Sleep paralysis... demonic attack or just a psychological issue?

[Moonrise Lu]

My boyfriend has had some problems with having sleep paralysis in the past. He says he used to get it a lot. Since we've been dating for the past year he has only experienced it twice. The last time it happened a few months ago I was there, he was taking a nap and suddenly made a really weird gasp noise like he couldn't breathe. He looked in pain, I thought he was having a nightmare so I nudged him and said his name, it took a few seconds but he woke and was really freaked out and told me there was a figure standing in the room. Afterward I looked it up and found out its called sleep paralysis.

From what I found I can't tell if it is a demon attacking someone in their sleep or just some weird psychological/mental/nightmare thing that happens in your sleep? My bf is convinced it's demonic attacks. I wonder about that because if there was a demon in the room I feel like I should've been able to feel it too? Or can Satan pick and choose who feels their presence??

Does anyone know more about sleep paralysis or have ever experienced it? What do you think?

 

[parsley]

We can't say a lot about the topic due to forum rules, but I've noticed that some of the medical information doesn't do more than record that a person saw or felt an unusual being (sitting on their chest, or in the room). So it has a classification but no solidly known cause.

Has he done much reading on how to handle his suspicions? Make sure he at least looks at how Jesus taught His disciples to handle it.

 

[Moonrise Lu]

Oh is there a different forum I can post this in? I am never sure where to put these topics into lol

 

[seashale76]

I've experienced both- and they're not the same thing. Sleep paralysis is when your mind wakes up before your body. It is terrifying in its own right. A demonic attack is something quite different from that- and even more terrifying. There was also no paralysis involved during this. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

I experienced demonic attacks for a few months when I was a teenager- and there were specific things I was involved in at the time that directly related to these occurrences. I don't like to talk about it because people either dismiss it out of hand, call it sleep paralysis, or think you're experiencing hallucinations. It's not an uplifting topic either. Calling on the name of the Lord during one of these attacks put a stop to them entirely.

It actually annoys me that the latter is lumped in with the former. It isn't the same experience.

 

[Radagast]

From what I found I can't tell if it is a demon attacking someone in their sleep or just some weird psychological/mental/nightmare thing that happens in your sleep?

It's a purely medical thing, not "demonic." See Sleep Paralysis Symptoms, Treatment, and Causes

 

[parsley]

Oh is there a different forum I can post this in? I am never sure where to put these topics into lol

This is fine... a long time ago there were too many conflicts over demon-related topics, so they had to set some limits.

 

[football5680]

It's medical, not demonic. It has happened to me and I have never thought that it was demonic, it is simply uncomfortable.

When sleep paralysis occurs you are basically in a state between being awake and asleep. Your body is paralyzed because this is what normally happens in your sleep so that you do not act out your dreams but you are still somewhat conscious. The conscious part of your brain realizes that you are paralyzed and this makes it feel very vulnerable to attacks. This vulnerability can lead to the belief that there is something dangerous in the room and the fact that you are still somewhat asleep can lead to a vision of a figure.

Of course I cannot be 100% sure but this explanation makes the most sense to me.

 

[Gentle Lamb]

Just to answer this question purely from a perspective of spirituality and spiritual warfare, I would say that the best thing you and your boyfriend can do (spiritually) is to pray about this issue and pray in depth about it. From a testimony of an ex-Satanist that I heard on YouTube (How Satan Stops our Prayers - Combat in the Heavenly Realm by DivineRevelations Spiritlessons), Satan and his demons, evil spirits, and all of his Satanist followers work expressly to stop the prayers of Christians, but the longer that we Christians engage in prayer, the stronger our prayers become and the stronger we become in our spirituality. So, aside from the medical interventions that your boyfriend will need for the sleep paralysis, prayer is your strongest weapon and best defense for and against demonic attacks, and also it is just a way of getting more into the will of God, which is always what we want as Christians. Since watching that video I myself have been making it a priority to pray more deeply and it definitely has been a benefit. I hope that helps.

My boyfriend has had some problems with having sleep paralysis in the past. He says he used to get it a lot. Since we've been dating for the past year he has only experienced it twice. The last time it happened a few months ago I was there, he was taking a nap and suddenly made a really weird gasp noise like he couldn't breathe. He looked in pain, I thought he was having a nightmare so I nudged him and said his name, it took a few seconds but he woke and was really freaked out and told me there was a figure standing in the room. Afterward I looked it up and found out its called sleep paralysis.

From what I found I can't tell if it is a demon attacking someone in their sleep or just some weird psychological/mental/nightmare thing that happens in your sleep? My bf is convinced it's demonic attacks. I wonder about that because if there was a demon in the room I feel like I should've been able to feel it too? Or can Satan pick and choose who feels their presence??

Does anyone know more about sleep paralysis or have ever experienced it? What do you think?

 

[WoundedDeep]

My boyfriend has had some problems with having sleep paralysis in the past. He says he used to get it a lot. Since we've been dating for the past year he has only experienced it twice. The last time it happened a few months ago I was there, he was taking a nap and suddenly made a really weird gasp noise like he couldn't breathe. He looked in pain, I thought he was having a nightmare so I nudged him and said his name, it took a few seconds but he woke and was really freaked out and told me there was a figure standing in the room. Afterward I looked it up and found out its called sleep paralysis.

From what I found I can't tell if it is a demon attacking someone in their sleep or just some weird psychological/mental/nightmare thing that happens in your sleep? My bf is convinced it's demonic attacks. I wonder about that because if there was a demon in the room I feel like I should've been able to feel it too? Or can Satan pick and choose who feels their presence??

Does anyone know more about sleep paralysis or have ever experienced it? What do you think?

Forum rules do not allow any deep spiritual recommendations, but from the description of your boyfriend of seeing a figure, it sounds to me to be more than just a medical cause. Of course, it is always important for your boyfriend to see a medical doctor first and see if there are any possible medical reasons to explain his "sleep paralysis" symptoms. None of us here are qualified to give a professional medical advice and its prohibited to do so.

From experience, I know for a fact that my father had seen figures/shadows/dark clouds before in his dream. Even though he did not experience any sleep paralysis or any symptoms of such, it turned out that he indeed saw demons/demonic activity. So I believe somehow there might be a spiritual reason to your boyfriend's experiences.

I assume your boyfriend is a Christian, so its best that he seek help from his church about this. Justneedhelp above gave good advice on using prayers to combat such things.

 

[PaladinValer]

My boyfriend has had some problems with having sleep paralysis in the past. He says he used to get it a lot. Since we've been dating for the past year he has only experienced it twice. The last time it happened a few months ago I was there, he was taking a nap and suddenly made a really weird gasp noise like he couldn't breathe. He looked in pain, I thought he was having a nightmare so I nudged him and said his name, it took a few seconds but he woke and was really freaked out and told me there was a figure standing in the room. Afterward I looked it up and found out its called sleep paralysis.

From what I found I can't tell if it is a demon attacking someone in their sleep or just some weird psychological/mental/nightmare thing that happens in your sleep? My bf is convinced it's demonic attacks. I wonder about that because if there was a demon in the room I feel like I should've been able to feel it too? Or can Satan pick and choose who feels their presence??

Does anyone know more about sleep paralysis or have ever experienced it? What do you think?

Sleep paralysis is a well-known and documented phenomenon. It has nothing to do with demonic influence or Diabolical assaults.

I've had several episodes of sleep paralysis in my life. They've often been quite terrifying, but when I realized that I was experiencing an episode, I was able to calm myself and allow myself to wake up fully without any adverse consequences.

In my episodes, my mind has projected things like aliens to being suffocated in my pillow. None of it was real; it was purely mental imaging. When we come to accept that it is sleep paralysis, we can help to dispel those images and allow us to wake up fully.

And with all due respect, I wouldn't date anyone who thinks well known psychological phenomenon to be demonic. That's exceptionally dangerous.

 

[vespasia]

Its worth talking to a medical doctor about esp if this happens again.

Based on your post it is possible the cessation of breathing then the gasp could indicate some form of sleep disorder might be behind his problems.

I would also take You-tube with a big pinch of salt anyone can post anything without having it verified. Most who claim to be ex-satanists on youtube have not really been there.

 

[anewman1993]

I have this frequently, and I would like to point out just because something has a medical reason, does not mean its not ALSO demonic in nature. Almost all my bad attacks happened to me at times when I was growing very close to god. One time I was praying over my town (it happened spontaneously, I was driving around praying about something else and then just kinda started driving around praying about my town) and that night I had one of the worst attacks I can remember. Its simply happened to many times to be coincidence.

Go to a doctor, but understand its POSSIBLE that a demon is causing a medical thing, just because it CAN be explained by science, doesn't mean that the root causes isn't still demonic in nature.

 

[Strachan]

Refer Hosea: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

I won't go into detail either on this topic, but let me ask you this: why would God make people experience terror, paralysis and see dark shadow people? Does it sound like something from God? Sounds like something from someone else to me.
Modern science hides everything in medical terms. I suggest take this question directly to God, and ask Him to reveal the truth to you, to confirm it in your spirit.

 

[wtrailer]

I've done a lot of reading on these topics and firmly believe that this is definitely demonic. Although there is a medical component to the event the horrific images are nothing but demonic made to elicit a fear response from the victim. This is very similar to the alien abduction phenomenon which I too believe is demonic. Those who have a relationship with Jesus Christ and call on His name during the event, even mentally if their mouth is paralyzed, have been able to end it.
Wt

 

[wtrailer]

I'm not sure what country you're from but this phenomenon seems to be on the rise in the United States. Many theologians believe it is because the protection of the Holy Spirit is lifting now that the States are becoming more and more non-Christian. Supernatural things like this happen quite frequently in other countries.
Wt

 

[parsley]

I have had physical-only sleep paralysis, in a very light form and only for a few seconds. It seemed a scary disengagement between my will to move my limbs, and my ability to make that connection. If it was a matter of blood flow or nerves cut off, then it seems a different pillow might help.

But I have also had experiences with seeing entities, and it is not a scoffing matter. People through history have seen unexpected, unfamiliar beings. There is no reason to tell a person it's their imagination, unless they are so distraught over it they can't function.

Suggest that they do some reading on the subject.