cloak no face. In my dreams seeming to be awake on the bed. Have you tried praying or meditating? I tried it a few times, it worked those times I tried. No apparition. But in my dream, the figure comes close to my face and bites me on my neck. I can't breath either.

If you're not too busy, try meditating. It will be worth the time.

Matt-The-Knife Jul 7, 2008

I had a similar dream not so long ago. I was very tired one night, and only had a few hours to sleep before going into work. I remember standing at the foot of my bed and just falling onto it, falling asleep instantly. Just as I was asleep, I felt as if my body had been hit by lighting. No pain or anything of the sort. Just the jolt of something. Needless to say I woke up, but immediately wrote it off and fell back asleep. I began to dream of myself being in the same spot and waking up. There was a feeling of something behind me, a rather unfriendly something. As I tried to move, I too felt paralyzed and had to force myself to wake up, knowing it was a dream. But as they became more frequent, I began to forget what was reality and a dream.

I was only awake for moments before exhaustion got the better of me, despite my fear. Again I dreamed of myself lying there, and again feeling this presence. I knew I had to get out of my room. At this point I had close to ten dreams where I would try to escape only to end up in my bed. I never saw this presence, or whatever it was that frightened me to the point of wanting to run from my bedroom like a child. But your "black cloaked figure", could be the culprit.

As for the "jolts of energy", I experienced two that night, and one not long before. I later learned (while stumbling) of a syndrome called "exploding head syndrome". Where sufferers would experience a jolt as if they were struck by lighting, or their head had exploded. No physical harm can come from this syndrome, but I wonder if it is in fact, related to the paranormal...

amaze_disgrace Jul 7, 2008

hey there. over the past few years I have been experiencing almost exactly what you've described. I've had more episodes of this than I can count, but none of them have been exactly the same. each of them, however, happened just as i was falling asleep or waking up and most times I was extremely exhausted upon going to bed. when it happened, my body would be completely paralyzed, i would not be able to speak or scream, and sometimes my chest would feel so heavy that I'd have trouble breathing. I'd always feel like someone was in the corner of my room or right next to me, watching me, but I'd never be able to turn my head to see them. most times I'd also hear this loud, evil, maniacal laughter and sometimes I'd experiance horrible hallucinations as well. this has got to be one of the scariest things I've ever experienced and I cannot tell you how many times I've freaked people out by waking up screaming.

if this happens to you again try wiggling your fingers and toes, its helped me to snap out of it faster.

also, look up "sleep paralysis". i was told (by a psychiatrist) that thats what I've been experiencing and it sounds a lot like what has happened to you as well. hope that helps!

ShadowPeregrinus Jul 7, 2008

It may not be ghostly whatever this black robed figure is. I am working with people unraveling something that might explain these dream episodes people here are facing. Next time any of you go to bed, do the best you can in remembering exact times of waking up or anything like that. Time lines would greatly help piecing this together. Thanks and I hope I'll eventually be able to help you.

Lilith Jul 7, 2008

It cannot hurt you. It has no power over you.

It can only frighten you. It feeds from your fear. Don't give it any.

Be calm, Be strong.

Send it away.

It has to leave.

Command and it will comply.

DrDoom Jul 25, 2008

my brother used to have episodes like this a lot when he was in high school, and he always used to see a figure that looks almost exactly like you described.

there's a scientific explanation to these night terrors, it's called sleep paralysis. but i wonder if it's not also something supernatural, too...