Weird episode about 6am - would you get medical advice?

[lifeisneverwithouthope]

I’m not sure if I was dreaming or not. I had woken up about 3.30 and fell back asleep about 5.30am, then woke up again about 6 - I was semi awake but couldn’t move at all, could hear myself trying to move/breathe but couldn’t move anything just my eyes, and felt absolutely terrified of something I had imagined (some sort of ghost type thing). I remember trying to kick my leg against the wall so someone could hear me. Wasn’t totally orientated to time or place, I remember thinking I was at my parents’ house and I haven’t liked there for years.

It stopped very quickly and I ‘woke up’ fully orientated and could move normally.

Google says stuff about sleep paralysis, but that’s never happened to me before.

I’m doing therapy just now for past horrible things, and they did warn the therapy could make things harder for the first 2-3 weeks. I was meant to be doing a thing for work today but I’ve just emailed them asking if I can have a day working from home, and make up the hours next week - I’m beyond exhausted, I’ve hardly slept all night.

Should I ring my GP, or just put it down to sleep paralysis? I can move totally normally now. But haven’t slept well understandably, I’ve been up on and off all night with this and having nightmares in between.

Sounds exactly like sleep paralysis. I wouldn't seek medical advice unless it happened frequently.

It is a scary experience though! Have had episodes now and then.

Do tell your therapist though, and about the vivid dreams. It sounds like therapy is unearthing subconscious stuff,which is good I suppose.

Sounds like sleep paralysis. Are you taking any medication or recently started medication?
It wouldn’t do any harm to get checked out.
I take medication that can cause hallucinations, although that was very early on. I don’t take it all the time so when I restart it after a few months not taking it means I can experience the side effects again.
The worst episode when waking was complete amnesia from my late teens onwards. I didn’t recognise my bedroom and couldn’t work out where I was, I thought I should have been in my childhood bedroom. Fortunately it only lasted 30-40 seconds, so when DH came back into the room I knew who he was. If he hadn’t been in the bathroom I may have panicked.

I’m on a few different meds yes, I suppose one of them could have caused it. It was really weird - as soon as I realised what was happening it stopped.

I’ve had the amnesia thing before, that is really horrible yes - woken up and had to try and remember who I am and where I am, that usually lasts less than 30 seconds thank God.

I’ll definitely tell my therapist, she did say to write down anything that happens between sessions so we can discuss it.