My strange experience began when I was sixteen. Around that time, I started to feel an unusual sensation, as if someone was constantly watching me or staring at me from somewhere I couldn’t pinpoint. We all know that feeling when someone’s gaze is fixed on us, even if we can’t see them directly, but this was different. The sensation followed me most of the time, even when I was completely alone.
There was a particular room in our house where this feeling intensified whenever I entered. It wasn’t just the sense of being watched, I would sometimes hear a faint rustling, as if something was moving around, or even the sound of breathing with no clear source. Instead of avoiding the room, my curiosity grew. I wondered if there was some unknown presence, or if what I was experiencing could be explained by a physical phenomenon I didn’t yet understand. All I wanted was an explanation, whatever it might be.
One night, I decided to sleep in that room to see what might happen. I turned off the lights, leaving only a dim glow, then lay down on the bed and closed my eyes, my mind racing with thoughts of what I might see or hear.
Suddenly, I felt something approach my face. Warm breaths brushed against my cheek and neck, and I heard clear panting right next to me. I was frozen in fear, unable to move, silently wondering what was happening and what could be so close to my face.
The sounds weren’t consistent; sometimes it was a rough, mumbling male voice or a low masculine laugh, and at other times it shifted into something like a dog’s growl.
I was terrified, but tried to hide my fear and pretend I hadn’t heard anything, hoping that ignoring it would make it go away. Even though I could still feel its breath near my face, sometimes to the point of feeling suffocated, I eventually managed to fall asleep that night. There was also a strange smell that accompanied its presence, something like burning.
In the days that followed, I tried to communicate with this unknown presence. I would speak out loud, waiting for any kind of response, but there was never any reply. In fact, I noticed it seemed to move away whenever I spoke.
I could tell it was leaving by the fading rustling sounds around the room, the sudden disappearance of the smell, or the lessening sense of its presence nearby. My curiosity grew so much that I even wrote it a note and left it in the room, hoping for a written reply or some sign it had read it. But nothing ever happened.
Over time, I started to ignore what had happened and stopped going into that room. Still, the feeling of being watched never completely left me, it followed me throughout the house.
About six months passed without anything unusual happening, and I thought the experience was over. But then it returned in a different and even more frightening way. This time, it started happening in my own room at night. I would see a shadow moving near the door, then it would seem to open the door and enter. Every time, I was paralyzed with fear, trying to convince myself that maybe I was just imagining things.
But the shadow, as I saw and felt it, would gradually come closer until I began to feel light touches on my body. Sometimes I felt something moving up from my feet, touching the area between my thighs and stomach. Those moments were terrifying. Sometimes I would jump up quickly, other times I was too scared to move at all. What scared me most was the thought that if I opened my eyes, I might see something horrifying right in front of me.
As these incidents kept happening, I noticed a strange pattern: when I closed my eyes and stayed still, it seemed as if the presence thought I was asleep and would come closer, touching me more. But if I moved or shifted in bed, I sensed it would pull away, as if waiting for me to be still again.
From the way it touched me, and the sensation of something climbing onto my body while I slept, I imagined its body might be covered in fur or soft hair, like a cat’s. The same smoky, burnt smell always accompanied these feelings.
This went on for about a year, gradually getting worse, the touches became more frequent and bolder.
I couldn’t take it anymore, so I finally decided to tell my family everything I’d been experiencing. I described in detail what I saw, heard, and felt, explaining that I’d tried to ignore it but it was no use, and that fear was taking over my life. My family didn’t believe me at first. They thought I was imagining things, and when I insisted that it all felt real to me, they started to wonder if I was having psychological problems.
They suggested I stop sleeping alone and share a room with my siblings. I followed their advice, and the disturbing events became much less frequent. Still, I would sometimes notice the same smell or sense that presence nearby, but the touches I’d grown used to stopped. Then, for a while, everything seemed to disappear—or so I thought.
When I turned eighteen, something happened that brought back all the fear and confusion.
One night, I was sleeping alone in a room just before dawn. Later, my mother told me she had been awake and wanted to check on me. When she opened the door, she was startled by something she couldn't explain. She described seeing a light moving above my body, and it looked to her as if something was shifting my feet while I slept. We couldn't make sense of what she saw, and there was no clear explanation for what happened. What unsettled me most was that, for once, I wasn't the only one to notice something strange.
After that incident, I became afraid to be alone, and even more anxious about sleeping by myself. I no longer felt safe, but what worries me most is that these feelings aren't just tied to sleep anymore.
In the past, I would sense its presence when I was lying down or pretending to sleep. Now, it can happen even when I'm sitting alone, fully awake and aware of my surroundings.
Sometimes I feel touches on my body, or it seems like someone is playing with my hair. Occasionally, I hear breathing close to my ear. I get the sense that whatever this is, it's deliberately trying to provoke or disturb me, as if it's waiting for me to react.
What's even stranger is that, even as I write about my experience right now, I feel as if someone is sitting next to me, reading the words as I type them.
I still don't know what's happening to me, or how I can overcome this fear.
Shared by Kawthar (18 years old) – Iraq
Experience Analysis
Kawthar’s experience raises many questions, especially since it lasted for nearly two years and escalated from simply feeling watched to hearing strange breathing and sounds, smelling something burning, and experiencing unwanted physical contact.
Some of these symptoms are similar to those found in sleep paralysis, a phenomenon where people sense a presence nearby and may hear sounds or feel touches that seem real. However, this explanation doesn’t account for every detail, especially since Kawthar insists that some incidents happened while she was fully awake and able to move.
Another possible explanation is sensory perception disorders, which can cause someone to hear sounds, feel touches, or smell odors without any clear external source. These experiences can be linked to sleep issues, anxiety, or various neurological and psychological factors. It’s not possible to determine the exact cause based on the story alone.
Her mother’s account, saying she saw a light moving above her daughter’s body and what appeared to be something moving her legs, adds another layer of mystery, but doesn’t necessarily prove the presence of an invisible being. There could be visual or environmental factors that haven’t been identified, and the mother’s testimony should be considered separately.
In popular beliefs, such experiences are sometimes attributed to what’s known as a 'possessive jinn,' especially when someone feels an unknown presence approaching or touching them during sleep. However, this remains a cultural belief, not a scientifically proven fact.
What’s most concerning is that these experiences have shifted from happening during sleep to occurring while awake, along with increasing fear and Kawthar’s avoidance of being alone. This calls for early medical and psychological evaluation, without jumping to conclusions about any specific disorder.
Advice
The most important advice for Kawthar is not to let fear take over her life or rush to interpret what’s happening as the work of a supernatural being. No matter how real or frightening these sensations may feel, that doesn’t mean her first explanation is necessarily correct.
1- Seeking medical help: It’s essential to see a doctor as soon as possible, including an assessment of mental health and sleep, and to consider neurological causes if needed—especially since these sensations are now happening while awake.
2- Avoid trying to communicate with the supposed entity: We don’t recommend talking to it, leaving messages, or trying to provoke a response, as this could increase preoccupation with the experience and deepen feelings of fear and being watched.
3- Prioritize healthy sleep: Avoid staying up late, excessive fatigue, and too much caffeine. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule, as sleep disturbances can make these strange sensations more frequent.
4- Don’t isolate yourself: Stay connected with family and friends, and if it helps, sleep near a family member for a while to feel safer, but try not to become permanently dependent on others’ presence.
5- Check your surroundings : It's best to inspect the room, paying attention to sources of sounds, smells, ventilation, and lighting. Make sure there are no physical causes or people who could be responsible for the sensations. Any concerns about personal safety should be taken seriously.
6- Don’t give in to frightening explanations : Avoid people who insist, without evidence, that you’re haunted or being followed by a supernatural entity, as well as any harmful spiritual practices that might increase your fear. It’s fine to turn to religious practices or recitations that bring comfort, as long as they don’t replace proper medical care.
7- Keep a record of what happens : Try noting down when these sensations occur, how long they last, and any circumstances surrounding them. Be sure to distinguish between what you actually saw or heard and how you interpreted it. These notes can help a doctor identify possible causes.
We also advise Kawthar’s family to respond with understanding and calm. Don’t mock her experiences or insist that she’s being pursued by an invisible being. If her sensations escalate quickly, or if there’s severe confusion or risk of self-harm, seek emergency medical help immediately.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t to dismiss what Kawthar is feeling, but to help her safely and rationally discover the source. What seems mysterious today may have an explanation after proper evaluation. For now, the priority is her mental health and sense of safety, to prevent fear from turning into ongoing distress.
