I know this isn't really a controversial topic, but, this is where I spend most of my time, and I trust you guys here. Plus, this is the most active group on here☺

I've suffered from sleep paralysis for a long, long time. It is absolutely horrible, and I've never been able to make it go away.

Over the centuries, symptoms of sleep paralysis have been described in many ways and often attributed to an "evil" presence: unseen night demons in ancient times, the old hag in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and alien abductors. Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking.

Causes of sleep paralysis are:

Lack of sleep

Sleep schedule that changes

Mental conditions such as stress or bipolar disorder

Sleeping on the back

Other sleep problems such as narcolepsy or nighttime leg cramps

Use of certain medications, such as those for ADHD

Substance abuse

It happens to me when I'm falling asleep, and when I'm waking up. It starts off with me hearing a distant voice, that gets close and closer. Then, I see a dark shadow, and a demon like figure. I can't talk, I can't move, it feels like it's trying to hold me down and choke me. Substance abuse is one of the causes, and I'm pretty sure I caused it back in active addiction. It is the scariest thing, and I was wondering if anyone else suffers from it, or if you think it's something else?