The Old Hag Syndrome

I just posted this on your shadow people thread.
I think it belongs in this thread.


Thanks for an interesting read vrill and all those that have contributed to thread.

I have seen shadow people all my life.
The first time was when i was about 6 years old and since then not a year goes by without me seeing and getting attacked by one. The last time i saw one was less than a month ago.
All my encounters have started by me waking in the middle of the night by these things which lead me to beleive i had a sleeping disorder of some kind like ,Sleep Apmea, however this isnt the case.
I have many stories concerning these encounters and none of them are pleasant.

I do beleive that im getting attacked by a being of some type and not having sleep paralysis.

reply to post by WozaMeathed


Scary. I cannot imagine being constantly attacked by what I felt that night years ago. I'd go crazy I think.

I've experienced it probably half a dozen times in my life, I don't buy the scientific explanation 100% because I've experienced a few variations of it,

1. Wake up in my bed in my room, can't move, can vividly look all around but cannot move until I realize I am still dreaming, when I realize this I am able to awake and move.

2. Wake up in my bed in my room, can't move, am fully awake, cannot move until a period of time which may last up to a minute.

3. I have experienced the process in mid-attempt, no where near REM, just turned lights off, in bed, just about to attempt to sleep when the paralyzing force paralyzes me, being fully awake and alert I fight it after up to a minute it goes away and I'm able to move.

I don't believe the same scientific explanation can be attributed to the above 3 different scenarios, this is just my opinion, but I do believe there is a natural variation and a supernatural variation. For those that don't believe in spirits, this means nothing, but for those that do, I believe spirits not only have the ability to mimic natural processes like this but purposely mimic processes like this in an attempt to disguise the fact that they even exist, it's one opinion.

reply to post by Vrill


Its only happened once to me but was not frightening and I didn't feel a presence in the room. I was asleep and woke up hearing noises in the bathroom, It sounded like my mum and my sisters talking, and the light pull swinging banging into the wall. I live with my fiance not my mum so I did think I was dreaming, but at the same time I could not move, i was trying to move my arms, my head, say something to wake up my finance, but it was a bare murmur, I was starting to worry a little thinking what the hells going on. Then I hear someone walking up the stairs outside my room, oddly enough sounded like wooden stairs, when I have carpet. I know I was not dreaming, I was awake in my room because you have the sense of the environment around you becoming clear like when you wake up normally. Realy trying to move now but cant, after a few minutes it stops and I can move again. Very strange.

Hodler - "The Night"

reply to post by Vrill


Could it be actually the problems they face on a daily basis weighing them down and causing them to freeze up psychosomatic. i have heard of this woman who does rsearch on these thiings she's a sometimes guest on a very popular night show I listen to for years, that's where I head of this website. I have also heard of this syndrome did you actually see her? Some callers to the show say they have seen her.

This happens to me very often i could say...twice a month between 2 months i could say.

HOWEVER 2 stroke me the most, The first is when i was serving my military service 3 years ago. I went to sleep in the night...and not much time after i fell asleep i woke up but could not move, tried to open my eyes and i couldn;t and i can remember very clear trying to call the name of my friend next to me to kick me or something to wake but again nothing....and suddently all when to normal.

MY WORSE though and scariest happened 2 months ago! I came back from uni and went to sleep during day time! Then in my sleep i heard my room's door opening and suprised i woke up...but..did I?? I tried to wake to open my eyes but my head was as is it was pushed back. I tried to open my eyes but everything was blurred BUT i could make out of someone being at the door and just stare at me...feared i tried to move and kept saying to my self "wake up you have to wake up, moveeee" but nothing. I also remember as if i was making sudden moves and fell out of the bed and the figure still staring at me.

But here's the thing...i could feel, feared, hear. smell and almost see around me clear and i was even talking to my self....from no where i woke up and found myself in the bed! I runned in the house to see if theres any one there but nothing. This case was most likely a dream in a way but boy oh boy it was so real.

reply to post by spooky1973


Many years ago, I heard the floorboards creaking (which they did in this house) and footsteps of someone coming into my room. Then something called out my name using my mother's voice.

I froze, knowing full well it wasn't her. I was in bed facing the other way and didn't dare turn around to see what it was.

Dark spirits are very good at deception and there are many reports of them imitating the voices of loved ones.