Sleep Paralysis, Hallucination, Or A Combination?

Hi everyone. I am new to this forum and I would like to start by describing an experience my father and I have both had for most of our lives.
Once a year or sometimes less often, I go to sleep normally and then wake up. However, I don't fully wake. My mind wakes up from REM sleep and I am fully aware of my surroundings but my body mostly stays asleep (Just to clarify I'm not lucidly dreaming I am FULLY awake). This in itself is not really problem for me. What is a problem is that during this period of paralysis, I hallucinate. Moreover, these hallucinations are very frightning and shockingly realistic. In fact even in hindsight they do seem real. The hallucinations are vivid and are full of sound and images. I can even remember that during the last episode I could hear my family talking infront of the TV in the adjacent living room. During this state--which lasts from a few seconds to almost 2 minutes--I can sometimes yell very softly. My dad suffers from these pseudo-living nightmares more often that I do.

Are we experiencing sleep paralysis? What is the cause? Stress? Or is it random?

Thanks
:wink:

EDIT: I have read this page and have found out more about my experience. Could this also have something to do with my sister's sleepwalking? The article says that this happens in order "to prevent the body from enacting the dreamt activity (ie. preventing a sleeper from running when dreaming about running)."

http://www.dreamviews.com/forum/inde...howtopic=42211

I experianced something similar to that, except I had really bad halluncinations and what not. I wasn't lucid, because if I were, I'd try to make it enjoyable.

I used to experience sleep paralysis more often when I napped in the evening. it can result from an unhealthy sleeping habit!