Can't Sleep, Clowns Will Eat Me

[Callace]

Okay, so I actually embellished a bit...Ghosts will eat me if I fall asleep (although some of my ancestors were circus performers).

I'm staying at my parents house tonight, it was built during the civil war and many people have died in it. This has plagued me everytime I have stayed here, but so far tonight I have experienced:

1. Odd, moving shadows that have no apparent source
2. Knocks and bumping sounds
3. Woke up choking

These are all normal experiences here, and I don't even believe in this sort of thing. That's how bad it is! I do NOT understand what is going on here...

Any Ghostbusters out there?

[Deleted]

1. Shadows - Your mind if playing tricks on you.
2. Old house, this is to be expected (I myself grew up in a wooden house built well over a hundred years ago, it's got all sorts of interesting things going on, like floorboards in one spot making noises when you step somewhere completely different but only on cold nights etc)
3. Sleep paralysis maybe?

[Ifeanychukwu]

Just turn on a bunch of lights and play wow all night =3

[Omertocracy]

Offer the ghosts some bourbon. Be sure to drink some with them though.

[Eisenhorne]

Befriend them and have them take you to hidden Civil War gold.

[Kasierith]

1. Your mind automatically fills in the edges of your perception, to account for not being able to see everything. And since you're afraid of ghosts there, your mind automatically fills it in with what it thinks you "want" to see.
2. Older houses tend to creak and shift quite often, causing other things like bumps.
3. Its not my fault that you struggled!

[Flaks]

Odd moving shadows: most likely at the edge of your vision or as soon as you dart your vision somewhere.
Knocks and bumping sounds: probably windy, can't say for sure.
Woke up choking: clearly nervous/jittery which translates to involuntary stress response of increases swallowing/saliva production.

[Mozu]

1. Ghosts tend to use shadows to distract you and/or get your attention.
2. I'd have to hear them myself, could easily be a ghost though.
3. Yep, you're fucked.

[NeonX]

Have any sleeping tablets lying around? If so take them.

If not, how about some alcohol? Try a night cap, sometimes helps with me depending on the alcohol.

If you don't want to do either just try and distract yourself, put some earphones in a listen to some soothing music not something that will provoke a reaction our of you. Also you could try and read a good book but the soothing music can help block everything out a little easier.

As for your problem, it does not exist but your clearly paranoid and I know exactly what you're going through. Happens every single time I watch a scary movie, I can never sleep because I become super paranoid about everything even when I think I'm find when watching it.

[Callace]

1. Shadows - Your mind if playing tricks on you.

I have a very active imagination, but when I focus I can normally tune this sort of thing out.

2. Old house, this is to be expected (I myself grew up in a wooden house built well over a hundred years ago, it's got all sorts of interesting things going on, like floorboards in one spot making noises when you step somewhere completely different but only on cold nights etc)

It is quiet enough that I can trace all of the sounds but not find a source. I know where the wood normally creaks, but tonight it is warm and windless.

3. Sleep paralysis maybe?

I'm not ruling it out, but again, I have never experienced this elsewhere.

[Willeonge]

www.reddit.com/r/nosleep

since you're already up

[Callace]

As per the shadows. They are very vaguely humanoid, but almost formless. I can look directly at them sometimes. This might sound silly, but it reminds me of the shadow from the old black and white movie Nosferatu.

[NeonX]

Also ear plugs and an eye mask work absolute wonders for things like this and they're very cheap, but don't use them if you have to listen out for an alarm or something.

[Deleted]

As per the shadows. They are very vaguely humanoid, but almost formless. I can look directly at them sometimes. This might sound silly, but it reminds me of the shadow from the old black and white movie Nosferatu.

Sounds like "shadow people", you wouldn't happen to be suffering from sleep deprivation, would you?

I've had some interesting "shadow people" experiences when I've been sleep deprived, the most interesting one being after a festival as I stepped into my dark bedroom in the middle of the day, it was like there were a dozen or so shadow figures milling about in there. That's what happens with no sleep and being around thousands of other people for days, when you finally get home and alone your mind thinks there should be people everywhere and fills them in for you... :O

[Zharradan]

1- ghosts doesn't exist
2- see #1
3- see #1

[Callace]

Sounds like "shadow people", you wouldn't happen to be suffering from sleep deprivation, would you?

I've had some interesting "shadow people" experiences when I've been sleep deprived, the most interesting one being after a festival as I stepped into my dark bedroom in the middle of the day, it was like there were a dozen or so shadow figures milling about in there. That's what happens with no sleep and being around thousands of other people for days, when you finally get home and alone your mind thinks there should be people everywhere and fills them in for you... :O

I think reading that only made me more scared.

---------- Post added 2012-07-03 at 05:51 AM ----------

Also ear plugs and an eye mask work absolute wonders for things like this and they're very cheap, but don't use them if you have to listen out for an alarm or something.

Unfortunately, I don't have any of those things and nothing is open at this hour.

[NeonX]

Unfortunately, I don't have any of those things and nothing is open at this hour.

Time for plan B then; hide under the covers and hope they go away haha.

[LoLHellcy]

www.reddit.com/r/nosleep

since you're already up

So the man is terrified that where he is staying is haunted, so you send him to /r/nosleep???

cruel. just cruel.

[Kasierith]

I think reading that only made me more scared.
Unfortunately, I don't have any of those things and nothing is open at this hour.

Have any benadryl? Also, its not something to be scared about... its a mix of your mind filling in blanks and memories impressing themselves on your perception. I used to be terrified of ghosts... until I talked myself into a simple understanding: everything has purpose, of some form or another. There is no reason for a ghost to harm me, and therefore I will not be harmed.

[Grizzly Willy]

I think reading that only made me more scared.

---------- Post added 2012-07-03 at 05:51 AM ----------



Unfortunately, I don't have any of those things and nothing is open at this hour.

You wouldn't happen to have an MP3 player and some earbuds, would you? I usually listen to something as I go to bed to block out irritating noises.