Shadow People

 Shadow People are malevolent, humanoid, pitch black apparitions generally depicted with no facial features, but in some cases they can appear with glowing red eyes.

They are often seen at night, either while one is falling asleep, or when one wakes in the middle of the night. Sightings are not confined to the night, many have reported these coal black entities stalking them in the day time. It is not uncommon to see or be attacked by a Shadow Person during an episode of Sleep Paralysis or during an OBE (Out of Body Experience). Many believe Shadow People are the cause of Sleep Paralysis. It is not uncommon to see a Shadow Person only once in an entire lifetime, however, many people are plagued by violent encounters for years at a time.  

There are many different types of Shadow People, I have detailed most common below.

Human Shaped

Human shaped Shadow People are the most common type. They are generally described as a male, human figure without hair, clothes, eyes, ears, nose, and (sometimes) hands. In most cases, witnesses describe the feeling of being watched. They will look around to see if someone is in the room, only to discover the shadow person watching them. Once it has been noticed, it will rapidly dart through a wall or closed door. Most often these types are seen out of the corner of the eye, peering around doorways or down halls.

Black Smoke

This is the second most common type of Shadow Person. Often times the shadow won’t hold its shape and will dissipate into a black smoke, especially while fleeing.

The Hat Man

The Hat Man is a type of human shaped Shadow Person with one reoccurring feature—a hat. The type of hat varies from a fedora to a top hat. The Hat Man is most often seen in doorways or at the foot of beds and in many cases it will just stand there, especially during Sleep Paralysis. The Hat Man is the most common type of Shadow Person seen only once in a life time, nevertheless, many people have reported seeing it on a nightly basis, it truly depends on the case.

Hooded Figure

Although violence is not limited to this type of Shadow Person, the Hooded Figure is the most violent. In most cases it will engage a person during Sleep Paralysis/OBEs. They will often scratch, hit, bruise, or choke the experiencer.

There are many theories as to what Shadow People are. Some say they are Aliens or inter-dimensional beings, and many who have had multiple encounters believe that they are, in fact, demons, because they often retreat if the experiencer begins to pray or rebuke them. The scientific community, as well as skeptics, explain these horrifying encounters as nothing more than hallucinations brought on by epilepsy.

Most sightings are often seen by only one person, however, there are a few cases where multiple people are visited by a Shadow Person. The encounter below has been expressed through social media.

“In December, 2007, my wife and I were sleeping in bed when I knew or felt my wife being attacked. I awoke to find a shadow person on top of her, choking her! I jumped out of bed and shared several French profanities with it. As I moved toward it to confront it, it moved away into the wall. I turned to see my wife still choking and woke her. She stated that she dreamed she was being choked by a person on top of her. Normally, you would dismiss it, but how do two people have a simultaneous experiences? She would later have a similar experience in the Army where her roommate woke to see a person choking her” - diesel1276

What are Shadow People? Are they simply hallucinations or are they something more? Could they be aliens or inter-dimensional beings? Or perhaps they are demonic entities. You decide!

And if you ever encounter a Shadow Person, tell us all about it—just watch out for the Hooded Figures…