Sleep Paralysis and extreme Déjà Vu

[Wayne86]

I am unsure as to whether this is anxiety related but I have been subject to frequent sleep paralysis over the last 10 or so years (own research done to narrow down what this is called) eg. Wide awake unable to move or scream, Electric shock like pulse pulsating through my entire body, the feeling of someone or something present in the room and extreme fear. Whilst I am now used to the frequent “episodes” of this (whilst still very frightening) I have in the last couple of years been also getting what I believe is déjà Vu but it’s not like any déjà Vu I have experienced before. It feels like everything I see, read or do is something that I have seen, read or done before in a kind of loop of life in some ways it feels and it is very uncomforting and makes me feel light headed as if I am going to pass out. I have tried to explain this to people but I feel like they don’t understand or think I am making it up and that I cannot truly explain what is happening to me. Can anyone shed some light on what this is? How You deal with it if you’re experiencing the same thing?

[PamelaR]

Hi Wayne and welcome to Beyond Blue forums

I'm sorry we've taken so long to respond to your post. It's not anything to do with you, it's all about our own system.

I'm not a health professional but someone who experiences PTSD, anxiety and depression.

The symptoms you describe are not something I'm familiar with. The closest I could come to, is I remember in my 30s of having this odd sensation when I layed down during the afternoon and was 'half asleep'. I always thought there was someone in the room, walking around too.

Over the years I went to a good doctor and health professional (psychologist). This has helped me to manage my episodes of PTSD, anxiety and depression. I no longer get that strange half asleep feeling.

Do you see anyone for your anxiety? I would speak to my doctor about those things you mentioned.

There are a lot of members here in the community with experience of anxiety, what we can help with is peer support around coping with your anxiety and stories of what has worked for others - please feel free to join in some of the discussions in the Anxiety forum to get started.
Also, Beyond Blue has a webpage for anxiety. You can find this by doing a search in the search field at the top of the page for - Web pages anxiety.

Hope this helps in some way. You're not alone.

Kind regards
PamelaR

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Wayne86,

Welcome to the forums and thanks for joining us!

I feel like the best first step might be to see your GP. I say this because it's so hard to diagnose anxiety when symptoms of anxiety mimic other things; in the same sense people who are having an anxiety attack feel like they are having a heart attack. Getting that diagnosis is important so that you know that what you are experiencing is actually anxiety related and not related to anything else.

Experiences of dejavu can happen as part of general anxiety and also be apart of episodes of depersonalisation (feeling a bit detached or like the world is a little dreamlike).

I am all too familiar with sleep paralysis as well and I know how well it can tie in with anxiety and low moods.

I think the most important thing to know is that this is very real, very uncomfortable and you're not making it up. It's hard for others to explain because it's just the hardest thing to describe. People can't really imagine what they can't see/feel for themselves.

Your GP should be able to give you the next best step. You may find that ways to help manage this can include things like grounding exercises, mindfulness, types of therapy, trying to note your triggers and what makes things better/worse etc.

[Roobot]

Hi

I have experienced some of what you mentioned too (electric shocks, fear, Deja Vu) but I have a neurological condition as well as anxiety. Your GP is always a great place to start. Good luck x

[Scaff]

Hi Wayne, it's been a year since your post, so I wonder if you got any further in understanding what's happening to you. Maybe my story helps a bit. I suffer from virtually identical symptoms to you. The sleep paralysis: especially soon after falling asleep I'll wake up with no idea where I am, who I am or even what I am, often paralysed, usually very scared with sensations like limbs being on backwards or general unfamiliarity with my body. Like you I learned to deal with this, and my wife has learned to calm me down. Causes are usually exhaustion combined with disturbance as I'm falling asleep.

I also have the deja-vu you have, and can relate on just how profound those experiences feel. An initial experience of "hey, this happened before" is followed by "and this too... and noticing it happened before also happened before, and.... I remember a pattern, or something important... if I could just recall that pattern...." and off you go down the rabbit hole. But, like following the white rabbit, I've not yet found the end of the rabbit hole in these experiences. The first time it happened I was catatonic for about 30 minutes, inside my own head, chasing thoughts that just went deeper and deeper into a puzzle. I've heard it called presque-vu. Everyone will tell you "oh yeah, tip of your tongue, I've had that" but they can't fathom just how intense these experiences are.

So, what causes it? I haven't found out yet, you're only the third or fourth person I've heard of having this. But, I also suffer from silent migraines, and there's a clue there. Tied together with the "shocks" that jolt you half awake, I have a strong suspicion we are suffering some form of seizure. I spoke to a neurologist who told me to come back when I want to do something about it all (the migraines can be up to 4 times a day). I'll let you know if I do so, but would be very interested in hearing from you if you got anything diagnosed.