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From Psychcentral a question and answer website

QUESTION

- For the last few years I’ve been having hypnagogic hallucinations. I actually had them when I was a kid, too, but I don’t remember having this problem when I was a teen. When I was a kid (around 5) I would see things like giant red ants and even stepped on one when I was going to crawl into bed with my mom. It started again around 23. Then I would see spiders on the walls, feel like someone is spying on me, or hear people outside my window. Half the time I end up jumping out of bed and try to catch them or swat at the spiders. 

I often feel someone shaking the bed and sometimes it even feels like earthquakes. I do live in California, but most of the time I’m sure it was a hallucination.

Until now, I didn’t know these hallucinations had a name. I looked it up but I don’t see any other reason why I would have these hallucinations, especially as often as I do. I didn’t keep any record, but sometimes I go months without having them and then I’ll have them 3 or 4 nights in a week. I read that they are usually a feature of narcolepsy or caused by sleep deprivation. I’m not suffering from either of these and I am not on any medication.

This past week, I had them two nights in a row. I felt earthquakes and then something trying to come through the window. Before I would feel somewhat freaked out but I didn’t have a problem going back to sleep. This time I was really scared and the second night I had to sleep with the lights on (which I NEVER do, I’m a really picky sleeper). So now I’m wondering if they are going to get more intense.

I decided to start keeping a journal of them but my question is if these are early warning signs? I don’t really have any other symptoms of schizophrenia.

ANSWER. I do not believe that you have schizophrenia but only an in-person, diagnostic interview could rule out the diagnosis. I suspect, as you mentioned, that your symptoms are more characteristic of a sleep disorder. Individuals with schizophrenia can have hallucinations but they also have delusions which you don’t have. You also do not have any other symptoms associated with schizophrenia. …I think it is also noteworthy that you were able to construct a very logical and well thought out question. This is not true for individuals with schizophrenia in some cases their writing is very difficult to read and understand, especially when they are actively symptomatic