In the early hours before dawn, a demonic presence filled our bedroom. In the middle of this foreboding demonic host was a large menacing demon. This large demon, with an ugly, frightening face kept moving closer to me. Soon I could touch his extended hand. What did this demon want? Was it time for me to die and be carried off to the pit of Hell that Evangelicals are certain will be my eternal home? Or was this demon there to protect me from God’s angels? I have not seen any angels, but I have heard they are always lurking in the shadows, much like their pervert God. All I know is that this large demon and his minions were as real as Polly sleeping in bed next to me.
I woke Polly up, asking her if she saw the demons. She replied, no. Polly, they are right there. The one demon is right in front of me. I can touch his hand. I can’t believe you don’t see him.
Ten or so minutes later, the demons faded into the ceiling, and I fell back asleep. You see, I was wide awake, but not awake, caught in the world between awake and asleep. Did I really see demons? Absolutely. In fact, I physically touched the one demon and talked to him.
But, Bruce, you don’t believe demons are real, so how it possible that you saw, touched, and spoke to a demonic entity? Simple. It’s call Amibien, a drug prescribed for insomnia. I take four medications at night to help with pain and insomnia. The regimen I use is quite effective.
One of the side effects of Ambien is hallucinations. Not dreams, hallucinations. I was very much “awake” and I believed everything that was going on in our bedroom was actually happening. That’s the nature Ambien-induced hallucinations. They are so vivid that you think they are real. A month or so ago, I had another hallucination. Polly was getting ready to fly to Chicago for a business trip. After she left, I found out that she was actually going to her lover’s home. She was having an affair with a man from work. The only “funny” thing about this hallucination was that the man’s name was Charles Pecker.
After I came out of this hallucination, I sat on the side of the bed weeping for several hours. I was certain that Polly was having an affair, that she was leaving me, and filing for divorce. Quite frankly, this hallucination left me disconcerted most of the day. Of course, Polly isn’t having an affair, and no, we are not getting a divorce.
I have only had three hallucinations while taking Ambien. However, the ones I have had, have been unforgettable. Our brains, given the right stimuli or medication, can trick us into saying and believing all sorts of things. Recently, a pastor was arrested for urinating on a woman on an airplane. Supposedly, the good pastor was taking Ambien and drinking alcohol, and has no memory of hosing the woman. Now, the pastor could be lying — I am quite cynical about pastors these days thanks to the Black Collar Crime Series — but knowing what experiences I have had with Ambien, it is possible that what the pastor is saying is true. That he was allegedly chasing down the Ambien with alcohol is beyond stupid. And how much Ambien was he taking? I hope authorities took a blood sample of the peeing pastor.
Have you ever taken Ambien? Do you have a hallucination story you would like to share? If so, please share your experiences in the comment section.
Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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LMAO that Ambien does that to you. I sleep like a rock on it. Unfortunately one of the better drugs for MCAS gives me hallucinations.
I’ve always had nightmares and dreams that stay with me for days. I hate it, but I don’t know of a way to keep it from happening, either.
I’ve never taken Ambien, but some Sulfacetamide eyedrops I was given for pinkeye about 25 years ago gave me one hell of a ride.
I wavered between pasting in part of the story here or just linking you, the link won ’cause I’m too lazy to edit.
https://amimental.blogspot.com/2008/11/sulfacetamide-and-meaning-of-life.html
Is it okay that I snorted at the idea of Polly having an affair? I mean, seriously.
Charles Pecker..wow..that is definitely a porn star name. But if he comes back in your hallucinations send him my way – all to protect your wife of course…
I have not had hallucinations, but I have had a couple of very real and terrifying nightmares, complete with physical sensations, and both were non-survivable events. I do not know what caused these but it can’t be medications.
The most terrifying was experiencing a plane crash in a small private jet, in which I could hear all the dialog of the pilots (which was quite technical and not something I would know as I am not a pilot) and watched as the plane flew into the side of mountain, at which point I heard and felt the sensations and pains of the crash before I blacked out and woke up.
It was detailed enough to make me wonder if I just had a past life flashback. Whatever it was, it sticks with me still.
I’ve never taken ambien, but I’ve been around people who have. That is one peculiar drug. I have smoked salvia and saw the entire world become made of Twizzlers. 🙂
And of such things are religions made.
Charles Pecker….was he hot?
I have had a handful of really vivid dreams. I used to have more when I was younger and an evangelical, and most of those were terrifying. I have never had a hallucination that I know of, but I have had a couple of episodes of terrifying vertigo in which I was sure the world was moving though my rational brain knew it wasn’t. Our brains do some crazy stuff.
No hallucinations, but I suffered from untreated depression from childhood, and only got treatment when I became basically nonfunctional in my early 30s. My psychiatrist put me on Prozac, which was the drug of first resort then. It ultimately didn’t work well enough and we went on to other meds, but damn, I endured a long, slow shock realizing my brain had been lying to me all those years about who I am. Brains: you gotta make ’em work for you, but don’t trust them.
Spaniard 8 claims to have seen demons. No doubt that he was hallucinating, but I’m not sure if he was on any drug. “As a child, I used to see literally, demons walking in my house and it used to scare the heck out of me.” (https:spiritualminefield.wordpress.com).
He is obsessed with demons. This religious nutter is more likely to be mentally unwell than hallucinating on any drug(s).
The melatonin from Trader Joe’s gave me very gory dreams . I bought the mint flavored chewables for my friend, and thought I’d try some. They tasted good, made me drowsy, but after several nights of bad dreams with lots of blood, I figured out it was the pills. They didn’t bother my friend, though. I never took those things again. I do wonder about the 11 dimensions and what happens with them, because we operate in three of them, maybe, while not knowing about how the rest work. I always figured that spirits used at least one of them. I’ve lived in a few haunted houses up North. So it’s kind of hard to research this all at the moment. So, yeah, I wonder what took place versus what my brain cooked up, lol.
I’ve never taken that drug, but an oral surgeon once prescribed me something that made me think Spongebob Squarepants was chasing me with a butcher knife. It sounds funny now, but it sure wasn’t at the time. I’ve been wary of drugs ever since.
Recently, a pastor was arrested for urinating on a woman on an airplane.
“I hereby baptize you in the name of the Lord!”
I read on another blog that this pee-ing pastor runs a mission which he describes as one which, if you follow his passion….’wherever you go, the Holy Spirit will move in mighty ways!’ And, ‘…(the pastor’s) highest priority is to love God with all his being, adore his family and then overflow into ministry.’ Someone should proof-read his descriptions…or maybe it’s just my heathen dirty mind seeing double-entendres there to give me a chuckle in lockdown gloom.
I never saw demons on LSD or mushrooms. Maybe Ambien would have been an interesting medication for a Grateful Dead concert.
On second thought, perhaps it’s more suited for an Ozzy show. A friend gave me two tablets a few years ago. I don’t think I’ll be taking them. I’d rather be awake, Besides, we can see real demons at Trump rallies and CPAC.
Right you are, Davedubya ! There was a biker rally for Trump along Rt.66 for hours yesterday. Some guy who drove large pick-ups blared train horns, along with usual things,bullhorns,etc. And found out that the ”peeiñg pastor ” is Daniel Chalmers,who tried to bluff and lie his way out of his Ambient farce–though his victim has slapped him with a law suit. He at one time got his creds from Bethel Redding, avoided they have,. Not surprising anymore.
I quit taking Ambien when I awoke one morning, sitting in my car, parked clear across town, dressed only in my underwear, with the engine running, and the heater set comfortably on low – but having NO recollection how I got there.
Reminds me of a line from a Laura Nyro song ( And When I Die) “I can swear there ain’t no heaven but I pray there ain’t no hell.”
Alas Sarte answered that with “Hell is other people” (No Exit)
I had a very similar experience to Dennis Cole’s when I was taking Ambien several years ago. I went out in the garage, dressed only in my underwear, and got in the car. Fortunately, I never got the keys, so my wife simply found me sitting in the car in the middle of the night.
Another time, I woke up in the morning and found the kitchen lights on with part of a ham sandwich on the counter and an empty vodka bottle. LOL I guess the Ambien decided I needed a snack… and vodka.
Bruce, the picture that heads this article is the exact same demon that I saw in the second grade in 1972!!!!
Remember the devil attacks and strikes your most vulnerable points to bring confusion, pain, and frustration. My brother your vulnerable spot and opening is the love that you have for your wife.
If you were a pastor as stated in this article I do not know what made you step away but remember the biggest trick that the devil ever pulled off is to convince people that he doesn’t really exist.
For it is written, Strike the shepherd and you scatter the sheep. You my brother became a victim of sorcery. Ambien is A Product of Phamekia. You know this!!! I wonder what condition your former flock are in that counted on your protection and covering because clearly you were struck and never made it back.
I just prayed for you and will continue to pray for God’s covering to be over you and your family.
Sincerely
Frank L. Givens Jr.
Senior Pastor
Orting Christian Church
Sorry folks, I am finding that my email responses sometimes just don’t make it to Bruce’s blog through no fault of his. The damn iPhone sends some through, some not. Don’t know why. If U didn’t get a response from me, please read send your question. I’ll answer only from my laptop for now on. Thanks.
I imagine you must have a great deal of “confusion, pain, and frustration” in your own life Frank.