What is this? Overactive imagination or something else?

[Kiyona]

Hello all,

This might be an odd problem, or maybe not, maybe everyone is like this and no one talks about it?

How to start...

Weird things are happening, always have. For as long as I can remember I have had periods when I have felt "unsafe". (Lack of English skills, I dont know if that is the right word. The hairs at the back of my neck stand up, and I jump at shadows. Due to my raised heartbeat I have a hard time sleeping during these periods.) As long as I am not alone, this is not a problem. And usually I can always tell my self that I am imagining things. But, now that my fiancees work has changed so that he will be away from home a lot, I thought I should go to the bottom with this.

In the house where I grew up, there was a room that I was deathly afraid of, even as a baby, and it never stopped being scary. And when I move to a new place, it takes a few months before I get these "episodes" again. They usually only lasts a few days though.

What usually happens is that something sets me off. Like the last time where there was a weird sound that I couldnt find the source of. After that, I imagine all sorts of scary stuff. And since I have a very bad nightvision I keep seeing weird things around me.

I am a very logical person, and have always believed that these episodes is due to me having an overactive imagination. But it is still scary. Especially this time, since I seem to have been doing some strange things in my sleep. And I have NEVER sleepwalked before. During the night, I seem to have unplugged lots of lamps and other electronics, and hidden my clothes that I picked out for today under my bed.

Other weird stuff has happened after a few months of living in a new place. Like my old tapeplayer turning on and off, and the videoplayer randomly deciding to eject tapes (this even though I havent used it for months, and the remote being placed on the TV). And a few other similar things. But this is probably just faulty electronics. =)

Hm, I dont know how else to describe it. Please ask if I am unclear.
Have you any idea how I can stop this? Or why it is happening? I have no reason at all to be scared like this, and it feels really silly.

Have any of you experienced something like it?

Please, any thoughts at all are greatly appreciated, even if it just you agreeing that I am silly. =)

[Serpentine]

Have you talked to a doctor about the panicky feelings?

For the rest: EXPERIMENTATION TIEM! Video yourself sleeping, do stuff with the electronics (not sure what exactly), that sorta thing.

[Eldan]

That might very well be the kind of thing a psychiatrist could best help you with. Panic attacks with a possible side order of paranoia and/or acoustic hallucinations...

Yeah, I'd recommend talking to a doctor.

[Tirian]

Agreed. IMHO, primary-care doctors are fine with treating depression, but once you're into the anxiety spectrum you're really better off going straight to a psychiatrist. They're not necessarily cheap, but they're very effective. And there are no lack of therapies available.

The fact that you're a logical intelligent person doesn't mean that you can't suffer from mental disorders. If anything, it prods you to over-think the stimuli you are receiving and come up with rationales when the truth may be that it's your brain chemistry that needs to be physically rejiggered. But a hard part of getting treatment is accepting that you can't think your way out of it no matter how smart you are, and I can definitely say that that can take longer than you'd like.

[Quincunx]

Uninterrupted power sources are the best way to tame wonky electronics ever. Plugging your finicky electronics into one won't change whatever thought process goes strange happenings with electronics -> panic, but it will stop quite a lot of those strange occurrences from happening in the first place by shielding them from voltage fluctuations and other irregularities in the electric supply.

Can't speak to sleepwalking. Can speak to being so tired that I got up, performed minor chores, held a conversation, went back to bed, and formed no memories of the event. Repeated and repeatable.

[dehro]

-I told you she'd notice!
-let's just get out of here before things get out of hand
-will you two keep it down? I'm trying to cover our tracks here! Digger 1, how's the tunnel coming along?
-*muffled* all set, Sir, the passage is clear!
-good..now let's grab our gear and get this ball rolling. Plan for world domination 27/c initiate, now!
-yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
-geronimoooo!
-*muffled* yeah baby, let's rock'n roll!



-morons!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

welcome to the land of overactive immagination, take a number and get in line. things are not as bad as they look

jokes aside, I'd try and get to the root of these circumstances (your..ask your parents whether they remember when you started to feel that way, whether there has been an event or circumstance in particular they associate with it..and so on..in the spirit of finding the root of it, so to speak
(I can't help but think that a shrink would be going down that path anyway, so you might as well do it yourself, for what's possible..before jumping on the couch, so to speak)
I'm not a big fan of resorting to "counseling" at the first sight of problems when maybe a little introspection and breathing exercises may do the trick without costing you triple digits figures an hour.
talk with those that know you and have your wellbeing at heart, with those that knew you in the past, in a no-nonsense "I need advice/an external view" kind of way.
as for your electric appliance malfunctions...there can be half a dozen different reasons for single events
..before you start seeing patterns that are likely not to be there, I'd look at the events a little closer to find the technical reasons behind the lot or simply ignore them on account that..they don't do you any harm (feeling threatened is the first step for your brain to start making conjectures and seeing patterns)
as for sleepwalking...there's no telling when you started exactly, or why... one of my brothers talks in his sleep off and on... one of my sisters, on occasion, will do the craziest things like dress up at 3 a.m. and try to leave the house to go buy salame (it took some convincing to get her back to bed and she didn't believe a word of it afterwards)..
she hasn't sleepwalked for years now (that we are aware off).
since you're freaked out by random electric malfunctions, it's not such a weird thing that you'd go and unplug stuff in your sleep....whereas I still have to make sense of the salame incident (my sister was also a vegetarian for several years, long after that night...so, go figure)
anyway, sleepwalking may be connected to the rest of your..peculiarities..but it doesn't have to be. again, patterns that may or may not be there.
breathing exercises and healthy conversation seem to be a cheap and often effective way to sort out insecurities or unclear situations.

if that fails..by all means, have a chat with your doctor.

[Lillith]

I´d agree on the taping yourself during the night to see what it is you´re doing. You might have like something on your mind, like repressed feelings that are trying to come out now and present themselves in sleepwalking. That might be something to take to a therapist.

As for the electronics suddenly malfunctioning, maybe they´re really old, the electricity is going haywire or something. Also the following suggestion is my own paranoid side talking, but maybe someone is trying to play a prank on you by hiding your clothes and unplugging stuff while making taperecorders eject with the push of a remote control. Then again, I´m very paranoid so that´s just me talking. :smallsigh:

[Yarram]

Or...
Maybe it's a ghost?
:smalltongue:

[Lord Loss]

I agree with videotaping yourself sleeping. And the other rooms, in case you go into them whilst asleep.

Once this is done a psychiatrist (or exorcist? dun dun dun ) could help you.

[dehro]

videotaping the whole night, and several rooms, sounds cool..but how practical is that really?
a bit of an expensive way to solve something that a voltmeter and a bit of collaboration from a sleeping-over friend can solve just as effectively.
real life is not a movie set. giving these problems the full on treatment might as well expand the anxiety instead of taking it away

[Umael]

Don't watch the movie "Paranormal Activity".

[Jimp]

The Slender Man wants to be your friend.

[Telonius]

I'll second the videotape idea. A sleep specialist might be able to help as well. There might be some sort of sleep disorder going on - sleep apnea or night terrors are probably the best-known of those, but there are others.

If it does turn out to be a ghost, I'd recommend you document everything you can and contact one of several television shows. With any luck you'll at least be able to make some money off of it.

[Kiyona]

Thanks a lot for all the input guys! It really helps. =)

But, oh my, do you really think that something as silly as this warrants a psyciatrist? I have never thought of it like a "real" problem, but maybe it is... I will have to think about that. Luckily, I live in a country where even psyciatrists are payed for, so it is not that expensive for me to see one.

I have thought about videotaping myself, mostly to prove to myself that there really isnt anything weord going on. But I havent got the guts. ^^ Not yet at least.

It is not real anxiety-attacks, at least not as far as I can tell. It is not that bad, I dont think that I am going to die, and have trouble breathing. I just get a strong feeling that there is something else present, and get really scared. Even though I tell myself that there is nothing to be afraid of, my body still reacts with a fear respons.

As I said, I am a logical, (or maybe scientific is a better word?) person so I really dont believe in stuff like ghosts. But of course there is a part of me (my imagination most likely) that brings up the thought from time to time. =)

The only thing that have been able to come up with is, either just way to active imagination, or some kind of repressed trauma waaaay back that I cant remember. This has been going on since I was just a baby, so neither me nor my family can remember when it started.


Jimp

And thats just mean. =P

Dehro

I have tried both to ignore the fear, on account that there is nothing actually there to hurt me, and very thoroughly gone through every inch of my apartment to find the "source". Sometimes it works, but mostly ir just enhances my fear.

Important to mention though that these episodes dont happen that often, thats mostly why I havent sought help earlier.

[shadow_archmagi]

Do you really think this is that important?

I'm not a medical of anything. However, what you've said seems like at the very least an irritation and at worst a symptom of something more serious. I'd reccomend going to some sort of doctor or psychiatrist and saying "Is this something I should be concerned about?"

[Tirian]

But, oh my, do you really think that something as silly as this warrants a psyciatrist? I have never thought of it like a "real" problem, but maybe it is... I will have to think about that. Luckily, I live in a country where even psyciatrists are payed for, so it is not that expensive for me to see one.

It's really up to you. It's like your car making some obscure rattling noise. If it bothers you, you can go to the mechanic and get it repaired. If it doesn't bother you, you can probably let it go.

I'll just point you to a panic disorder self-test (http://www.thehealthcenter.info/selftest.php?id=5) and you can get a feel for yourself whether treatment is something you want to look into. I'm not a professional, but I think that if you told a psychiatrist what you told us she would not regard it as "silly".

[snoopy13a]

One good thing is that you've had these feelings all of your life (including early childhood). This is a good thing because some mental illnesses (such as schizophenia) manifest themselves in early adulthood.

Honestly, I think you just have an overactive imagination and sleepwalk for time to time. People on the internet often try to diagnose themselves with various disorders but it isn't always the case.

Also, you probably didn't have something traumatic happen to you in childhood and I would definitely recommend not talking about that with a therapist. Psychologists can actually modify memories and there have been cases where innocent people have been convicted of crimes because relatives honestly believed they were abused after therapists modified their memories (the therapists weren't intending to do this, it was an unfortunate side effect).

Here's a fairly good summary of memory modification:

http://www.slate.com/id/2251883/

[RandomNPC]

I second memory mods, they are no good. I can recall lots of my childhood memories from the third person, wathcing myself, because that's how It's been described to me.

Also, if you just don't remember something, it's true that your brain makes things up to fill the blanks, this can get quite dangerous if odd situations arise.

[Kiyona]

Well, after having read a little about panicdisorder I am pretty sure that this is not what is going on. First of all, it is not that bad, and second it lasts way to long. It is like a really, really mild panic attack, lasting for a few days, and is usually centered around a place, if I leave I dont feel scared until I return.

I actually saw a shrink when I was younger on an unrelated (hopefully) problem. And she thought that maybe there was some sort of trauma in the past, because that is the normal cause. But she didnt push the issue, when I told her no. So at least that shrink will not cause memory mods, so I should maybe see her. Even though she is specialised in a very deifferent feild.

I have heard of memory mods before, and it is a really scary thought. I wouldnt want to have that happen.

If this becomes a real problem now that I will be alone for longer periods of time I think I will see a therapist at least. It is actually unneccesary to have problems if they can be cured, right? But I am a bit scared that I wont like the results...

But I will try to manage it by my self at first. And see if I can control my imagination and my weird fear responses. Anyone has any suggestions on how to do that? Anyone with a phobia maybe?

[Xyk]

Speaking of memory modification:

A friend of mine actually has been abused since she was about 3 and is pretty manic or depressed all the time, but she's been getting better now that she's almost 18 and moving out. Until like February, she honestly believed she had a super best friend that sent a video to her of him killing himself. She would tell me of all these memories she had of him and even painted a picture with paints of a treehouse that they had built.

In february, she realized that he never did exist. O.o

AAaaaanyways, to respond to the OP, I wouldn't worry about it too much, maybe get a nightlight, or if therapy and the like really is free, by all means go for it. They are usually pretty good at helping.

[Deth Muncher]

Speaking of memory modification:

A friend of mine actually has been abused since she was about 3 and is pretty manic or depressed all the time, but she's been getting better now that she's almost 18 and moving out. Until like February, she honestly believed she had a super best friend that sent a video to her of him killing himself. She would tell me of all these memories she had of him and even painted a picture with paints of a treehouse that they had built.

In february, she realized that he never did exist. O.o

AAaaaanyways, to respond to the OP, I wouldn't worry about it too much, maybe get a nightlight, or if therapy and the like really is free, by all means go for it. They are usually pretty good at helping.


O_o Whoa. Intense.

So, OP, you say your family doesn't know of anything weird happening to you. Okay. This also probably isn't night terrors either, since, y'know, it's not happening at night. The strange electronics are probably due to the aforementioned power flux - you should really check about how to get that stopped. As to the random unplugging of electronics and hiding of clothes - do you live with anyone? Because it could be them. If not - do you leave said lights or what have you on at night? Because perhaps, if you do, your sleep addled brain could be going "Bah, want light off. How I make go off? Unplug. Yes." Similarly, the clothes-hiding could be your brain failing, and thinking they need to be put away when you see them when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, and you erroneously shove them under the bed.

Also, as to the creeped-out-by-roomsness: I can say that sometimes this happens to me too, and I DO know it's my overactive imagination. Mind you, I don't get day-long aversions to rooms, but if it's nighttime or if a room is dark in the middle of the day for whatever reason, occasionally I'll get goosebumps. I then just shake my head, get over it and continue on.

Re: Modified memories - Yeah, it happens, but not all the time, and most of the time, I'd think that it stems more from the desire to please the questioner. Human brains are odd like that sometimes. Regardless, I'd go see a therapist, especially since it's been happening since you were a baby.

Oh, and the ridiculous answer: You've been gifted with a supernatural sixth sense which allows you to sense evil entities. With this gift, you should assemble a group of ragtag adventurers, go into the Shadow World and destroy the evil beings for all time, and then eat cookies.

[J.Gellert]

Overactive imagination is normal (and great). Basically, on this kind of thing, the "preprequisite" to see a doctor is this: Does your everyday life suffer? Do you feel you cannot function normally?

Example: Many people are scared of dogs and won't go near them. That doesn't require any help. But if you are so afraid of them that you run away, then you might see a doctor. And if your boyfriend has a dog, then you should see a doctor.

Imagining things in the dark is very normal. Getting a feeling of impending danger might be expected, if you are alone in a dark place. If that alone was enough to warrant psychiatric help, then we would all be crazy. But if it ends up ruining your day, if it makes you miserable, or if it prevents you from sleeping, then you may want to get help - not because that's something out of the ordinary, but just so that you can sleep properly!

And don't watch scary movies. :smalltongue:

[dehro]

If this becomes a real problem now that I will be alone for longer periods of time I think I will see a therapist at least. It is actually unneccesary to have problems if they can be cured, right? But I am a bit scared that I wont like the results...

But I will try to manage it by my self at first. And see if I can control my imagination and my weird fear responses. Anyone has any suggestions on how to do that? Anyone with a phobia maybe?

yay for being sensible and not giving in to panic.
whilst I do believe in the value of psychiatry, I personally have a few misgivings about the need to resort to their help at every minor inconvenience in our lives or indeed state of mind. I can never entirely shake the feeling that nobody is perfect and that they will eventually "find something wrong with you" if they keep digging long enough...even though sometimes it might not be there to begin with.
I admit that my view is probably biased by the fact that non of the (actually considerable number of) psychiatrist that I know personally has a less than messed up personal life. I appreciate this is not always the case...but it's become an annoyingly accurate trend amongst my social aquaintances that whenever any of them gets involved with anybody carrying a degree in psychiatry, said individual turns out to be a total nightmare to deal with.

this has no relevance on the thread, I know...it's just to explain why I always encourage to look to oneself and to try to use common sense, logic and the help of friends and family, before taking the step to seek professional help if the matter at hand seems not to go away.

in this case, things don't sound half as drammatic as some of the replies you got seem to suggest. with the utmost respect, throwing around terms like schizophrenia, paranoia, mental disorders... to me it sounds at the very least premature, and ultimately unwise. after all, nobody here knows much about you and would be able to offer a proper insight.
I am a very rational kind of person, and I've gone through a few less than pleasant experiences, so I don't get panicky easy...
if I did however, I know the last thing I would want people to be telling me during a bout of anxiety is that I'm seeing things and that I'm going to need a straightjacket, pills or at the very least a few sessions on "the couch"
hardly soothing, calming or indeed reassuring.

ultimately "see a doctor" can be a very valid suggestion..hell..I have the same suggestion in my first reply. but I would add "see a doctor if common sense tells you you need it because you have tried other ways and they don't work"

so..well done for keeping your head in your hands instead of handing it over to someone else at the first sign of unrest.

I don't have phobias myself, nor a degree of any kind...(if you exclude frequent bouts of high strung immagination that however don't really affect my emotions...they're more of an outlet) but I do have given support, in a very small way, to a few individuals in facing down a few of their fears, or at least learn to live with them.
I find that often putting things on paper and having someone to "take them apart" with you helps... but I'd never suggest you do so on a public forum..so..
if you want, do get in touch via mailbox

[gatley]

I agree with Firkraag, the quintessential question is if your everday life suffers. If you can deal with it and live a normal life, then great, otherwise you have to consult a doctor or a therapist to fight the problem. I know a person with sleeping disorder (http://www.modafinilonline.org/shift-work-sleeping-disorder/) and she tried for a long time to handle the problem herself but then she realized that she needs professional help and went to her doc.

[Drascin]

Weird things are happening, always have. For as long as I can remember I have had periods when I have felt "unsafe". (Lack of English skills, I dont know if that is the right word. The hairs at the back of my neck stand up, and I jump at shadows. Due to my raised heartbeat I have a hard time sleeping during these periods.) As long as I am not alone, this is not a problem. And usually I can always tell my self that I am imagining things. But, now that my fiancees work has changed so that he will be away from home a lot, I thought I should go to the bottom with this.

In the house where I grew up, there was a room that I was deathly afraid of, even as a baby, and it never stopped being scary. And when I move to a new place, it takes a few months before I get these "episodes" again. They usually only lasts a few days though.

What usually happens is that something sets me off. Like the last time where there was a weird sound that I couldnt find the source of. After that, I imagine all sorts of scary stuff. And since I have a very bad nightvision I keep seeing weird things around me.

I am a very logical person, and have always believed that these episodes is due to me having an overactive imagination. But it is still scary. Especially this time, since I seem to have been doing some strange things in my sleep. And I have NEVER sleepwalked before. During the night, I seem to have unplugged lots of lamps and other electronics, and hidden my clothes that I picked out for today under my bed.

Have any of you experienced something like it?


Oh god, you have no idea how much. Yeah, I'm also exceedingly paranoid in pretty much that very same way - while I'm alone, shadows will seem to do strange stuff, or I'll jump at every noise pounding a heartful of adrenaline. This is only increased by the fact that I have really, really good hearing - I'll clearly hear footsteps and jump and check the house in detail all but grabbing a knife and expecting a burglar... and it'll turn out it's just the steps of the neighbour two walls across.

I actually always sleep with the door to my room closed and a book leaning against it - if the door opened, it'd fall noisily, and since I have a very light sleep, I'd know and jump awake instantly. I know I'm being dumb, that I'm just imagining things, but that little safety is the only thing that really allows me to sleep every night :smallredface:.

[Asthix]

On the subject of sleepwalking, I used to when I was younger, but only when I was under stress. The most dramatic example of this was when, at summer camp, I took someone out of their sleeping bag without waking him up! so I could use it. I can't express how strange it was to:
A) wake up in a sleeping bag you didn't go to sleep in and
B) have to wake that guy up and give it back to him. He was so weirded out by it that he never even asked me what had happened.

Kiyona: The subconscious is a selfish thing. Being a logical person like me, you probably can't help thinking about these things which don't make sense, in order to try and explain them logically. That's your stress and the unplugging of things and hiding of clothes while sleepwalking (if that's what it is) is your subconscious taking care of the problem so you can relax.

Sorry if I was too verbose in my explanation.

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: Thread necromancy. *Turns Unthread*