when falling asleep with narcolepsy and you start to wonder if shit might actually be haunted, or if someone has broken into your house (I'm never gonna watch The Strangers at this point lmao), or if you're just hallucinating

alternatively, I recently realized how much more terrifying A Nightmare On Elm Street is for someone who has narcolepsy and can't resist falling asleep at random times and also hallucinates. you actually start to dread falling asleep.

sleep wrt narcolepsy actually becomes this terrifying ordeal sometimes, and you can't avoid it of course, but when you start actively falling asleep the hallucinations + feeling such a lack of control & anxiety can make you feel like you are genuinely losing your mind, imo

what really actually happens: "did I hear that just now or did I imagine it? did I see that just now or did I imagine it? am I in danger right now or am I just freaking out? am I asleep or just fucking losing my mind? what the fuck is happening"

literally what's happening is you can end up in a state where part of your brain has already entered REM sleep and you are beginning to dream, but part of your brain behaves as if you are fully conscious and haven't fallen asleep, hence the hallucinations & confusion. it's Scary

fun fact: I'm starting to fall asleep right as I'm typing this thread! don't forget, you're here forever