Sleep paralysis, opioids and brain damage

**CrimpJiggler** · 09-16-2011 09:14 AM

I've noticed that when I'm on opioids I am 100% guaranteed to go into sleep paralysis when I fall asleep. I talked about this on another forum but someone told me to be careful because they had read that this is where the risk of suffering opioid induced brain damage arises. He has a point, in sleep paralysis its a lot harder to breathe because a lot of the chest muscles become paralysed. I can see how one might accidentally deprive their brains of oxygen in this state, especially if one is on opioids which significantly reduce ones urge to breath. Last night I went into sleep paralysis and I wanted to try and leave my body but I didn't want to suffer brain damage so I pulled myself out of it. Anyone here have experience with opioids and sleep paralysis? I don't see why I couldn't just force myself to breath but I suppose I might forget whats going on considering I'm always bombarded by hypnagogic hallucinations in SP.

**apsinvo** · 09-16-2011 10:29 AM

I don't have any direct experience with opioids however I know that they are a respiratory system depressant hence reduced urge to breathe, hence brain damage. I don't believe that this is related to the SP that we refer to on this board, as breathing during that stage is no different to regular sleep. I may be wrong here.

**CrimpJiggler** · 09-16-2011 12:43 PM

It is related to sleep paralysis, I get SP all the time so I know a thing or 2 about it. Opioids make it happen much more frequently with me. Thats what I mean, opioids depress the respiratory system so combining that with sleep paralysis may be dangerous. You're right though, breathing during SP is the same as it is when you're asleep so going into SP on opioids shouldn't be any more dangerous than going to sleep on them.