Thread: Scared about Sleep Paralysis

Originally Posted by Big Buck104

(sorry if this is the wrong forum)
hello everyone
im new to the forum, but have been looking into Lucid Dreaming for quite awhile.

So, to be blunt, is SP scary? I heard there are hallucinations and noises and stuff. Ive always been scared stiff of ghosts/demons and stuff. But, Lucid Dreaming seems so wonderful!

So, please, will you tell me

a. is SP scary?
b. if so, how to make it better
c. how long does it last/ how do i get into the actual LD?

again, sorry if this is the wrong forum.
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I would close the other thread that you opened in lucid experiences. That part of the forum is only for if you experienced a lucid dream and wanted to share it with the community As for your question, I'll never experienced full on SP, but, had some pre-SP and gotten close to SP before.
a. SP differs from one person to another. All SP is, is your body being paralyzed to prevent movement as you dream. Some people experience hypnogogic imagery such as seeing entities and some hear auditory hallucinations such as beeping, people talking, possibly some screaming, etc....
b. Yes, whenever you plan to try to get to SP, close your eyes during the experience and remind yourself that anything and everything you feel, hear, see(if your eyes are open) are hallucinations and that nothing is real. Getting scared during SP will only make the hallucinations scarier, so, prepare yourself mentally if you plan to get to SP and remember it's only a hallucination
c. Some WILD techniques require SP while others don't. Basically, you stay conscious through SP by counting numbers and concentrating on that, etc.... and if you stay conscious enough, you should enter a dream. The hardest part is to pass SP, but, I have heard of some cases where SP ended and the user didn't enter a lucid dream. SP can last anywhere from a few sec to a few minutes.

BTW, welcome to dreamviews and enjoy what the site has to offer. Check out the tutorials for more info on SP and the different induction techniques

Sleep Paralysis has never been scary for me. The best thing to do is to just remember that anything you see or hear during SP is not real and cannot hurt you in any way whatsoever.

WILD (and its variations) is really the only technique that involves SP, so if you find that you can't handle it then I'd suggest finding another technique. However, SP doesn't last very long, and it goes by even faster if you remain calm. (Well, technically it lasts the entire time you are in REM, but you only are only aware of it for a few seconds.)

Originally Posted by Big Buck104

a. is SP scary?
b. if so, how to make it better
c. how long does it last/ how do i get into the actual LD?

Sleep Paralysis just paralyzes the body. Its the state the mind is in that causes the hallucinations. Hypnagogia when you are going to sleep, and Hypnopompic when you are waking up. Just wanted to clear that up.

A) It can be. Some people may just hear small noises, like a door opening, while others hear screaming. I don't want to get you scared, but it varies from person to person.

Some people even see monsters, while others don't see anything at all.

B) DO NOT GET SCARED! Getting scared of what you see or hear can make things worse. The best thing to do is to just try and ignore it and think happy thoughts.

C) This I am not sure about. I would say that it varies from person to person, and that it all depends on if you "dream self" realizes you are dreaming.

I've never gotten into it, but I've gotten close. However, I don't need to experience it to say that it's a "mind over matter" thing, in a way (did I use the saying right? =P)