Narcolepsy and Hallucinations: Part I

The hallmark symptoms of Narcolepsy are Excessive Daytime sleepiness and Cataplexy, as well as the intrusion of REM sleep (that's when you dream) at times it should not occur. One result of being thrust into REM sleep immediately upon falling asleep or coming out of REM right before you wake up, is that hallucinations can occur, and thus hallucinations are one other major symptom of Narcolepsy, although not necessarily a defining attribute.

I don't think anyone defines hallucinations better than the National Institute of Neurological Disorders (NINDS) when they state:

These delusional experiences are unusually vivid and frequently frightening. Most often, the content is primarily visual, but any of the other senses can be involved.

Man, hallucinations just sound like a bucket full of joy, don't they?! I think it's the fact NINDS refers to them as "delusional experiences". Haha, why not just say what you're really saying:

Hallucinations are when the crazies hear and see thing as they fall asleep or wake up.

George Washington University defines hallucinations a little more plainly, and makes sufferers sound a little less loco by stating that hallucinations are...

vivid and often scary dreams and sounds reported when falling asleep.

Is it really just me, or does that not sound nearly as bad?!? It's just me, isn't it? Or am i just hallucinating that people are actually reading this article? :)

Notably the world-renowned Narcolepsy research facility at Stanford University defines them the least horrific by stating:

During hypnagogic hallucinations, patients experience dream-like auditory or visual hallucinations, while dozing or falling asleep.

That sounds almost pleasant. Like, "oh I'm drifting to sleep in my chair and wait, is that Aunt Betty? Hasn't she been dead since I was six? And why is she holding hands that Turtle? Wait, does since when doTurtles have hands?!?"

If I had hallucinations like that I'd look forward to falling asleep a lot more often!