Warning
This is an unofficial archive of PsychonautWiki as of 2025-08-11T15:14:44Z. Content on this page may be outdated, incomplete, or inaccurate. Please refer to the original page for the most up-to-date information.

Shadow people: Difference between revisions

From PsychonautWiki Archive
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older edit
>Josikins
im working on overhauling this effect today and collaborating with fishcenternicole who has a lot of experience with it.
>David Hedlund
 
(39 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
<onlyinclude>
<onlyinclude>
[[File:Shadow-people zpsaa95af9a.jpg|thumb|right|300px|'''Untitled''' by '''[[Anonymous]]''' - An accurate representation of the experience of shadow people.]]
[[File:Shadow-people zpsaa95af9a.jpg|thumb|right|300px|'''Untitled''' by '''[[Anonymous]]''' - An accurate representation of the experience of shadow people.]]
'''Shadow people''' are a very common visual hallucination for humans to have. They usually appear as a result of [[sleep deprivation]], [[psychoactive substances]]s, or [[Lucid_Dreaming#Internally_Sourced_Sensory_Input|hypnagogic states]] and can be considered a sub-type of [[autonomous entities]]. During this experience, the subject perceives a patch of shadow in their peripheral vision or focused visual field to be a living, autonomous figure. This figure can be either animal-like or humanoid in appearance. This hallucinatory state is often accompanied with a feeling of intense [[paranoia]] and [[anxiety]].  
'''Shadow people''' are defined as the experience of perceiving patches of shadow in one's peripheral or direct line of sight that appear and behave as living, autonomous beings.<ref name="ObreshkovaKandilarov2017">Obreshkova, D., Kandilarov, I., Angelova, V. T., Iliev, Y., Atanasov, P., & Fotev, P. S. (2017). PHARMACO-TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND ANALYSIS OF PHENYLALKYLAMINE AND INDOLYLALKYLAMINE HALLUCINOGENS (REVIEW). PHARMACIA, 64(1), 41-42. http://bsphs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Angelova.pdf</ref><ref name="BurkeYaari2012">{{cite journal|last1=Burke|first1=Anna D.|last2=Yaari|first2=Roy|last3=Tariot|first3=Pierre N.|last4=Dougherty|first4=Jan|last5=Fleisher|first5=Adam S.|last6=Brand|first6=Helle|title=The Shadow People|journal=The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders|year=2012|issn=2155-7780|doi=10.4088/PCC.12alz01398}}</ref><ref name="Vila-RodriguezMacEwan2011">{{cite journal|last1=Vila-Rodriguez|first1=Fidel|last2=MacEwan|first2=Gordon W.|last3=Honer|first3=William G.|title=Methamphetamine, Perceptual Disturbances, and the Peripheral Drift Illusion|journal=The American Journal on Addictions|volume=20|issue=5|year=2011|pages=490–490|issn=10550496|doi=10.1111/j.1521-0391.2011.00161.x}}</ref> Due to the unique behavior of these [[external hallucinations|hallucinations]] they can be considered as a distinct sub-type of [[autonomous entities|autonomous entity]].  


The visual [[external hallucinations]] usually appear as initial fleeting images out of the corner of the eyes, in the peripheral vision. As time progresses, however, the hallucinations may appear in full view and one will be able to look directly at them, even being able to look away and look back at the entity without a change in the hallucination. This progression is typically the same whether you are experiencing shadow people from sleep deprivation or from stimulant psychosis.  
Shadow people usually, but not always, begin to appear initially as fleeting images in a person's peripheral vision. However, at higher levels of intensity shadow people may begin to appear in full view in a manner which allows them to be directly looked at. At advanced mental states, it is even possible to look away from and look back at the shadow person without a change in the presence or appearance of the hallucination.  


The bodies of the shadow people are usually perceived as a type of blackness that has a sense of depth with few facial or bodily features. The blackness of the body often seems almost opaque as if one is looking into a "black hole" in anthropomorphic form. They sometimes appear to have faces and are able to move or change shape. It is also possible for multiple shadow people to occupy one's field of vision simultaneously while acting autonomously from one another.  
The bodies of these shadow people are usually perceived as being comprised of a type of blackness that has a sense of depth with few facial or bodily features. The blackness of their bodies often seem almost opaque, as if one is looking into a "black hole" in humanoid form. They may also appear in the shape of animals, uniform blobs, disembodied body parts, or a myriad of other indescribable shapes. They sometimes appear to have faces, eyes, or mouths and are able to move or change shape. The movement exhibited can be normal human movement or it can be faster, slower, or more choppy than a normal person's gait. It is also possible for multiple shadow people to occupy one's field of vision simultaneously while acting autonomously from one another and even interacting with each other.  


Although it is not an intrinsic part of this hallucinatory component, shadow people can potentially be accompanied by other sensory components aside from one's visual perception of them. This is typically infrequent and usually only occurs during very intense states of sleep deprivation, [[delirium]] or [[psychosis]]. For example, shadow people can potentially have an accompanying "voice", despite the common lack of a mouth structure. This auditory communication follows an identical [[Autonomous_entities#Communication_styles|leveling system]] of progressively more detailed and coherent spoken word in the same manner as a generic [[Autonomous_entities|autonomous entity]].
It is worth noting that the style and general behaviour of a shadow person are often largely dependent on the emotional state of the person experiencing it. For example, a person who is emotionally stable and generally happy will usually be more prone to experiencing neutral, interesting, or friendly shadow people. In contrast, however, a person who is emotionally unstable and generally unhappy will usually be more prone to experiencing sinister and fear-inducing shadow people.
</onlyinclude>
 
Shadow people are often accompanied by other coinciding effects such as [[delirium]], [[paranoia]], [[anxiety]], and [[feelings of impending doom]]. They are most commonly induced under the influence of [[dosage#heavy|heavy]] [[dosage|dosages]] of [[deliriant]] compounds, such as [[DPH]], [[datura]], and [[benzydamine]]. However, they can also occur under the influence of [[stimulant psychosis]], [[sleep deprivation]], and during [[sleep paralysis]].<ref>{{cite book | vauthors=((Adler, S. R.)) | date= 2011 | title=Sleep paralysis: night-mares, nocebos, and the mind-body connection | publisher=Rutgers University Press | series=Studies in medical anthropology | isbn=9780813548852}}</ref>


==Tactile component==
====Multisensory aspects====
Rarely, shadow people can cause [[tactile hallucinations]] that are indistinguishable from a real human touch. These physical sensations can be moderate in temperature, but they can also be cold to the touch. Pulling of clothing, hair, or the skin has been reported by some individuals.
Although it is uncommon and not an intrinsic part of this hallucinatory effect shadow people can sometimes be accompanied by other sensory components alongside of the person's visual perception of them. This is typically infrequent and usually only occurs during very intense states of sleep deprivation, [[delirium]], or [[psychosis]]. For example, shadow people can potentially have an accompanying "voice", despite the lack of a visible mouth structure. This auditory communication follows an identical [[Autonomous_entities#Communication_styles|leveling system]] of progressively more detailed and coherent spoken word in the same manner as a generic [[Autonomous_entities|autonomous entity]]. Shadow people may converse with the person experiencing them or they may converse amongst each other, sometimes talking about the person going through the experience.  


==Gustatory component==
Alongside of accompanying [[auditory hallucinations]], shadow people may also present [[tactile hallucinations|tactile]] and [[gustatory hallucination|gustatory hallucinations]]. This is even rarer than their potential auditory effects and typically only occurs in particularly intense and advanced hallucinatory states. Their tactile effects can be indistinguishable from a real human touch and may vary in temperature. They can also even include physical actions such as pulling of clothing, hair, or the skin.
</onlyinclude>
===Image examples===
{{Gallery|[[Effect::Shadow people]][[Category:Replication]]}}
===Analysis===
'''Shadow people''' have been referenced throughout popular culture and time as 'demons' or 'omens', 'ghosts', or even 'inter-dimensional time travelers". This wide recognition of shadow people, combined with their representation in common culture and horror films may contribute to the prevalence of these [[external hallucinations]]. From the common internet consensus on shadow people, they are more often interpreted as ghosts or real interdimensional beings than simple [[external hallucinations|hallucinations]].


This component is more rare than the other components of a shadow person experience and may manifest itself as a wide range of [[gustatory hallucinations]].
The shadow person as an image was portrayed in the 20th-century show "The Twilight Zone", in the appropriately titled episode "The Shadow Man"<ref>IMDB "Shadow Man" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734758/</ref> where a shadow person lives under the main characters' bed. This episode was broadcast nationwide and still remains available, further exposing people to shadow people through second-hand experiences and Hollywood-style manufactured images.


==Accompanying mental states==
The more an image is spread throughout a culture the more likely a person will manifest that image in a state such as [[sleep deprivation]], [[delirium]], and [[stimulant psychosis]]. The fear instilled by society and the negative connotation portrayed by mainstream culture may influence the [[anxiety]] and [[feelings of impending doom]] that people commonly report when seeing these [[autonomous entities]]. This has been investigated in relation to the common appearance of shadow people in [[sleep deprivation]] experiences.<ref name="JalalRomanelli2015">{{cite journal|last1=Jalal|first1=Baland|last2=Romanelli|first2=Andrea|last3=Hinton|first3=Devon E.|title=Cultural Explanations of Sleep Paralysis in Italy: The Pandafeche Attack and Associated Supernatural Beliefs|journal=Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry|volume=39|issue=4|year=2015|pages=651–664|issn=0165-005X|doi=10.1007/s11013-015-9442-y}}</ref>
These hallucinations are often perceived as being malicious due to intense [[Paranoia|paranoia]] and [[Anxiety|anxiety]] that often occur simultaneously. [[Tactile hallucinations]], feelings of convincing physical sensations that are not actually occurring within reality, may occur. [[Auditory hallucinations]] may also manifest themselves, causing one to perceive that the shadow people are talking to them and furthering the sense of panic.  


==Image examples==
Due to the cultural influence and the perception that shadow people may in fact be "ghosts", people who experience this [[external hallucination]] may attribute it to the paranormal or other irrational causes rather than accepting that it is a natural effect of abnormal brain chemistry levels that may stem from a wide variety of mental states. The de-stigmatization of the shadow person experience and rational discussion of their true origin may grant many sufferers relief from the associated stigma of paranoia and mental illness.
{{Gallery|[[Effect::Shadow people]]}}
===Psychoactive substances===
==Psychoactive substances==
Compounds within our [[psychoactive substance index]] which may cause this effect include:
Compounds within our [[psychoactive substance index]] which may cause this effect include:
{{#ask:[[Category:Psychoactive substance]][[Effect::Shadow people]]|format=ul|Columns=1}}
{{#ask:[[Category:Psychoactive substance]][[Effect::Shadow people]]|format=ul|Columns=1}}
==See also==
===Experience reports===
Anecdotal reports which describe this effect within our [[experience index]] include:
{{#ask:[[Category:Experience]][[Effect::Shadow people]]|format=ul|Columns=1}}
===See also===
*[[Responsible use]]
*[[Responsible use]]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_person Shadow person (Wikipedia)]
*[[Subjective effects index]]
*[[Subjective effects index]]
*[[Deliriants#Subjective_effects|Deliriants - Subjective effects]]
*[[Deliriants#Subjective_effects|Deliriants - Subjective effects]]
Line 33: Line 39:
*[[Dissociatives#Subjective_effects|Dissociatives - Subjective effects]]
*[[Dissociatives#Subjective_effects|Dissociatives - Subjective effects]]
*[[External hallucinations]]
*[[External hallucinations]]
*[[Unspeakable horrors]]
*[[Autonomous entities]]
*[[Amphetamines]]
*[[Amphetamines]]
[[Category:Visual]] [[Category:Hallucinatory]] [[Category:Effect]]
 
===External links===
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_person Shadow person (Wikipedia)]
===References===
<references />
[[Category:Sensory]]
[[Category:Visual]]  
[[Category:Hallucinatory]]  
[[Category:Effect]]

Latest revision as of 19:56, 21 April 2024

Untitled by Anonymous - An accurate representation of the experience of shadow people.

Shadow people are defined as the experience of perceiving patches of shadow in one's peripheral or direct line of sight that appear and behave as living, autonomous beings.[1][2][3] Due to the unique behavior of these hallucinations they can be considered as a distinct sub-type of autonomous entity.

Shadow people usually, but not always, begin to appear initially as fleeting images in a person's peripheral vision. However, at higher levels of intensity shadow people may begin to appear in full view in a manner which allows them to be directly looked at. At advanced mental states, it is even possible to look away from and look back at the shadow person without a change in the presence or appearance of the hallucination.

The bodies of these shadow people are usually perceived as being comprised of a type of blackness that has a sense of depth with few facial or bodily features. The blackness of their bodies often seem almost opaque, as if one is looking into a "black hole" in humanoid form. They may also appear in the shape of animals, uniform blobs, disembodied body parts, or a myriad of other indescribable shapes. They sometimes appear to have faces, eyes, or mouths and are able to move or change shape. The movement exhibited can be normal human movement or it can be faster, slower, or more choppy than a normal person's gait. It is also possible for multiple shadow people to occupy one's field of vision simultaneously while acting autonomously from one another and even interacting with each other.

It is worth noting that the style and general behaviour of a shadow person are often largely dependent on the emotional state of the person experiencing it. For example, a person who is emotionally stable and generally happy will usually be more prone to experiencing neutral, interesting, or friendly shadow people. In contrast, however, a person who is emotionally unstable and generally unhappy will usually be more prone to experiencing sinister and fear-inducing shadow people.

Shadow people are often accompanied by other coinciding effects such as delirium, paranoia, anxiety, and feelings of impending doom. They are most commonly induced under the influence of heavy dosages of deliriant compounds, such as DPH, datura, and benzydamine. However, they can also occur under the influence of stimulant psychosis, sleep deprivation, and during sleep paralysis.[4]

Multisensory aspects

Although it is uncommon and not an intrinsic part of this hallucinatory effect shadow people can sometimes be accompanied by other sensory components alongside of the person's visual perception of them. This is typically infrequent and usually only occurs during very intense states of sleep deprivation, delirium, or psychosis. For example, shadow people can potentially have an accompanying "voice", despite the lack of a visible mouth structure. This auditory communication follows an identical leveling system of progressively more detailed and coherent spoken word in the same manner as a generic autonomous entity. Shadow people may converse with the person experiencing them or they may converse amongst each other, sometimes talking about the person going through the experience.

Alongside of accompanying auditory hallucinations, shadow people may also present tactile and gustatory hallucinations. This is even rarer than their potential auditory effects and typically only occurs in particularly intense and advanced hallucinatory states. Their tactile effects can be indistinguishable from a real human touch and may vary in temperature. They can also even include physical actions such as pulling of clothing, hair, or the skin.

Image examples


Analysis

Shadow people have been referenced throughout popular culture and time as 'demons' or 'omens', 'ghosts', or even 'inter-dimensional time travelers". This wide recognition of shadow people, combined with their representation in common culture and horror films may contribute to the prevalence of these external hallucinations. From the common internet consensus on shadow people, they are more often interpreted as ghosts or real interdimensional beings than simple hallucinations.

The shadow person as an image was portrayed in the 20th-century show "The Twilight Zone", in the appropriately titled episode "The Shadow Man"[5] where a shadow person lives under the main characters' bed. This episode was broadcast nationwide and still remains available, further exposing people to shadow people through second-hand experiences and Hollywood-style manufactured images.

The more an image is spread throughout a culture the more likely a person will manifest that image in a state such as sleep deprivation, delirium, and stimulant psychosis. The fear instilled by society and the negative connotation portrayed by mainstream culture may influence the anxiety and feelings of impending doom that people commonly report when seeing these autonomous entities. This has been investigated in relation to the common appearance of shadow people in sleep deprivation experiences.[6]

Due to the cultural influence and the perception that shadow people may in fact be "ghosts", people who experience this external hallucination may attribute it to the paranormal or other irrational causes rather than accepting that it is a natural effect of abnormal brain chemistry levels that may stem from a wide variety of mental states. The de-stigmatization of the shadow person experience and rational discussion of their true origin may grant many sufferers relief from the associated stigma of paranoia and mental illness.

Psychoactive substances

Compounds within our psychoactive substance index which may cause this effect include:

Experience reports

Anecdotal reports which describe this effect within our experience index include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Obreshkova, D., Kandilarov, I., Angelova, V. T., Iliev, Y., Atanasov, P., & Fotev, P. S. (2017). PHARMACO-TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND ANALYSIS OF PHENYLALKYLAMINE AND INDOLYLALKYLAMINE HALLUCINOGENS (REVIEW). PHARMACIA, 64(1), 41-42. http://bsphs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Angelova.pdf
  2. ↑ Burke, Anna D.; Yaari, Roy; Tariot, Pierre N.; Dougherty, Jan; Fleisher, Adam S.; Brand, Helle (2012). "The Shadow People". The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders. doi:10.4088/PCC.12alz01398. ISSN 2155-7780. 
  3. ↑ Vila-Rodriguez, Fidel; MacEwan, Gordon W.; Honer, William G. (2011). "Methamphetamine, Perceptual Disturbances, and the Peripheral Drift Illusion". The American Journal on Addictions. 20 (5): 490–490. doi:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2011.00161.x. ISSN 1055-0496. 
  4. ↑ Adler, S. R. (2011). Sleep paralysis: night-mares, nocebos, and the mind-body connection. Studies in medical anthropology. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 9780813548852. 
  5. ↑ IMDB "Shadow Man" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0734758/
  6. ↑ Jalal, Baland; Romanelli, Andrea; Hinton, Devon E. (2015). "Cultural Explanations of Sleep Paralysis in Italy: The Pandafeche Attack and Associated Supernatural Beliefs". Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry. 39 (4): 651–664. doi:10.1007/s11013-015-9442-y. ISSN 0165-005X. 
Retrieved from "http://psy.st/w/index.php?title=Shadow_people&oldid=137026"