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Hands Around my Throat

 

Four years ago, I started my university education and for the first time I was living away from my family. The university is about 650 kilometers from my hometown and I was living at one of the oldest residences on the campus. It was called Sunnyside and was a female only residence.

I made many friends at Res and we stayed up until odd hours of the morning laughing and having fun. Because of this during the day I would often come back to my room and have a nap in-between lectures. On one such afternoon I went back to my room, set my alarm to wake me up before my next lecture and promptly fell asleep.

At some point I felt like I was floating above my body, I could see myself lying in my bed. Suddenly I was back in my body and I heard someone open the door. I could hear my little cousin calling my name. My first thought was that it couldn't be my cousin because she was in my hometown and she was like 5 years olds she wouldn't be at my university by herself. Then I felt hands around my throat trying to choke the life out of me, my eyes were squeezed tightly shut as I kept thinking this is not my little cousin. I could scream or move my hands to stop whatever was choking me.

I opened my eyes but I was turned on my side and all I could see was the wall. I needed to turn my head so that I could see my attacker. I thought to myself "I am not afraid and I am going to look this thing in the eye" but as I turned my head I didn't have the guts to keep my eyes open. I started to chant (I am hindu and it was a prayer I learned when I was little) and after a few seconds the strangling stopped. I opened my eyes and sat bolt upright in bed.

To this day I get chills when I think of it. I have read about REM but the thing is that I was finally able to turn my head. The strange thing was at the same time when I experienced this, both my mother and brother were having strange and frightening nightmares.

If someone could explain / had a similar experience I would appreciate if you would respond.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Perushka, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments but I won't participate in the discussion.

Temilicious (7 stories) (99 posts)
 
14 years ago (2009-10-13)
i had a very similar experience beginning of the year. This is going to be a long comment so please bear with me...

It was in the morning, I was sleeping in late and my boyfriend had just left for work so I knew it was aroung 6am. I always insist he closes the door behind him when he leaves because I get really nervous with open doors. Maybe I am just paranoid but passages freaks me out (this is an important piece of detail). SO anyway, I was lying in bed contemplating getting up or going back to sleep and I was actually drifting to sleep when I heard the door open and my friend, loyiso, enter the room. She said hi and came to sit on the bed. I still remember very clearly the weight of someone sitting beside me on the bed. She asked me if I wanted breakfast and I said that's sweet thank you, when it dawned on me that loyiso was in sandton and I was in midrand so, shocked, I tried to sit up to see who this was and as I asked who it was this thing pulled the covers over my face and tried to suffocate me. Now I suffer from sleep paralysis on a regular basis and you tend to feel an attack coming, but this was different. I could smell the smell of decay and I got so P.O'd at this thing I started praying the LOrd's prayer and after a few seconds I felt it get up and walk out the door. Now here is the weird thing. When I sat up, breathless, my bedroom door was slightly ajar and I know for a fact my boyfriend closed it. And I could smell something rotten in the air. Needless to say I no longer sleep on the side closest to the door. No matter where I am I sleep by either the wondow, or the wall.

My point is, sorry for babbling, there might be a truth to the scientist's explanation of sleep paralysis but sometimes there is a deeper more paranormal explanation. I say this because I have suffered from sleep paralysis for years and I know when I am inbetween sleep, and calming down and letting it pass works for me, but there are times when I get really freaked out and therefore have to pray. So be careful because you rarely hurt yourself in this condition because you usually can't move and if you felt something strangling you and had a mark on your neck then there might be more to it.

Hope all is well now, again sorry for gaaning aan but I thought I should share my experience. Maybe it will help.
cutechoy (42 posts)
 
14 years ago (2009-10-10)
he might be the owner of the house and want you and your family out of the house...

Just advice... 😁 😁 😁
Jenny87 (1 posts)
 
14 years ago (2009-09-30)
My sister had a very similar experience, and I would call it sleep paralysis, except that I saw something on top of her as well, so I know she was not dreaming.
whitebuffalo (guest)
-1
16 years ago (2007-12-11)
Hi Perushka. Initially I thought this was sleep paralysis, you were under a lot of pressure due to late nights and cramming naps in during university life. What gives it a twist is the fact that other family members were experiencing things too, miles away. I believe strongly that this may have been a warning to put you all on guard for something. Did anything dangerous happen to any of you after this occurrence? It could have been something as simple as being in danger of failing out of university (I only use that as an example as I know not what your family was doing at this time, only that you were there). That would make me feel as if I was drowning, or even being choked. Just my thoughts though. Thank you for your story.
Emma (3 stories) (39 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-14)
Depending on who is experiencing the sleep paralysis, it can be an interesting experience or down right frightening one. I have suffered from sleep paralysis for most of my life. In the more recent years, since finding out on TV (a medical documentary on sleep paralysis) I have come to terms with it and I don't have many episodes anymore. Maybe a big part of it is psychological, nothing has ever hurt me physically, chances are that nothing ever will. I believe another part of it is your sleeping pattern. Not enough sleep can give you hallucinations and can be deadly if you don't get your REM. My advice to you is to stop staying up so late and get enough sleep.
mustang (5 stories) (749 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-12)
I also, as Kim stated, feel like it was somekind of warning if you and your family members were experiencing similar things. I really don't have anything to add because Kim explained it pretty well. Thanks for sharing your story. ~Shelby ❤
ChrisB (6 stories) (1515 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-12)
Hi I agree with KimSouthO. I think it was a warning. I liked reading your story and Ima glad you shared it wih us. I hope to hear from you soon and take care
Picollo30 (2 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-10)
i had a very similar experience two times, it's called sleep paralysis (SP). What's strange is that science tells is a sleeping disorder but when you pray the fear, the presence dissapeared. Same happened with me.

is sleeping paralysis just that or is there something more to it, something more frightening?
KimSouthO (27 stories) (1960 posts)
 
16 years ago (2007-11-10)
Thank you for your story and for explaing your customs. I believe as other memebers of your family where also experiencing strange occurances during this time, it may be a warning of some type, though I do not know of what. You may want to take a little time to examine family and friends hapoenings to try to resolve the issue. Continue your prayers and try to remove the fear (I realize this is easier said than done) and by removing the fear you remove the power if this is a true entitiy trying to involve itself in your lives.

God Bless!

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