Hello,

My name is James and I was just wondering if you could help me in some way with either information or advice. But I have had recurring worries about something that happened in my past when I was about 6 years old. This was between a decade and two decades ago to give you some idea of age. I don't want to give my exact age and have someone I know think of me as crazy. But I was sleeping one night when suddenly I felt something grab my arm very securely. I was frightened and tried to scream but it was as if my own voice was muffled before exiting my mouth. I could not see who/what was holding onto my arm but I do remember being able to see a white hand print upon my arm while being squeezed. (Imagine a sight permeable hand). I tried to writhe and get away but to no avail. My arm started to bruise. At that time my mother rushed into the room and the squeezing stopped. Needless to say I had trouble sleeping for a while and cried fairly often for about a week. But all that time leading up to that strange night I remember hearing strange noises and getting a feeling that I truly can't describe besides saying that I hope I never feel it again. This is something that really happened to me and obviously I would like serious advice as to what I should do to make sure this never happens to me again. It occurred to me that after watching Paranormal Activity that this thing may come back or has never left. So please some reassurance or some information as to if you know of or have heard of anyone with the same symptoms.

My thanks,
James

Does your mother remember this incident? If so, does she have any thoughts about it?

Also remember that the movie Paranormal Activity is a work of fiction. There is no reality to it whatsoever. It was filmed in the premise of Blair Witch.

If you only experienced it that one time. You have had no experiences since. I honestlly do not think you have anything to worry about.

Fear just feeds into more fear which can actually create more incidents. I think you need to stay away from shows that might feed into that fear of it possibly happening again.

If you believe in God. Then you know what you need to do. Do not live in fear. Past is the past.

Joe

It occured to me that after watching Paranormal Activity that this thing may come back or has never left. So please some reassurance or some information as to if you know of or have heard of anyone with the same symptoms.

My thanks,
James

James,

As I have noted above, the movie Paranormal Activity is a work of fiction, it has NO bearing on reality whatsoever.

What you experienced 10 or 20 years ago sounds as though you may have been experiencing what is called night terrors.

Or possibly, there was reality in that long-ago experience. Was there another male living in your house or perhaps visiting? Could he have been the person who gripped your arm for some reason, and your mom interrupted whatever he was doing?

I know from my own childhood stories like this and also from my kids' experiences that there is usually a rational explanation.

My mother does in fact remember this incident but when I brought it up it was obvious we did not want to get into details so we changed the subject. And at the time it was just me and my mother in the house if I remember correctly because my father was away on business. And I do know Paranormal Activity is a work of fiction but the movie made me wonder if, even despite my prayers, the source of the incident could come back.

My mother does in fact remember this incident but when I brought it up it was obvious we did not want to get into details so we changed the subject.
That's certainly curious. Why wouldn't your mother talk about this, especially since you then spent the next week crying about it and have spent years thinking about it. Did she have a male guest, even a relative, visiting after you went to bed? And you were only six, would have gone to bed early so wouldn't have known about a visitor, was awakened from a deep sleep in a dark room. And ghosts leave bruises? I don't think so.

The fact that your mother won't talk about it makes me very suspicious.

It's not that she so much didn't want to talk about it, as I didn't want to talk about it. And there wasn't anyone in the house besides me and her and my 1 year old baby sister at the time. And my sister had been extremely sick and needed constant care (she was on the verge of death at the time, something I didn't realize till a few years later), so the possibility of an affair going on is very slim, and the chances of an affair and the man coming in my room in the middle of the night just to grab my arm and me somehow not remember a figure being there at all seem even more remote.

the chances of an affair and the man coming in my room in the middle of the night just to grab my arm and me somehow not remember a figure being there at all seem even more remote.
I did not say anything about an affair! I said the man could have been a relative or a friend. If your sister was sick, there was even more reason for someone to come over to help with something. Maybe the person squeezing your arm was even a woman friend or relative.

You were only six and asleep. All sorts of things could have been happening during that time. I'm sure there is an earthly explanation for it, and nothing paranormal.