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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What the fuck just happened?

61 replies

AhhhhhSpider · 29/10/2019 22:53

I went to sleep an hour ago and just found myself standing by the light switch, light on. I was certain I saw a spider suspended from the ceiling and then I think I bolted to the light.

No sign of said spider and I can't remember being awake to notice, just suddenly recognising the spider and being by the light.

My toddler is asleep here too and luckily didn't wake.

Wtf? Did I see the spider or dream it or hallucinate it or what? Scared to go back to sleep. It seems a bit dark to have noticed one and also I was lying on my side (I know from the dribble) but I feel the adrenaline!

OP posts:
WTF0ver · 29/10/2019 23:41

I once 'saw' a tarantula on the wall above my bed during that groggy awake/asleep state. I leapt out of bed and skinned my knees :(

SpinneyHill · 29/10/2019 23:43

Spider. A Spider dropped from the ceiling on it's alien technology based web....Seriously they have gone nuts this year, the webs I see in the shed and gardens in the mornings have been ridiculous (insert shudder emoji)

Comps83 · 29/10/2019 23:57

I’ve had the weird half asleep half awake realistic spider dream a few times

RockinHippy · 30/10/2019 00:10

I've had this too, but mine was vampires, it was the freakiest shit, really felt real, but thankfully bizarre enough for me to know it couldn't have been. You couldn't have seen a spider, too dark

FurrySlipperBoots · 30/10/2019 00:15

I used to have these all the time when I was suffering from serious insomnia 10 years back. Nearly always spiders, once a giant one nearly half the size of my bed. The worst was the grim reaper/black sinister silhouette of a man. I only had that one once thank goodness. I'm heaps better now and only get the spider in a blue moon. I can really empathise OP as I know how horrible it is.

30to50FeralHogs · 30/10/2019 00:19

I was woken by XH one night telling me there was a massive spider on my side of the duvet and not to move. Scared the crap out of me until I realised he couldn’t have actually seen it as it was pitch black and then he went straight back to sleep, the bastard!

Original poster
AhhhhhSpider · 30/10/2019 00:19

Thanks for these replies. I feel fine now but was so spooked in the moment!

Went back to sleep earlier but now up with DD. I feel that the constant being yanked out of sleep almost every time I drop off at the moment is taking its toll! It was a stressful day as well.

On the other hand I've realised it is light enough in here with eyes adjusted for the dark to see a spider were it really to be sneaking it's way down.... duhn duhn duuuhn!

OP posts:
Original poster
AhhhhhSpider · 30/10/2019 00:20

Sorry about these horrid experiences many have you had 😫

OP posts:
Shockers · 30/10/2019 00:24

As a child I dreamt that an earwig was crawling towards my ear. I woke and went into my parents’ room and told them there was an earwig in my ear. Mum told me to go back to sleep, but I was insistent. Eventually, and with some irritation, she told me to switch on the light to look.

There was an earwig in my ear.

StormBaby · 30/10/2019 00:27

Yes I get them too, it's a 'thing' apparently. Mine are white and fuzzy, like a squiggly energy form, in the shape of a spider

funinthesun19 · 30/10/2019 00:27

I had the same hallucination twice in one night!

Are you over tired/anxious/stressed? I tend to “see” and “hear” things at night when my mind is on overdrive and my body is over tired.

Bluerussian · 30/10/2019 00:39

A lucid dream, Ahspider. I have had them occasionally (not about spiders even though I am very scared of big ones), they are scary because everything seems so real but they don't last long.

Don't worry about it, it may be years before you have another one or you may never! If it does happen again soon and becomes regular, I'm sure there is some solution or even something that will help, on which your GP can advise.

Wine
WhatTiggersDoBest · 30/10/2019 00:39

I've had phantom spiders, too, since DS was born 3 months ago. And I'm not especially scared of UK spiders. Every time I've seen them I've been driving. I had one last week in the early morning. Big black and green spider descending near my face. When I could actually pull over to check, there was nothing there. Honestly, I started wondering if I was developing post-partum psychosis but now I'm reassured it's probably just sleep deprivation lmao.

Sobeyondthehills · 30/10/2019 00:57

My ex husband had this, bolted out the bed so fast.

I couldn't decide whether to laugh or be pissed he had just left me to the spider

(after he had calmed down I had never seen him so scared)

30to50FeralHogs · 30/10/2019 01:15

Another one I’ve heard lots of people experience is someone knocking on the door. I’ve had that a few times!

Mamboitaliano · 30/10/2019 01:21

Oh I have this! Usually insects - very vivid and real. Not like a dream but definitely more like a hallucination. Latest was an orange hamster I was convinced I saw scrabbling in some boxes next to my bed. Made a change from insects!

RhinoskinhaveI · 30/10/2019 01:27

I understand it's very common for hypnopompic hallucinations to take the form of a spiders, I saw one myself once

BanditoShipman · 30/10/2019 01:42

I have night terrors. Similar in that they usually occur in first hour if falling asleep. I’m often convinced a spider is in the bed, I jump out the bed run around screaming etc, make DH shake all the covers out. I’m convinced I’m awake but I’m still asleep. When I finally wake up I can be trembling and feel horrible and scared for hours. I get them when I’m really stressed, have done since I was a child, nearly always based on spiders.

alltoomuchrightnow · 30/10/2019 02:08

that's interesting, Rhino.. my last one had 1000s of legs to it, I really screamed! (I don't mind real spiders at all)...

CatsOnCatnip · 30/10/2019 06:51

I’ve had this where i thought I saw a massive spider on the bed. Turned the light on flapped around a bit. I do have nights very once in a blue moon where I just have night terror after night terror, usually when I’m stressed.

everythingthelighttouches · 30/10/2019 08:01

Mamboitaliano. !!
Snap!!

I was just about to post to say I get all sorts: spiders, insects, cockroaches, baby bats and once a hamster running around on the ceiling.

It’s stopped in recent years but I could often be found scrabbling around under the duvet or on the floor next to my bed looking for beasties.

My husband also says I’ve given a full PowerPoint presentation and a 360 degree feedback and Pdp/odd in my sleep!

I know I am weird.

WTF0ver · 30/10/2019 08:40

I used to always see a video camera in floating in front of my face as well! Clear as day! I haven't seen that in a while though.

TricklBOO · 30/10/2019 12:39

I used to always see a video camera in floating in front of my face as well! Clear as day! I haven't seen that in a while though.

Maybe you're in your own version of The Truman Show.

Doodlebug5 · 30/10/2019 13:34

I also have this.

The usual spiders, I also get giant beetles... that's horrid

Last night I had a man standing at the end of my bed. I've never hit the light so fast... he wasnt there.

theladylovescupcakes · 30/10/2019 13:39

I experience this too, generally always spiders but one spectacular occasion it was a crab with clacking pincers. Seems entirely real until I wake up. Nice to put a name to it finally!

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