Thats reassuring. 
Nah but that helps guys, thanks for the replies. That other thread helps alot, too. My fault for not searching.
I had my first experience with Sleep Paralysis two nights ago. I had heard about Old Hag and all that from this website but I started looking up a whole lot of information about it that day and what do you know I got one. I heard it was really scary so I was so paranoid to get one that I acutally got it. When it happened I knew immediately what was going on so I just tried really hard to stay calm and everything was okay. However, I was too concerened with what had just happeend to do much with my lucidity. It’s kind of a shame.
Funny thing I was watching last week about some Japanese doctor doing research on “sleep paralysis” they had another name for it. But based on what they were saying, what we call sleep paralysis, someone else calls Old Hag, the Japanese call it something else and so on. I wish I remember the name of the show.
They were actually saying that people who have reported being abducted by aliens were actually suffering from sleep paralysis or old hag.
Yes, I’ve heard about that. I read somewhere that what before were werewolves and boggarts are now reapers and aliens because the meaning you give to what you see is cultural. I wonder why people have this specific kind of hallucination so frequently…
In Japan it is called the “Kanashibari” phenomenon. 
It seems, according to statistics, that japanese are more likely to experience it frequently than other people in the world. Someone I know who writes about SP says it could come mostly from their food and their sleep schedule ( they sleep a lot less at night than others and do naps quiet often )
It was the case of DM7 on the forum. She believed she was abducted by aliens until she discovered the definition of SP.
I found recently another Old Hag in Zanzibar island: it’s called the popobawa. It only attacks people who… don’t believe in popobawa! 
What if a guy believes popobawa and has an SP? Aliens? 
I responded to this once before but somehow the post disappeared.
I’m not quite sure if you’re joking Bruno. But from the show I watched and their investigations.
SP=Old Hag=Popobawa=Alien Abduction
If I understood correctly, they are just called different things depending on where in the world you are.
I was wondering what happens if a person believes popobawa and still sees popobawa (read: has an Old Hag)… How would they explain it?
The other people who believe in popobawa probably say that the people who see the popobawa didn’t truly believe in popobawa. Popobawa!
I still don’t understand your question. Popobawa is the Old Hag. Although, the actual appearance is different, it presents itself in the same way as SP and Old Hag, etc…
My guess is that they would use their own terminology to describe it.
ive only experienced waking up during sleep paralysis once, and it was right after i stopped using drugs and got clean. i was having all of these wicked vivid dreams.
anyway, i didnt see an old hag. i saw a swirling cloud of demon spirits trying to take my soul. i couldnt think of what to do except rebuke them in the name of jesus. which seemed to work even though at that time i wasnt really a christian any longer. i was so terrified i slept with a bible on my chest for the next few nights 
then i started learning about lucid dreams and i was like…oh. sleep paralysis. heh. good one. now i kind of wish i experienced it more often 
Tonight I just understood why I always had so many SP during my childhood and my all life. 
It seems that some food elements like this one :
img226.imageshack.us/img226/2122 … ing6es.jpg
" made from the natural extract of pure vegetable proteins. Made in China, this sauce features a distinctive flavor and aroma, which adds zest and depth to soups, salads, and vegetables with just a few dashes. An excellent sauce for marinating, stir-frying, and dipping, M****® Seasoning is made naturally without any food preservatives."
…contains a lot of monosodic glutamate, which has a major influence on the melatonine regulation during sleep, and ergo can induce SP. 
I use a lot of that in my food, so that could explain it.
I don’t have much trouble inducing SP, but I have trouble maintaining it. Any advice on staying in a state of SP for more than ten seconds or so?
Shoyu induces SP? :shock:
/me goes buy some sauce
I am quite interested in LDing but this has really but me off. Also, my mum was reading about LD when she had these really vivid nightmares. I’m worried this could happen to me. I find it hard enough to get to sleep already without the fear of the Old Hag. Does anyone have any advice for me ?
Um. Don’t let it hold you back. Seriously, I haven’t experienced SP much, and when I do, it’s not scary (except the first time, and that’s if you don’t know what it is…). Plus, old hag isn’t always scary. It’s only scary if you let it be.
And if you’re scared, don’t open your eyes, and remember it’s all in your head. 
I got SP for the first time in the morning when I woke up. I was completely paralized. I didn’t see the old hag or anything. My vision just kept fading until I couldn’t see anything and I heard a lot of voices. Demonic whispers. And I felt this horrible electical sensation down my spine that I sometimes get during WILD. (This usually discourages me to use WILD because I can’t stand the feeling.)
Oh well. Nothing scary.
There have been times when SP happened quite regularly for me. I now believe a big factor in this is heat. When the weather’s hot or I’m sleeping under too warm blankets; then I’ve got a bigger chance to get SP.
After experimenting somewhat I have found out that trying to move my feet and especially my toes works best for waking up. Somehow the fact that my head is awake and sending signals to the other extreme end of my body helps tremendously.
I feel so bad and ashamed of myself.
You know how you mock small kids in movies that are facing this scary creature (but since your not the one experiencing it so you mock them), you mock them yelling out “JUST FACE YOUR DARN FEARS FOR GOSHS SAKES!.” Now I’m sitting on my chair fearing the old hag.
I remembered a dream where I was once alone getting chased by Samara (from the Ring?) and I was so scared about that. I ran away from her but she had super human speed and could walk on wires . . . I don’t remember what happened in the end.
But could any of you who experienced the old hag post down what you did to confront the old hag? . . . After watching the Ring from before I keep imagining Samara everywhere in my nightmares. I didn’t like her chasing me and I most likely won’t want her staring at me an eyelid away for 20 seconds.