I had acid reflux really bad last night so I tried to sleep unright on our Lshaped couch. My husband was in the bed asleep he woke up suddenly and saw a woman floating backwards out of our bedroom with red eyes and she was smiling he said she was dressed in white. He woke me running through the house checking on the kids and me. He was so affraid he wouldn’t go get his pillow off our bed to join me on the couch. I got it for him and he’s still sleeping on the couch. He was diagnosed with bipolar 2 and severe social anxiety a couple of years ago. I think he should get a second opinion. His mom was diagnosed years ago with schizophrenia and I understand it’s hereditary. Though this is the first time he’s ever experienced anything like this to my knowledge. I’m concerned and scared too…I’ve searched online but couldn’t find anything that made much sense. Any help or advice is so appreciated.
" Hypnopompic Hallucinations - Waking Up To Horrific Nightmares
"Hypnopompic hallucinations (also referred to as hypnopompic imagery) refer to any images or sensations associated with the cessation of sleep or the transition to wakefulness.
"Read more: Hypnopompic Hallucinations - Waking Up To Nightmares And Incredible Imagery "
In my non-professional opinion, It may not be hallucinations, per se. It may be a sleep disorder. Hallucinations occur not just associated with sleep, but at various times during waking hours. The voices a schizophrenic person hears are auditory hallucinations, and in my daughter’s case are going on during most of her waking hours, not just when waking from sleep.
Thank you for responding.I’ve never seen my husband afraid of anything but he was terrified last night. We’re going to monitor and keep our fingers crossed that you are right or that it’s something along the same lines.
Welcome to the site, @Penny37 . This is a caring community, and it is fine to share here. I found this site from the schizophrenia subreddit on reddit.com where people with sz helped me with their input when my daughter started having psychotic episodes. I was scared and didn’t know where to go. Her delusions and hallucinations were pretty much daily and sometimes hourly occurrences.
If your husband has a diagnosis of bi-polar, my understanding is that he could possibly have hallucinations with that illness also. My information is from NAMI meetings, online forums, and my own daughter’s hospitalizations. However, several people on reddit suffered from hypnopompic or hypnagogic hallucinations, and that is how I learned of it.
I suggest that your husband talk to his doctor, of course, while you are monitoring this for him. It must have been awful for him (and you) for him to see that imagery and to be so terrified.
Wishing you both the best.