No more sleep paralysis (I hope)

[Misanthropical]

I found out that sleep paralysis and insomnia go together like peanut butter and jelly, so I bring it up to my doctor now that I know it has nothing to do with the paranormal like I thought it did. She sends me to a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders.

I filled out a ton of paperwork and brought it in with me to see the doctor. I had to wonder if he was off his rocker though because he came in and without a trace of humor asked my husband and myself which one of us was the patient. He had my file in his hand with my obvious female name on it. Mr. Mis and myself both gave him a look. I told him I was and told him about my insomnia and sleep paralysis.

If you don't know what sleep paralysis is look it up, it is a very scary thing to have and I have had it since childhood.

Anyway, he isn't much help with the insomnia and told me a few things to do to try to get to sleep and if that didn't work he would refer me to a psychiatrist for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, what ever that means. I realize I'm a whole lot on the weird and strange side, but I really have no need for a psychiatrist.

He told me he is prescribing an anti-depression medicine for the sleep paralysis. I told him I am right now the most happiest I have ever been in my life and have no signs or symptoms of depression. He told me the medicine does something in REM that stops sleep paralysis.

I had a couple of nightmares since then where I'm having sleep paralysis in the nightmare.

Thank you for reading my ramblings, we now return you to your show already in progress.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

While I do not have chronic SP, I have had it, and the night of The Big One, I was so hard asleep it wasn't even funny. I was not having trouble sleeping. In fact, I don't think I've ever had trouble sleeping.

[stephenr]

I suffer from sleep paralysis every so often. I have learned to deal with it. The scariest was when I fell asleep sitting down in a chair.

[Misanthropical]

While I do not have chronic SP, I have had it, and the night of The Big One, I was so hard asleep it wasn't even funny. I was not having trouble sleeping. In fact, I don't think I've ever had trouble sleeping.

I have only had insomnia for the last 5 years, so sleep paralysis is not always linked with insomnia, but both are sleep disorders.

I would eat raw fish heads if it meant never having another episode of sleep paralysis.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I would eat raw fish heads if it meant never having another episode of sleep paralysis.

Yeah, right there with you on that one.

[Plaidman]

Cognitive behavioural therapy was completely useless to me. Never worked. Basical gist is to reverse your way of thinking. Instead of my standard I hate this world, my life and everyone should burn and die together, I was to do and thing I love this world, my life, and everyone should always be happy and live long lives"


That just made me angrier.

Personally, I've had sleep paralysis sometimes. I enjoy it. It's my thrill of the week when I have it. Got nothing else in life, might as well enjoy what little tiny enjoyments I can get.

[Misanthropical]

I do have a happy life filled with a lot of love and laughter, so it's not like I am having dark thoughts before bed. Granted, I do have a huge disdain for most of mankind, but that is not what is stopping me from sleeping.

What could they possibly change that would make me sleep better?

[Plaidman]

In your case, it'd likely be "I will not have sleep paralysis and I will sleep better tonight"


Cognitive is basically an extreme version of positive renforcement. Works for some. Not all. Those that do have it work slam it as the greatest thing since slice bread and if it hasn't work your doing it wrong.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I dunno if there is a link, but when it happened to me I was desperatly tired. I'd had a grueling day stringing Christmas lights at the zoo in freezing weather all day, then drove to Clemson, which is three hours away. Then I hung out with friends till it was late, then went to bed.

I was not stressed or depressed, but I remember being on the verge of exhaustion.

[42_42_42]

I tend to have episodes of sleep paralysis following surgery or other illnesses where I have to sleep on my back (I normally sleep on my stomach). Mis- try sleeping on your side or stomach, for some reason, SP occurs at a much higher rate when you sleep on your back.

[Misanthropical]

I always sleep on my side and always have, so it doesn't matter what position I'm in it comes.

My daughter only gets it when she sleeps on her back. So, for her, she can avoid it by sleeping on her side.

[LingualMonkey]

You have no idea how excited I am to see this thread. I suffer from sleep paralysis at times, and have never had a name to put with the condition. I always figured that I was a freak of nature, and have never discussed it with anyone.

Now, maybe I think I should, although I don't have any of the other traditional symptoms.

[Plaidman]

You have no idea how excited I am to see this thread. I suffer from sleep paralysis at times, and have never had a name to put with the condition. I always figured that I was a freak of nature, and have never discussed it with anyone.

Now, maybe I think I should, although I don't have any of the other traditional symptoms.

o_O People at CS have talked about this off and on for years. Many memembers have it. A thread about it comes up quite often.

[LingualMonkey]

Be that as it may...I don't come down to this end of the board that often, and my attendance is frequently spotty.

It's sort of like that one thing from your youth you completely missed out on that everyone else remembers.

[Misanthropical]

LingualMonkey I don't remember many threads on it either, so don't feel bad.

You don't need any other symptoms to bring it up to your doctor. I just wish I had done so sooner, but I didn't know it was a sleep disorder and like you thought it was something I couldn't do anything about. If it bothers/scares you I would suggest bringing it up to your doctor.

Have you had it since childhood too or is it a new thing?