My story starts some 20 years ago when I lived in London. My girlfriend had gone out with friends for a meal. I was tired and got an early night. I had a mug of tea as usual before bed. I read a little then went to sleep. I quickly fell asleep as usual. But this night I was awoken abruptly. Someone was in the bedroom and they were attacking me. I was terrified. My heart was bursting out of my chest. I had never been so scared. I was desperate for breath. My mystery attacker was pinning me down. I was lying on my front and it was hard to breathe. I could feel the weight of my assailant on my back, crushing me. It seemed like an age until I could reach the lamp. When I did - nothing! No one there! Not a thing. I looked at my watch, it was a little after midnight. I checked the house. All was as it should be. Doors and windows locked. Everything as it should be. I was frightened. I had never been as afraid as I was that evening. My girlfriend returned home shortly afterwards and was taken aback at the state I was in. I would of been in my mid to late 20's and slept with the landing light on! I never forgot that evening.
Years later I glanced at an article about 'Old Hag Syndrome'. It really made sense to me. At last I realized that lots of people had experienced very similar encounters. Forewarned is forearmed as they say...
I left London and moved to the Lake District. Life was good. The usual good times and the not so good times. Just like anyone else. But in 2008 the 'attack' happened again. I was awoken in very much the same fashion. As before I was terrified and shaken. These nocturnal attacks continued for years. It was like having someone trying to pull me out of bed. And they were strong too. On one occasion I saw what appeared to be arms coming through my bedroom wall! This was the only time I actually saw something for sure. The rest of the subsequent attacks I saw a dark shape but it was not by any means terribly clear.
Over the years I actually got used to it. My young son made a very realistic wooden sword at school. When he was at his mothers house I had the idea to keep it in my bed in order to 'fight back' with my night time antagonist. When I felt the attack I would reach for the sword. Sometimes I actually felt an arm stopping me. But as the attacks never lasted long I was used to it. However on occasion I did get it and would say the Lords Prayer in an attempt to stop it forever. But after a while I just let this being have its little moment of glory. After it had stopped pulling I put the light on for a few minutes. I could feel it actually weaken every time I did it until in the end it vanished forever. It is now two years since I have been visited.
Am I the only one to have had this kind of 'battle'? Has anyone else had something similar? I would love to know I really would. The odd thing is that I actually got rather used to it. Like a mischievous child in some ways. It would be great to know if anyone else has experienced something like this.
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