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Readers Respond: Tell us of your experiences with the Old Hag Syndrome

Responses: 210

By , About.com Guide

cant stop thinking about what just happe

I am 16 and I just had my first experience in my room... I prayed and the was about to dose off then I felt this really warm sensation come over my body and I almost couldn't breath, couldn't hear anything and I couldn't move my body. Idk y but i disnt open my eyes.. i tried to tawk and my lips wouldn't barely move.. I was trying to say what in he name of the lord do u want.. and nothing would come out... and the a few seconds later I felt the warm sensation leave me me I woke up... it is now 2:23am April 24 2012.. this happened at about 1:30am April 24 2012....
—Guest madison*

SP

I have had them for years ..I am 45 now but it started when, I was about 13...I couldn't move scream, reach for my wife (after I was married) for help or even breathe..In later life it has changed a lot, it went from being just weird and scarey at 13 to now someone is coming toward me and I can't move...It's still frightening even though I know whats happening...I learned that if I can just get one real good deep breath it will bring me out of it, but I'm still scared for a few minutes and then I come back to reality...I have also all my life,have been able to see spirits...Nope I'm not nuts, a druggie or drunk...My 25 yr old daughter shares the same "gift"...I always feel uneasy before a global disaster Earthquakes, tornado's.9-11....I have that feeling today as well...And it usually happens within 48 hours it is 4:50 pm central time April 23, 2012...I think this all ties in somehow....But if you haven't figured out how to get yourself out of a SP just fight for a big breath of air
—Guest Tim

OLD HAG SYNDROME

one night i was staying the night at a friend's and i was half asleep and half awake . i was lying on my back and i felt like i someone was sitting on me, holding me down, and possibly choking me. i was terrified i thought i saw what i think is a dark figure standing next to me. i tried to kick my friend who was sleeping next to me but i could barley move my toes. i told my self it was a dream and to wake up, it felt like forever untill i woke up. i went back to sleep after. i cant remember if there was any noises, but i could see the hold room but it felt like my eyes were closed. the room was dark. is the old hag syndrome??
—Guest St

I cant stop thinking about it..

About a month or two ago, i was sleeping, and suddenly i woke up, and a shadowy black figure was next to me, floating by my bed. i was freaked out, because i am VERY sensetive to ghost movies and paranormal stuff. so i was strainging my head too move away, and i could here myself saying, wake up, wake up now. And i woke up like in the movies, gasping for air. i was so scared. if you dont know how to control it, it is NOT fun.
—Nessa1231

dark shadow

last year (i was 8) a huge shadow made its way to my bed and pinned me to my wall i couldnt breath and went to hospital and i pinned me there too i scratched my neck and legs im scared about it happening again plz help
—Guest bradley parlapiano

It's not a hag...

I have been trying for about a year to induce sleep paralysis as a gateway to lucid dreaming. I had heard about this phenomenon, but never experienced it. Tonight was the first occurrence. I did as I always do: lie still on my back, staring at the ceiling, waiting for numbness to begin. It doesn't. Instead, all the noise outside my window stops, as though someone muted the world outside. I blink, and it's there, on my ceiling. It just kind of floated downward, dragging its fingers down the wall as it did. The sound was sickening. It stopped when it was nose-to-nose with me, put its other hands (it had 3 other arms) on my chest, and just stayed there, staring at me. Its eyes glowed, cycling from a fluorescent purple to an almost arterial red. Then someone in the room next to me dropped something, and it just levitated upwards into the ceiling. Its face was the last to melt away. I need answers, and I'm going to try to draw it out again.
—Guest Neko

The Hag

I think the scientific reasoning is bull shit. I have had the old hag on me. She got on my back, not my chest. I could not move at all and could not make a sound. I could hear her breathing really horribly. Someone told me if you keep a half a glass of water beside your bed she will get trapped in it and can't bother you. Well last night she tried to get on me again and this time I was not fully asleep and I finally got her away from me and my son brought me a half a glass of water and the Bible which he opened and I had no more problem with her. You better believe that from now on I will keep that half a glass water beside my bed.
—Guest Wanda B

Old Hag

I had this when I was around 12 years old, I could see the old hag and I was so angry after being held down I punched the space infront of me. This happened at around 9am after a good night sleep and after I had already stirred, and grabbing another 10 minutes snooze.
—Guest I was 12

feel free too respond to me or txt

Well i was nervous to reply to all who are on this .but never knew how many people out their share tje same experience.let me start by saying when i was around 8 -10yrs old ive always known i was being haunted but could never figure out whether it was the same thing or same spirit of some kind.beyond this i was going through abuse from my mother .a this point i have not experience the old hag term.i was seein glowing eyes sometimes.doors being hard to open then suddenly being pushed open. Sorry have to cut this short but my phone is messing up .i experience all of this being posted.my email is crysisfanatic.gf@gmail.com. member being dejavu later in my life. This is why i do not believe in coinsiden e..I do remember my mom on time explaining to my grandma certain things that hppn to her like a coffee cup being knocked out her had difficulty reading;speaking;and also associating with people.8m perfectly normal nowe
—Guest george forbes

old lady haunting me

my name is lizz and i been having these really bad nightmares since i was young always the same though considering theperson thats in them (an old lady) its quite frightening though to me because there is no way i am sensing kindness or that she is out to help me in any way just pure evil radiating around and her smile is so bone chilling my dreams terrify me so bad i dont even wanna go to sleep now and it seems it has only gotten worse lately, a while back scared the shit outta me i woke up and swore i seen her at the end of my bed just lookin at me staring into me into my soul it seemed and when i went to get up to run i heard a old lady voice call out my name a voice that sent chills down my spine raspy,old,evil, like fingers scrapping down a chalk board i just dont know what to do anymore please someone give me advice im terrified out my witts cant even hardly sleep anymore PLEASE PLEASE HELP ME i feel as if someone or something is out to get me........
—Guest mommylizz19

My Old Hag Experiences

I'm a 14 years old girl and I don't know the explanation about this. It's happened to me every weeks. This old hag came up when i was 12 y.o 'till now . I sleep well ,then i wake up but between in dream&real life. I can't breathe ,can't move my body except nails ,and i can't scream how hard i've tried .There is a somebody on my body and I tried to call out to my parents to wake their up and can't. I'm always saying this in my heart while old hag happening "Please God don't let this devil suffer me ,i'm yours .Don't let this happen Amen" .Then quickly as it started it stops. I get up and catch my breathe and so scared .I can't sleep the rest of the night. This thing happening to me between 2am - 3am .
—Guest Amanda Horan

Two times in past 6 months

I'm a 33 yr old male and I don't buy the scientific explanation. It's happened to me twice recently. I wake up sensing a presence. I can barely breathe and can't move except for my head a little. There is a weight on my chest and I tried to call out to my wife to wake her up and can't. Then as quickly as it started it stops. I get up and catch my breathe and am so disturbed (man code for as scared as a little girl) I can't sleep the rest of the night. Bith times occurred at approx. 2:00am.
—Guest jos3232

its spiritual

my son at the age of 12 experienced this old hag he was asleep and woken by something sitting on his chest crushing him he was then grabbed by the throat and dragged up the bedroom wall all this time he was paralysed could not move scream or fight. I have taken him to priests for blessings and doctors for treatment nothing worked. Its been 10 years now and one day my sister took me to see a psychic medium for a reading she asked me if I had questions after my reading the only thing I said to this lady was what happened to my son when he was in his teens that was it nothing els her reply to me was hauntings night terrors your son has an attachment of a spiritual kind because he has such a beautiful soul this thing has attached it self to him. She proceeded to say that she could take this evil spirit from my son put it in herself and send it back to where it needed to go. I believe this is what happens to you and need to contact a good psychic medium. it is not medical you are not sick
—Guest marie

Hair-pulling

First time I've ever experienced anything like this. A week ago, I was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of (I thought) my husband's voice saying "She has my hand." He sometimes mumbles in his sleep, but it's never coherent and hasn't happened in a long time. I was lying with my head resting on his forearm, so I immediately opened my eyes and saw his hand wasn't moving or anything. Suddenly, at the same time, an enormous pressure covered my face to the point that I couldn't breathe or open my mouth. As this happened, I had the feeling of a hand pressing down on the top of my head and pulling my hair so hard that I felt physical pain. I began to scream, but couldn't open my mouth for several seconds. Finally, the pressure stopped and it was over. I want to brush this off as a nightmare, but I can't figure out why I felt pain when I was definitely conscious afterward, and my eyes were open the entire time. When I looked at my husband he was in a deep sleep.
—Guest KJ

The Hag

It's terrifying to experience, and it happended to me a number of times in an old apartment I was sharing with friends. I was lying on my side facing the wall and with my back to the open window. I work up unable to move and because I was sure that I heard screaming coming from outside. I don't know how long I lay there, but I was sure there was a presence in the room and could feel someone sitting on top of my desk and staring into my back. All I could do was blink my eyes and pray. After what seemed like at least 10 mins, I started to move but was still so scared I didn't roll over to look, but fell back to sleep. This happened at least 4 times in the 6 months I lived there. Once I moved, it never happened again. I'm sure it was the old hag, I don't care what science says!
—Guest A

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