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    krissyal's Avatar
    krissyal Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Sep 3, 2008, 07:12 AM
    Ghost attack at night?
    My husband was sleeping on the couch last night and facing the back of the couch curled up. He woke up to hearing this really loud knocking but coming from behind him. It got louder and lounder and closer to him but he couldn't move, the knocking was so intense that he could feel it almost like vibrating. He found himself locked in the position he was lying in and couln't speak or move to see what it was behind him. The knocking stopped but then came this flapping noise almost like someone had taken a blanket or something and started shaking it up and down real fast to make this flapping noise. He said it started slow then got real fast and real close to him, however he still coundn't move. He was struggling to move and once the noise stopped he was able to turn. There was nothing there. He is very upset and freaked out by this, can anyone tell me what they think this might have been or why this happened?
    asking's Avatar
    asking Posts: 2,673, Reputation: 660
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    #2

    Sep 4, 2008, 07:38 AM
    This is a science section, so I will answer as scientifically as I can.

    1. Since he was facing the back of the couch, any noise he heard --even from outside the house -- would have appeared to be coming from behind him. The back of the couch would have stopped any sound waves coming from the front and the arms of the couch would have stopped sound coming from his feet and above his head, plus we don't hear as well from those directions. On the other hand, we hear sounds behind us VERY well, so that direction would have definitely been the loudest. So, first, the sound was probably NOT coming from behind him. It just sounded that way. Chances are good it was not even in the room with him.

    2. His inability to move was most likely caused by one of two things--not really wanting to move because he was startled and, what can I say? afraid! I would be if I heard a loud noise behind me in the middle of the night! It is quite possible to be literally frozen in fear, especially when you are just woken up and disoriented. OR here's another explanation: during sleep, we are unable to move (a form of temporary paralysis that is normal and healthy) and he may have been still half asleep when he heard the noise and basically didn't wake up until it stopped.

    Which brings me to #3, What was the noise?

    3. Without knowing anything about your house or where you live, there's no way for me to know what he heard. He could have dreamed it. Or it could have been a real noise that he initially incorporated it into a dream, which would explain why he couldn't move at first. To me, the sound as you describe it sounds like some kind of fan that was either elsewhere in the house or outside. Or maybe a refrigerator motor going bad. It could also have been animal outside the house--they make a lot of weird noises around here.

    The important thing for your husband to understand is that whatever it was was not behind him and he should not worry about his inability to move while it was happening. We react differently to things when we are asleep or roused from sleep. In the middle of the night, it's smarter (in terms of survival) to hold still if you don't know what you are hearing.

    Once you eliminate the ideas that (1) it was right behind him and (2) he was unnaturally paralyzed, you no longer have a ghost--just a sound he heard and doesn't recognize yet. Perhaps it will come to him later. But if he has persuaded both of you it was ghost, it might be a bit embarrassing to later admit it was the air conditioner or something like that. :)
    Alder's Avatar
    Alder Posts: 342, Reputation: 71
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    #3

    Sep 4, 2008, 11:59 AM
    The previous answer from "Asking" is a good practical one. To give you an answer from someone to whom ghosts are no more unusual than airconditioners, I've had a few similar experiences that involved a ghost or spirit coming into my house. Unless you put up some strong defenses, spirits can come in. That's not a bad thing, any more than camping out under the stars in the forest, knowing that all manner of critters might walk through your camp, is a bad thing. Some spirits, like some critters, are predatory, but like any predatory animal they only prey on people who are giving off "wounded fish" signals.

    The presence of such a being tends to send us into the waking dream state. Most folks are physically paralyzed while in that state (my wife probably wishes I was sometimes). Anyway, whether you go with an explanation that makes sense in the paradigm of ordinary Aristotlean subject-object dualist modern Western Civilization science, or an explanation outside of that paradigm, the advice is the same: It's better approached from a mindset of curiosity than one of fear. In other words, don't automatically assume it is an "attack." Maybe the spirit is just being overly friendly.

    If you have more such events and are worried about it, check out some of the recent posts by xoxaprilwine. She has some good, straightforward methods for clearing the place of unwanted spiritual activity.

    Blessings,

    Alder
    Leith's Avatar
    Leith Posts: 49, Reputation: 3
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    #4

    Sep 4, 2008, 12:11 PM
    WOW O.o freaky... all I can say is poor him and are you SURE you hadn't put the washer on or something? And like it sounded like it was behind him? Or someone wasn't outside? A lot of kids tend to come out at night these days and make a noise.
    And if it isn't that like wow... o.o call ghost busters I've never seen a ghost but my teacher has so I do believe in them XD But wow... sorry that's really creepy
    In Sorrow's Avatar
    In Sorrow Posts: 82, Reputation: 5
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    #5

    Sep 6, 2008, 07:33 PM
    This sounds like what we call the " old hag attack ", it has happened to me many times during my childhood, teenage, and twenties years, a few times in my thrities, now that I am in my 40's I don't really experience it. It is some kind of a Psychic Vampire, or Spirit that likes to take peoples energy, by causing them not to move when the energy has been taken then they fly away and you are able to move again. If you ever get the chance to read the book " Vampires the occult truth " By Konstantios " it explains all of that.
    BrainSpinalCord's Avatar
    BrainSpinalCord Posts: 7, Reputation: 3
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    #6

    Sep 11, 2008, 05:22 PM
    Your husband experienced a relatively common phenomenon called sleep paralysis. As you can see, his symptoms clearly match, and the account of sleeping on the couch (most likely due to lack of sleep/irregular sleep pattern) matches as well.

    Sleep paralysis is a disorder characterized by the inability to move upon falling asleep or waking up. Sleep paralysis occurs as a person is moving in our out of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and is the result of a premature disconnection between the brain and body. While the brain and body normally disconnect during REM sleep, those who suffer from sleep paralysis experience the disconnection as they are about to enter or exit REM instead.

    Symptoms of Sleep Paralysis
    Symptoms of sleep paralysis include:

    * Sensations of noise or smells
    * Feelings of levitation
    * Inability to move the body
    * Feelings of terror
    * Images of intruders

    Causes of Sleep Paralysis
    Sleep paralysis can be caused by any incident that disrupts normal REM patterns, including jet lack, insomnia, inconsistent sleep routine, and brain injury.

    Treatment of Sleep Paralysis
    The best way to banish sleep paralysis is to reestablish normal REM patterns. Going to bed and rising at the same time every day will reintroduce a normal brain-body connection.
    Sleep Paralysis - Brain Spinal Cord Org
    brittykitty's Avatar
    brittykitty Posts: 76, Reputation: 2
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    #7

    Oct 2, 2008, 07:30 AM

    I get this all the time, I wake up and cannot move my body and it scares me SO BAD. Usually I'm sleeping next to my boyfriend so despite the fact I can't move I usually can move my hands or feet little and only can whisper so I whisper my boyfreinds name and he knows to wake me up by shaking me. It's the strangest thing ever. When I "wake up" and cannot move its like I'm still half in a dream and half awake because I will still see things I only do in my dreams. Its bizarre.. I wish there was a way to fix this.
    brittykitty's Avatar
    brittykitty Posts: 76, Reputation: 2
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    #8

    Oct 2, 2008, 07:32 AM
    When I whisper my boyfriend name apprently it comes out very strange and like I'm possessed lol but I don't know what else to do, it sucks if the covers are over your face too so your like smothering or something and can't move, or if your very hot and sweating.. and can't move.. ugh anoying
    brittykitty's Avatar
    brittykitty Posts: 76, Reputation: 2
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    #9

    Oct 2, 2008, 07:34 AM

    Its definitely not a ghost attack
    xoxaprilwine's Avatar
    xoxaprilwine Posts: 582, Reputation: 71
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    #10

    Oct 2, 2008, 02:49 PM

    I get these occasionally. I agree with all of the above... completely actually I like Sorrows idea of it the most. All explanations are all justifiable in any sense. In my personal experience, I use to get attacked on a weekly to monthly basis growing up and it horrified me. I was afraid to sleep... I went to the doctor and they gave me the same feed, I didn't agree with them. I know its more then just that. I don't get attacked anymore because I have learned on how to protect myself and sometimes they still come through. The last time was in Canmore... some man... he tried to attack me when I was awake I saw the black slender human shadow bending over me looking into my eyes (though he didn't have any) at first I wasn't sure... then I was overwhelmed with fear at that moment he motioned to my neck. I turned on the light and switched sides with hubby... slept with the lights on (I thought maybe it was the new rock... oh well). Then the next day I stayed in the motel with my daughter and took a nap with her. I was attacked by the same presence, when I was finally released he was in the room still and I just got furious and raged... I screamed "you should be ashamed!" "I am pregnant with child and have my baby sleeping here. If you come back so help me god you will regret it" and he didn't come back. But in past attacks I have heard groups of men chanting, (my sister also experienced one moment with me on that as well as a huge voice over our heads)I have had objects being thrown, someone trying to communicate with me and voice does not sound of this world (almost sounds demonic but its not... think its just the way the dimensions distort sound... not sound but rather vibrations) and I was not in bed alone... I have my sister, friends and hubby witness all of it. He needs to learn how to protect himself.
    Mojobean's Avatar
    Mojobean Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #11

    Nov 11, 2008, 02:55 AM
    Ive done the same as xoxaprilwine.
    Ive been having the same type of attacks for years now (im 23) and I had one last night, and recently got married... and when I came to again, my husband freaked out.
    When this particular one stood over me... I was so overwhelmed I couldn't even tell it to shove off or start ranting like I normally would.
    The figure disappeared when my husband grabbed hold of my hand for some reason... I don't know why but I'm glad he did.
    Instead I broke down this time and cried like a baby for almost 20 minutes.
    He on the other hand is absolutely furious and is looking for things to do to solve this matter.
    I'm open for all suggestions.
    I am not a church going person but I am religious.
    Capuchin's Avatar
    Capuchin Posts: 5,255, Reputation: 656
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    #12

    Nov 11, 2008, 03:41 AM

    Hi, this sound exactly like sleep paralysis, accompanied by hypnagogic hallucinations. It's a perfectly normal psychological phenomenon that is experienced by quite a large proportion of the population. There's nothing paranormal about it!

    More information:

    Sleep paralysis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Hypnagogia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Essentially, your body is paralysed when you sleep - to stop you moving too much and bumping into things, but sometimes your brain wakes up before resetting the paralysis, so you are completely conscious while paralysed. Sometimes this is accompanied by a dream like state where you will hallucinate sounds or visions. People have written about this kind of experience many times, and there are even many paintings of exactly this phenomena.

    Hope this puts you a bit more at ease! It's something your body is doing, not anything that actually exists in the real world.
    xxsophiexx95's Avatar
    xxsophiexx95 Posts: 42, Reputation: 1
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    #13

    Feb 25, 2009, 12:46 PM

    Well DiD You See This Or Did He Tell YoU? Maybe He Thought It Was A Dream or Some Kids Was Knocking On The Door Because Kids Like Playing Jokes.
    If Not If He Gets Hurt He Can Go To a Priest But It Shouldn't Get Too Bad.

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