hallucinating tbi guy
New member
Hello, I'm new here. My injury occurred in March 2022, and I'm still in the acute phase of recovery. I have narcolepsy, which brings with it hypnagogic hallucinations—these are vivid, dream-like experiences that happen when I'm in a half-awake state. They can be terrifying for me because, while I'm often aware that I'm asleep and know they aren't real, I'm still in a state where I can't fully wake up right away. I also have REM Behavior Disorder, which means I physically act out my dreams during REM sleep.
My injury happened after one of these episodes. I had gotten out of bed and was next to it when my husband, who has sleep apnea and uses a CPAP machine, woke up to me moving around. He reached out to feel for me, but in my half-awake state, my brain misinterpreted him as a monster—coming toward me with claws and trying to hurt me. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I believe I briefly lost consciousness. In my fight-or-flight response, I threw myself around the room trying to escape what I thought was a monster. Unfortunately, I hit my head in at least two places—on our floor-to-ceiling bookshelf and a door frame.
After being discharged from the hospital with a concussion diagnosis, I was far from okay. For the next 10 days, I struggled with severe headaches, brain fog, tremors, memory issues, imbalance, and speech problems, all while dealing with intense sleep anxiety. I finally returned to my doctor, who diagnosed me with Post Concussive Syndrome and referred me to a trauma clinic, though the waitlist was two months long. During this time, I was unable to work and even had to go back to the ER for pain management.
Five weeks later, I got a call for a cancellation at the trauma clinic, and I was officially diagnosed with a mild TBI. While the diagnosis was both a relief and terrifying, the doctor explained that recovery could take anywhere from six months to a year. I'm still processing all of this.
Currently, I'm off work indefinitely and have been referred for speech, physical, and occupational therapy, though my appointments aren't until late May.
No one truly understands what I'm going through. This is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I feel like I’m walking around in a fog, and people can only see parts of what’s happening. It’s like I’ve lost a part of who I am. I used to be constantly on the go—working, socializing, taking care of school stuff with my kids, and just living life. Now, I find myself at home, staring at the walls, and talking to plants.
I'm so thankful for this group and for the reassurance that I'm not alone in this experience. I hope to see more people here soon.
My injury happened after one of these episodes. I had gotten out of bed and was next to it when my husband, who has sleep apnea and uses a CPAP machine, woke up to me moving around. He reached out to feel for me, but in my half-awake state, my brain misinterpreted him as a monster—coming toward me with claws and trying to hurt me. I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I believe I briefly lost consciousness. In my fight-or-flight response, I threw myself around the room trying to escape what I thought was a monster. Unfortunately, I hit my head in at least two places—on our floor-to-ceiling bookshelf and a door frame.
After being discharged from the hospital with a concussion diagnosis, I was far from okay. For the next 10 days, I struggled with severe headaches, brain fog, tremors, memory issues, imbalance, and speech problems, all while dealing with intense sleep anxiety. I finally returned to my doctor, who diagnosed me with Post Concussive Syndrome and referred me to a trauma clinic, though the waitlist was two months long. During this time, I was unable to work and even had to go back to the ER for pain management.
Five weeks later, I got a call for a cancellation at the trauma clinic, and I was officially diagnosed with a mild TBI. While the diagnosis was both a relief and terrifying, the doctor explained that recovery could take anywhere from six months to a year. I'm still processing all of this.
Currently, I'm off work indefinitely and have been referred for speech, physical, and occupational therapy, though my appointments aren't until late May.
No one truly understands what I'm going through. This is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I feel like I’m walking around in a fog, and people can only see parts of what’s happening. It’s like I’ve lost a part of who I am. I used to be constantly on the go—working, socializing, taking care of school stuff with my kids, and just living life. Now, I find myself at home, staring at the walls, and talking to plants.
I'm so thankful for this group and for the reassurance that I'm not alone in this experience. I hope to see more people here soon.