Thread: SP induced panic attack

When I was 10 or 11 (not too long ago..) I had a panic attack every night I went to bed for a year and a half, so I guess I wasn't surprised that when I tried WILDing, the weird feeling of sleep paralysis set me off hyperventilating.

I didn't think about it when I started. I lied on my back, counted up to... 150 or so, and my body went numb, I was fine for a few seconds but then my heart started pounding. Obviously, any weird feeling while falling asleep makes me nervous because I think I'm having another panic attack, which makes me even more nervous. I knew it was just SP, but I couldnt stop. Eventually I got up, went to the bathroom, drank some water, but when I got back to bed I couldnt fall asleep for 2 hours because I was still hyperventilating.

I really want to be able to WILD, since apparently I can atleast get to SP, but I'm scared to try again because I dont want to be up for hours breathing into a paper bag. Any tips for calming down during SP?? Or am I just too neurotic to be able to do it, considering my circumstance?

Thanks

I think that another Lucid Dreaming technique is a good idea.
Try a WBTB or MILD.

You can find tutorials here.

SP can be pretty scary at times. I usually tell people that it can't hurt them, but in your case I would recommend another technique that doesn't have conscious SP.

Originally Posted by Viridian

When I was 10 or 11 (not too long ago..) I had a panic attack every night I went to bed for a year and a half, so I guess I wasn't surprised that when I tried WILDing, the weird feeling of sleep paralysis set me off hyperventilating.

I didn't think about it when I started. I lied on my back, counted up to... 150 or so, and my body went numb, I was fine for a few seconds but then my heart started pounding.

That is perfectly normal, and it will happen most of the first times you try to enter SP.

Obviously, any weird feeling while falling asleep makes me nervous because I think I'm having another panic attack, which makes me even more nervous. I knew it was just SP, but I couldnt stop. Eventually I got up, went to the bathroom, drank some water, but when I got back to bed I couldnt fall asleep for 2 hours because I was still hyperventilating.

That is a bit extreme though. You should drinking some warm milk when you get these panic attacks. It will ease you alot.

I really want to be able to WILD, since apparently I can atleast get to SP, but I'm scared to try again because I dont want to be up for hours breathing into a paper bag. Any tips for calming down during SP?? Or am I just too neurotic to be able to do it, considering my circumstance?

Thanks

The best way to remain calm when entering SP, is to train SP. By that I mean, defeat your fear by entering SP - consciously - as often as you can.

I hope that helps a wee bit.

Thank you!

I am determined to try again. I tried lying on my stomach last night instead, and when I went into sleep paralysis, it felt different, I just felt... dull. I think that maybe what I was feeling were vibrations the first time? I'm not sure, but thank you all for your advice!

Definitely good steps, keep going