Paranormal

» Jill Stefko - Old Hag Syndrome

In my opinion, one of the leading experts on Old Hag is David Hufford who has written what others have called the most comprehensive book, "The Terror that Comes in the Night." He had such an experience while in college. Later, he worked in Nova Scotia for a while and people there experienced it and accepted it as real. He thought it would take him a few months to write the book, but it stretched out into years. I highly recommend Hufford's book.

I've had many experiences but never with Old Hag or sleep paralysis. A friend of mine, a psychiatric nurse who is also an expert in the paranormal, has experienced sleep paralysis, but not the alien presence or the weight or some of the other unpleasantries that go with Old Hag.

The White Crow Society had an excellent site that featured both Old Hag and sleep paralysis.

Good question, Chihuahua. I have read a bit about altered states of consciousness, dreams and sleep disorders. I think there is some type of connection, but not sure exactly what it is.

When I was in elementary school, one of my teachers said the sensation of falling, which I have experienced, was a subconscious memory throwback to when primitive people would sleep in trees and fall out. Carl Jung, the great psychoanalyst, believed in a collective unconscious in which we share ancestral memories but these are not in conscious mind. I was taught in college that humans are born with two basic fears, falling and loud noises. The falling dreams could relate to that. Dreams are symbolic at times. It would be interesting to know if you experience these more when you are stressed out.

When I am stressed, I get disturbing dreams.