Unsettling "hallucinations..."

[jMa]

About 0500 yesterday (Thursday) morning, I was woken up from an unknown source. When I opened my eyes, there next to my bed was a black skeleton. I closed my eyes, and reopened them, still there. I closed my eyes again, rubbed my eyes and reopened them. This time the figure faded away. It really freaked me out.

I have been dealing with hallucinations of various kinds since my incident occurred. One that reoccurs is just as I am beginning to doze off at night, it feels like someone is grabbing me by the shoulder. It startles me, and then I have to start my sleep process all over again. Another is the feeling of bugs crawling all over me. The "bugs" feeling has diminished. Another frequent sighting is seeing things out of the corner of my eyes. Almost like "mice" running across the floor.

Still coming to terms with my PTSD diagnosis, is all this common?

 

[Ed Norton]

Yes, hallucinations and/or delusions can be a key part of PTSD. When presented to a psychiatrist they'll diagnose PTSD w psychosis NOS, as there is yet no subdivision in the DSM for PTSD with psychotic features.
... http://asp.cumc.columbia.edu/psych/asktheexperts/ask_the_experts_inquiry.asp?SI=808
... http://ptsd.about.com/od/relatedconditions/a/Psychosis.htm

 

[Ed Norton]

Just to add, you may be also experiencing a flashback when you feel yourself being grabbed as you try to sleep. That's when mine used to occur.

 

[jMa]

Thanks for the info. This is such a new feeling for me that I'm having a difficult time grasping the "symptoms."

 

[Seagreen]

I have read about what you are experiencing. I also have them. They are not part of a psychosis diagnosis, but rather a type of hallucination that can occur during at certain part of the asleep / awake process. Similar to a night terror. They are called "hypnopompic hallucinations". I sometimes wake and see a giant spider or a man and it takes around 10 - 15 seconds to fade away.

 

[Ed Norton]

I used to experience delusional thinking. My flashbacks disappeared along with my delusions.

 

[Determinedone]

I believe that's what my spouse experiences. He sleeps wrapped very snug in his own blanket on our bed. If you touch him even gently he is startled easily. Sleep doesn't come easy for him and he wakes up a lot during the night. At times he will leave the light on.