A Southern Baptist Girl from Caitlin.

I have experienced sleep paralysis for most of my life, having my first episode around

the age of seven.

My mother has also experienced it throughout her life.

As I got older, drawing from my mother's advice as well as with the internet becoming

more accessible, I realized how common it was, and learned that it is usually due to unusual

sleep patterns, REM sleep, etc.

This made sense to me because it usually occurred when I got too much sleep, or slept

in an odd place like a car during a road trip, for example.

I trained myself to not panic when it happened.

I would let myself drift off to sleep during an episode, and once I was given the chance

to get out of it, I would have to immediately get up or fall back into paralysis.

I am no stranger to sleep paralysis, and experience it often.

No biggie.

When I was around the age of 18-19 years old, this Southern Baptist girl was researching

the Mormon church, LDS.

I of course had a Mormon boyfriend who was facilitating meetings with the Mormon missionaries,

to which I consented because I wanted to learn.

I had always enjoyed learning even if I wasn't committed to the faith.

I wanted to know what was out there.

My parents did not like this.

At all.

...