The TERRIFYING Sleeping Disorder That Inspired A Nightmare On Elm Street

Watch my Nebula Exclusive video on the Bombing of Laos and get and 40% off an annual subscription at my link: go.nebula.tv/joescott
In the late 70’s and early 80’s, a wave of unexplained deaths swept through Laotian immigrant communities in the US. Efforts to solve the mystery, sparking a mystery that traces back to a secret Vietnam-era CIA operation and bombing campaign. And along the way, inspired one of the most iconic horror villains of all time.
Want to support the channel? Here's how:
Patreon: / answerswithjoe
Channel Memberships: / @joescott
T-Shirts & Merch: www.answerswithjoe.com/store
Check out my 2nd channel, Joe Scott TMI:
/ @joescott-tmi
And my podcast channel, Conversations With Joe:
/ @conversationswithjoe
You can listen to my podcast, Conversations With Joe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Spotify 👉 spoti.fi/37iPGzF
Apple Podcasts 👉 apple.co/3j94kfq
Google Podcasts 👉 bit.ly/3qZCo1V
Interested in getting a Tesla or going solar? Use my referral link and get discounts and perks:
ts.la/joe74700
Follow me at all my places!
Instagram: / answerswithjoe
TikTok: / answerswithjoe
Facebook: / answerswithjoe
Twitter: / answerswithjoe
LINKS LINKS LINKS
www.boxofficemojo.com/franchi...
screenrant.com/nightmare-elm-...
www.rollingstone.com/tv-movie...
blog.cinefantastiqueonline.com...
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_K...
www.vulture.com/2014/10/night...
my.clevelandclinic.org/health...
www.history.com/news/agent-or...
www.pbs.org/newshour/show/vet...
www.history.com/news/laos-mos...
misterbulger.files.wordpress....
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
www.newspapers.com/image/3876...
www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...
www.nytimes.com/1981/05/10/us...
www.washingtonpost.com/archiv...
www.newspapers.com/article/th...
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:31 - History
5:24 - Dab Tsog
8:42 - Brugada Syndrome
10:37 - Agent Orange
11:50 - PTSD
15:00 - Nebula

[@Hessekimojo]

Worked with a mason foreman somewhere in circa 2015-2017. He was a Vietnam Vet, and would shudder at even the thought of war. One day during lunch, him and i actually got to talking about his time spent over there. You could see how much bent up angst he had, and he went on to explain how he was affected by Agent Orange..and had been fighting in court for a long time over the apparent effects it has had on his body. He then took off his shirt and showed me and my buddy the damage it had done to his upper torso, mostly on his arm. The best i can do to explain what it looked like was raised and malformed looking skin, that looked as though he was seriously burned. Something I had never seen anything like it in my life. Poor dude passed away a few years ago, without settlement from those injuries. RIP papa smurf, you were the man.

[@dionh70]

As a Gulf War veteran trying to get the VA to deal with ANY of my problems, I ask you to write your federal representatives (email thru their websites) to get the fuckin VA to quit screwing veterans over and just handle their medical problems. The assholes at the VA act like it's their own goddamn money or something.

[@butterfacemcgillicutty]

Support our troops! Wait, no, support weapons manufacturers and military contractors getting rich and politicians getting more power via war on the backs and lives of our troops! There, fixed it!

[@noonynoonynoo]

How I wish more military resources could be refocused to things like building schools in impoverished areas all over the world, medical missions to far flung areas that doctors and dentists can't easily visit, rescue operations for dangerous disaster-wrecked communities (flooding, earthquakes, etc). I feel like so many more people would see it as an honor to serve if instead of being paranoid about war they could become beacons of goodwill and peace.

[@grn1]

@@noonynoonynoo To some extent we have to keep up the arms race to protect ourselves from foreign threats (which unfortunately also protects domestic threats, aka our political and corporate overlords). It would be nice if, during times of peace, we had more soldiers working to fix the problems that usually lead to wars in the first place. Of course you know our governments (any government) would find a way to screw it up, kill more innocent people, make tons of money, and blame everyone but themselves for the problems they cause.

[@sunshine3914]

@@noonynoonynooThe late Bill Hicks (comedian) used to say that we had the ability to turn it completely around. He passed at the age of 32.

[@toucheethao6300]

Very well done Joe! As someone who's first generation Hmong American, I grew listening to these exact stories from my parents and older family members . The atrocities they face impacts them to this day. I appreciate you bringing attention to this topic

[@BadWebDiver]

I hope you don't fall victim to the syndrome. 😔🙏

[@moonlightalkemist]

My stepfather was a Marine veteran with 2 tours in Vietnam. He died in 1999 at the age of 52 from a severe nightmare/ flashback. We found him a couple days later. Official cause of death was listed as adrenaline overdose likely brought on by a nightmare as he was found screaming in a crouching pose in his bedroom with his hands raised defensively. PTSD is a terrible affliction and even though he sought and received treatment, the demons still got him. No drugs in his system, btw.

[@MrBizteck]

Jesus. Im sorry for both your loss and his passing its must of been terrible. Im very fortunate to have had the privilege of never having to fight.

[@deadeyedaddy7418]

I'm sorry for your loss. Some guys just can't turn it off. S/F.

[@joescott]

Sorry to hear that man. My wife's grandfather was a WW2 vet who screamed in his sleep until the day he died about 5 years ago.

[@michelebeuttel3289]

Lost my husband to PTSD and Agent Orange he was 55. Prayers

[@kellyhoward6941]

@@michelebeuttel3289 I'm truly sorry for your loss, and for what he went through.

[@binaryguru]

My first experience with sleep paralysis was very positive. My step mother's pet dog was the one who came up and layed on my chest. It made me happy and I felt loved.

[@ThaDoggo]

Lmao

[@radiofreejenn0]

My friend, that is not the definition of sleep paralysis by most people. Sleep paralysis is terrifying to the point I have thrown up after I finally have woken up.

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

​@@radiofreejenn0b They're literally describing sleep paralysis. There's no need to gatekeep. Sleep paralysis is a state of partially awake cataplexy, often accompanied by hallucinations. I've experienced it in many different degrees of "severity". I've never had an experience this positive, but I've had some neutral-positive experiences. It happens

[@1337Adabed]

We gatekeeping sleep paralysis now?

[@radiofreejenn0]

@@1337Adabed Sleep paralysis is not a happy thing so….

[@Nefville]

What's great about Freddy Kruger is just how much fun he's having while he's wreaking all kinds of havoc. Its always nice to see someone that loves their job and is good at it. He's a real inspiration that no matter how bad you have it, its what you make of it that controls your reality.

[@rickyscott9351]

Hahahaha! I love this!

[@andriaduncan5032]

You hit that nail on its head; I'm not a horror movie fan AT ALL, but those movies are just damned funny, even WITH all the jump scares and gore. My favorite was the one that ended with that hockey mask on the ground, and of course the next was Freddie Meets Jason. They're just engaging and clever, if you can handle the creepier/grosser aspects. That's also why I was a HUGE fan of Penny Dreadful, which I'm currently re-watching/streaming/binging, thx to my recent subscription to the premium version of paramount+, which comes with Showtime. That show has some of the funniest, cleverest lines in the history of TV -- Dr. Frankenstein professing a real enjoyment of Shelley -- I about fell over laughing at that one! 🤣 My husband thought I'd lost my mind, till I explained it to him. 🤣🤣

[@rickyscott9351]

@@andriaduncan5032 Are you being held hostage by Paramount and Showtime? Blink twice for yes.

[@andriaduncan5032]

@@rickyscott9351 Heh. No, just appreciating having something to watch for a change. Mainly I wanted to watch that silly comedy "Ghosts," and was impatiently waiting for the damn strike to be over, and the entertainment biz getting back to work. I had a free year of the lower-tier Paramount+, with my t-mobile account, but once that year was over, I was gonna have to pay, and I figured if I have to pay, I might as well pay just a little more and get zero commercials AND Showtime. Then I recalled that Penny Dreadful had been on Showtime, but when we switched our cable provider, we lost Showtime, and never got to see the last season of Penny Dreadful. And now I'm caught up in the new season of Ghosts. 🤣

[@BlackavarWD]

​@@rickyscott9351 😂😂😂 Ikr? Sounds like a commercial! I have Penny Dreadful on DVD... DVD... DVD... So I can watch it as many times as I want without subscription or even internet service. But I only watched it once and didn't really like it. (cheap on ebay)

[@mikemoore4033]

I used to have the opposite of “sleep paralysis”, “night terrors”. When having a nightmare, occasionally I would leap out of bed and literally run for my life, not great in a house at night in the dark. This led to minor injuries from running into walls or doors, but nothing serious. Until this happened to me when staying at a friend’s house, sleeping in a spare room. I ran out the door and unfortunately turned right, straight onto the top step of the stairs. This was about 2 AM on a winter night. I woke up lying on the floor halfway through a large window at the side of the front door. I must have smashed into the glass with my left arm which was seriously broken. The only good thing was there had been a heavy curtain in front of the window, I would have been ripped to pieces if not for that. The postscript is that after two days in hospital I came back to retrieve my car and noticed the smoke alarm above the stairs was hanging from it’s wiring. I stood on the step under the alarm and I was unable to touch it with my good arm. I must have been literally flying through the air into that window. Thankfully I never had another incident of night terrors again, that was thirty years ago.

[@Philofasus]

Yo thats crazy story lol thank you for sharing that for real

[@360.Tapestry]

so you need real danger to teach your body to ignore the imagined danger.... we done found the cure, boys

[@ahobimo732]

Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

[@projectdeveloper9311]

No offense, I really hope you don't take this too seriously, but if I watched you do that, I would laugh my ass off so much I might have passed out of hipoxia lol

[@ThaBeatConductor]

@@projectdeveloper9311 Agreed, that's pretty funny image sans the injury.

[@hcfornwalt]

You might want to specify that Indira Ghandi was assassinated in 1984. By just saying "Ghandi was assassinated," the first thing people think is that you mean Mohandas K (Mahatma) Ghandi, who was assassinated in 1948... which is when Orwell wrote 1984.

[@proph7543]

Fairly certain it's a reference to 1948 by llewrO egroeG. Sorry, 1984 by George Orwell.

[@swiftflight7927]

@@proph7543 While that would be perceptive, I think his script team just went too fast and did not check to see the first name, nor thought that there was a second Gandhi to be assassinated. Though, it is interesting that they were assassinated in reverse years.

[@myscreen2urs]

Ooohhh, an Easter egg😲

[@mementomori29231]

Not sure many millennials will think of the OG Ghandi.

[@HiThere-ig5iz]

​@@swiftflight7927My thoughts exactly

[@racookster]

Americans who think a second civil war would be glorious should look into the history of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. It wouldn't be your 19th century civil war, which was America's deadliest war and horrific enough. It would be beyond your wildest dreams of horror.

[@sn1000k]

Absolutely

[@360.Tapestry]

americans are actually way more united than most people think. if someone were to attack the country, we'd immediately close ranks. we just bicker because we live in relative comfort and don't know what to do with the genetic trauma from deep time that carries in our collective psyche

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@360.Tapestry However, of no one attacks the US, the pressure to go to civil war could grow to the point where it's 'pick a side' time.

[@SonsOfMars0]

@@Thurgosh_OG lol yeah everybody pick a side between texas and the entirety of the u.s. stop the fear mongering

[@jamescarter3196]

@@Thurgosh_OG What is wrong with you? You're just trying to find excuses to force war to happen over nothing and what you're saying is beyond idiotic. There's not some correlation about 'either we have to get attacked or we'll end up having a civil war'. That's a bonehead thing to assert and it's scary that anybody would be so stupid as to believe that.

[@christianadam2907]

This is what my mom most likely died of ... She died in her sleep with an undiagnosed whole in the heart. My dad said, she was moving, and seemed to try to wake up but did not make it. The scary thing is that the evening before that she said she will not wake up... She was unfortunately spot on 😢 So this sounds very familiar.

[@stephaniebramer1781]

Error correction - Hmong populations are in Minnesota and WISCONSIN (not Michigan). It's even dark red on the map that was shown.

[@IslandHermit]

I've suffered from sleep paralysis all my life. When I was a child it would happen once every couple of months. Now, in my mid-sixties, it happens once every couple of years. When it first started happening it was terrifying, the worst part being that I couldn't open my eyes. Eventually I learned that the one bodily function I could still control was my breathing. I would start hyperventilating and then after a minute or two my eyes would pop open and the spell would be broken. I don't really know if the hyperventilation helps to dispel the paralysis or if it just keeps my mind occupied while my body wakes up normally, but having that tiny bit of control really helped reduce my fear.

[@PermanentExile]

I learned to become conscious that it was happening, which kept the fear under a bit of control, and to focus all of my attention on my index finger. When I moved the finger, it broke the paralysis and all senses returned to normal. I’ve never heard of anyone having it into older age. I stopped getting it in my late 20s and am glad it never returned.

[@Psycorde]

It's scary to realise that something in your brain which is supposed to work subconsciously is misfiring. Essential functions like falling asleep, regulating heartbeat, breathing... That's the truly horrifying part. Unbeknownst to you, one of these switches could just flip the other way or not turn on at all one day, and that'd be it.

[@brodiemacleod69]

​@@PsycordeYeah omg that's absolutely terrifying... Imagine being left in a "coma" for years in that state, as that's all it would appear as to medical professionals. As someone who has had sleep paralysis that would be hell.

[@threestans9096]

I was on an apparently too high of a methadone dose for heroin addiction recovery. most nights i would die in my dreams, and my gf and i would swear the other was “stealing the others air” while sleeping/cuddling. i was not breathing enough, essentially having apneas because of the depressant activity of the drug and that manifested as legit dying in dreams before i would wake up because i was basically dying..i was suffocating.

[@weegiewarbler]

Ouch. Hope you've moved beyond that part of your life now.

[@sn1000k]

Jesus. I could see that methadone is no joke

[@zeniascreativespace3890]

I am an army veteran, and I have generations of military service members prior to me, and I can personally attest that PTSD lasts long-term, and can indeed kill you if it’s left untreated, or treated improperly, including in your sleep from severe sleep terrors and paralysis and nightmares. I am of course alive, but I had to seek medical treatment for a couple of sleep paralysis episodes that were that terrifying. The condition discussed in this video is living proof that it’s never just “all in your head“ and unfortunately has taken lives. Maybe your video and other research done will help the medical community understand how to better help those who suffer from any preceding conditions that can cause this to happen.

[@TherapyGel]

A friend of mine's father died of a stress induced heart attack, the stress of which was induced by PTSD from a botched anesthesia during surgery. The surgery healed one ailment, but gave him that trauma. People generally aren't aware of how your mind can directly affect you physically, the two are inextricably linked.

[@ClimbLikeAGirl-vz3gt]

I was diagnosed with a panic disorder and while what I experience during panic attacks feels a lot less serious to me than what you and other people describe, I can absolutely confirm that it puts a toll on the physical body. Oh boy. When I had regular attacks I was so used to constantly being tired, having aching muscles and tension headaches, digestive problems etc that I thought that's just what its like for me. Now I only get those symptoms when shit hits the fan again which confirmed for me that they are related to the psychological stress. Thankfully I am slowly but surely working through. I hope you and your family find recovery as well

[@Psycorde]

If you die in the Matrix...

[@alexanderbonnot]

Dab Tsog is pronounced "Dah Jaw". The B is a tone marker for a high tone and the G is a marker for a mid-low breathy tone.

[@EinsteinsHair]

And it is just a coincidence that backwards it is "bad ghost?"

[@alexanderbonnot]

@@EinsteinsHair It took me a minute but I see what you did there.

[@Wordfishtrombone]

I work with a man who was exposed to Agent Orange (he calls it White Rain) while he was a young man in Laos. The damage to his mind, body, and nervous system is unforgivable! He is in constant pain, and his body is deteriorating! I’m ashamed of what the U.S.

[@chrisprescott2273]

Same exposure happened to my next door neighbor. He recently passed away from the all of the terrible symptoms. I don't know if he called it white rain because he couldn't speak anymore. His poor wife never left his side and had to do absolutely everything. It was incredibly sad.

[@paulhaynes8045]

If you lot aren't very careful over there in the US, we're all going to be exposed to Agent Orange again!

[@eronelnosnhoj5545]

It wasn't developed as a weapon, it was developed to clear foliage and the latent unforseen effects of agent orange affected people in ways that weren't planned.

[@hollister2320]

Git gud😢

[@diablo22422]

@@hollister2320what?

[@michagardea7253]

It's unbelievable how much atrocities humans waged against each other 😥🤦‍♂️

[@0x0michael]

Especially those countries that claim to be descendants of the roman empire, i'm looking at you US and Germany.

[@TalEdds]

And we still are, right now.

[@360.Tapestry]

it's easier not to believe - maybe even healthy in some instances

[@Syncrotron9001]

Between nightmare on elm street and Inception and the other evidence Ive seen of sci-fi secretly being real im giving this theory my seal of approval.

[@omegahaxors3306]

Always seems to be the same nations doing the atrocities too.

[@CherokeeBird]

My husband was born with agent orange birth defects, and his son was also. His dad was a Vietnam Vet, passed away from cancer a few years ago.

[@weegiewarbler]

Hugs from Scotland ❤

[@DavidTremblay]

I've seen the enduring effect of agent Orange on site. Even decades after it was sprayed. I can't believe it's not considered a war crime. They must have known it was toxic

[@kellyhoward6941]

Possibly the most startling thing for me in this great video is Joe having to explain what Agent Orange was for people who've never heard of it. I missed the Vietnam war twice, being born in 1960 & female, but even at my relatively young age during it, it had a huge impact. Plus my ex was a veteran. We really see the world thru the lens of our own experience.

[@Bonedagi]

US is still doing cleanup in Vietnam because of it, I've heard.

[@Vee_of_the_Weald]

Joe’s audience isn’t just American. I’m French and I live in the UK. Of course I know about agent Orange, but I bet you remote populations who didn’t have the opportunities for further education, access to foreign languages, travel, etc. Those people might not know about it. They have their own history to worry about

[@tims8603]

It affected me a lot too. If it hadn't ended when it did, I would surely have had to go. I'm not the soldier type and was filled with fear and dread. My brother, who was a lot like me, got drafted but Truman died the day before he was supposed to be inducted. The Federal offices were shut down in honor of the former President.

[@ianbillmorris]

I missed it by not being born until after it and being born in a country not involved in the war, but much of the cultural zeitgeist of America in the 80s and 90s kept it fresh in people's minds. I think that had gone by the early 2000s when 9/11 changed the outlook of the US so much. It's both understandable that today's under 30s are less aware, but also makes me feel really old.

[@kevinamery5922]

I completely get younger viewers not being familiar with Agent Orange or the rest of the Viet Nam war. I was born in 1969, and while I certainly heard the phrase Agent Orange I had only a very hazy idea what it was or what effects it had. For someone born 10 - 20 years after me I imagine it would be much like the stories our generation heard about the use of gas warfare in WWI -- something abstract that happened "long ago".

[@mmmmmmolly]

My god. If i had a time machine, I'd use it to go back a minute and tell myself to not google agent orange birth defects.

[@360.Tapestry]

my rational ignorance immediately kicked in and i didn't have the slightest curiosity to search it

[@larrywest42]

Thanks for the heads-up. Having seen Thalidomide birth defects is enough for me, for this lifetime.

[@Fledhyris]

Would you listen to yourself, though? You were kind of warned already by this video lol. Curiosity killed the cat!

[@SteveEwe]

Even if you suggest that someone died of fear, you still have to show evidence of how "the fear" precipitated a state of the body that kills the person. When people actually die of fright, this is usually accompanied by a heart attack or injury to the brain, an aneurysm, stroke, etc.

[@VercenGetorix525]

Joe, my childhood bestfriends family is from Laos. I'm glad you're bringing attention to this, especially the fact that the most bombed country in history was done to a country not even at war with us. Unexploded ordnance still claims victims to this day. Great video as always

[@user-gg6hk2jo2v]

I find the easiest way to wake up from sleep paralysis, is to attempt to open and close your hand, eventually it will move and you'll wake up. I also find laying on my side helps as I can rock my self over, like your falling, and this will wake you up as well, Remember you are in control of your dreams. hope this helps somebody

[@soulife8383]

Rapidly, or trying to rapidly, move a finger works for me. It's like a hook on reality, get your finger to move and the hand will follow then you can fling your arm out to pull your body back out of the in between realm...

[@drfox96]

Yea was a bout to comment the same It's a horrible feeling specially when u try so hard but your hand refuses to move

[@tengonadacluewhatsgutsprec1419]

Btw the diaphragm doesn't get paralyzed, so easy to change how it moves by just breathing at an unnatural pace, which unlocks the rest of the body with no need to fight frozen muscles And yes once you're conscious of what's happening you can just will the hallucinations away so long as you stay calm

[@soulife8383]

I have sleep paralysis going to sleep nearly every night. Over the past 10yrs of that Ive never once had trouble breathing. I sense the evil presence and pending doom, I even feel it get into my bed and lean against my arm hip leg back etc.

[@LearndingLife]

​@@soulife8383 Evil is a real thing and it actively seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. Asking for covering over you.

[@-TAPnRACK-]

Joe: "Attacks you when you're most vulnerable" Me: "When you're sh1tting"

[@bedhead4728]

Im...I'm shitting now tho

[@user-hn3px1zj7g]

Hey quit that, I'm shitting rn for real 😅

[@tims8603]

Or taking a shower a la Psycho.

[@thenewtalkerguy496]

In jail, dudes have another inmate stand near them so they don't get attacked with their pants down and poo half way out their butt 😂😂

[@Belenus3080]

Like that scene in ghoulies II

[@craigh5236]

I started having a reoccurring nightmare after some stuff happened. At one time it got so bad I would stay up for 3-4 days in a row.

[@Syncrotron9001]

Nightmares I had in the late 90s keep coming true systematically. Ask me what a mininilator is

[@360.Tapestry]

"after some stuff happened"

[@Psycorde]

I, too, have been to twitter Stay strong

[@vansdan.]

"weird dream shit starts to happen" yep. as someone who's experienced it twice, its truly terrifying

[@noisetheorem]

Sleep paralysis is no joke the freakiest experience I've ever had in my life. If I'm exhausted and drink caffeine before trying to get to sleep, it WILL happen to me. It's terrifying

[@kewakl8891]

it seems that you know how to mitigate it!

[@OllamhDrab]

A trick to get through sleep paralysis is actually to do the opposite of what might be first impulse. What you want to do is focus on trying to actively keep *still, and relax, that catches yer nerves up with your brain and soon you can move normally.

[@360.Tapestry]

sometimes i just give into the fear (stop trying to wake up against your own body fighting to keep you paralyzed) and it immediately fades. but of course, you're out of your mind in those moments, so you won't always be able to recognize what is happening

[@EricStott]

My wife is Hmong and she has had debilitating dreams. Dab Tsog said 'Da jo' The last letter is the tone of the word B: spoken high G spoken breathy

[@weegiewarbler]

Give her a hug from Scotland ❤

[@EricStott]

@@weegiewarbler are you Hmong? I sure will!

[@weegiewarbler]

@@EricStott no, but everyone needs a hug.

[@360.Tapestry]

it's a fairly common phenomena among hmong men and has led a lot of them to accept christianity

[@weegiewarbler]

@@360.Tapestry a fate worse than death. I hope they maintain their own values and customs and don't become polluted by that.

[@robo5013]

I wonder if sleep apnea could be involved? I had heard of the old hag before and it always made me think what could be the cause of it. When my dad got diagnosed with sleep apnea he would say that sometimes it would feel like someone crawled over him to get into the bed. Some people here in the comments have shared similar feelings. They attribute it to sleep paralysis but maybe they should get tested for sleep apnea as your brain tries to wake you when it occurs. If you are a person that is really susceptible to sleep paralysis those feelings of a person sitting on your chest or at least crawling into bed with you may be caused by sleep apnea in combination with sleep paralysis.

[@ehmmmjay9907]

I like Joe's "Earth is a caprese salad" shirt. I don't know what it means, but I like it.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Not quite sure what Joe means by that but - Caprese salad is an Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt, and olive oil. It is usually arranged on a plate in restaurant practice. Like pizza Margherita, it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red.

[@DavidGravesExists]

Oh man. Serious tears watching this video. I grew up in Central California around Hmong folks and visited Laos as an adult. So much generational trauma.

[@paulgracey4697]

Before my brief four day visit to Saigon on a U.S. Navy ship in late 1962, I had known about where Laos was, but not that Viet-Nam was right alongside. The folk group The Kingston Trio in my high school days sang an old Southern song about a Tom Dooley whose name was the same as the then famous doctor working in Laos. It much later turned out that a sideline of his well recognized humanitarian efforts in South East Asia was to provide local information to the CIA. That diplomatically significant visit by the ship I was serving aboard also bore a connection to JFK's intelligence efforts in that region, though I was not aware as a young sailor back then. The visit also was overshadowed by another Kennedy administration crisis, as it was simultaneous to the peak of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October of that year. I remember discussions with shipmates as to whether we would have a port in the USA to sail home to. Interesting times,... as the old alleged Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times."goes.

[@ringkunmori]

MLK Jr: I have a dream... CIA planning his assasination: Hear me out...

[@360.Tapestry]

you're waiting for a train

[@efraim6960]

​@@360.Tapestry inception!

[@clementmartinez121]

its monday already?!/ stayed up too late. doh"

[@kennyhogg5820]

My sleep paralysis problem cleared up from something a doctor said on a show about sleep I saw years ago. She said we have more power over our dreams than we think. She said you decide before you go to sleep that anyone coming after you you will fight back and defeat them. It totally worked. If I feel like someone is "standing over" me, I just lash out. It was actually addressing nightmares but I just applied it to my sleep paralysis. I never have unsettling dreams anymore.

[@rachelann9362]

I experienced sleep paralysis when I was already afraid of the dark and my siblings weren’t letting me leave a night light on (I shared with 2 sisters), and I was only about 9 years old. It happened soon after my grandpa died, and it was my first experience with death on a personal level. My memory of my childhood is absolutely awful (undiagnosed adhd & autism will do that), but that incident I remember VERY vividly. Even now that thought makes my heart race. I still fight going to sleep, and I absolutely HATE that “falling” feeling you get sometimes when you’re about to go to sleep. I had insomnia before that happened, but it went to different levels. (I actually have a delayed sleep cycle rhythm-sun goes down and I start to wake up, no matter what time I got up and how much sleep I got the day before. 7-12pm is some of my most productive hours and it has been since I was very little.) I’ve experience sleep paralysis a few times since, and the last time I actually SAW someone dressed in black hovering over me and I was trying to lift myself up to fight the person off and to scream for my husband, but it took me about 30 sec to a minute for paralysis to release me and my vision. The person I saw was actually formed out of my bathrobe hanging on my closet door. If you’ve never experienced sleep paralysis, be glad. It is AWFUL.

[@hin_hale]

I think you've misunderstood that nighmare thing from scandinviam folklore. The "mara" isn't a female horse but a woman. It was thought that a girl, born under circumstances where the mother used magic to try to escape the pains of child birth, would become a mara. If the child was male, he became a warewolf. The mara was a sort of magic backfire, a cursed woman who after falling asleep herself, turned into a mara, got up and tormented men and animals while they slept. She would ride on a man's chest or she would ride the horses in the stable, leaving them all sweaty and worn out when the farmer came to take them out in the morning. This is why the word for nightmare in norwegian and danish is "mareritt", meaning mare ride. She could also take the form of a cat but to my knowledge, never a horse. The two words just look identical after it became a loanword in english.

[@earlgreyfull]

Apropriate username. Cudos

[@Psycorde]

Vaush cries in disappointment

[@AllegedlyControversial]

"it wasnt a nerve gas.... but it did affect peoples nervous systems" lol

[@jamescarter3196]

Yeah that seemed pretty silly the way he diced it up. I'm still looking for the thing about how 'the CIA made murder-dreams'. I've watched the whole thing, almost twice, and haven't found whatever the clickbait title was referring to.

[@aelolul]

It wasn't _intended_ as a nerve agent. I think that's the most charitable thing one can say about it.

[@devildoughnut1788]

This part of the video is odd to me because it’s pretty well documented that chemical warfare with nerve agents was used against the Hmong population as part of the genocide against them.

[@jamoore2581]

I had nightmares for quite a while, they got so bad I didn't sleep for days or i wouldn't sleep at night for the longest time and only a few hrs during the day. I still have them just not as frequent

[@AnishinaabeWaterProtector]

I really appreciate this video and can relate to many things mentioned. 1. I come from a military family, and most of my male relatives over the age of 65 are Vietnam veterans. All 4 of my dad’s brothers were there on the ground, as well as my mom’s brother and father. 6 of my great uncles as well. Not to mention many cousins. It’s crazy. 2. I have Brugada syndrome in my family, and it is horrible. My dad’s brother dropped dead at the age of 34 without warning. He was a perfectly healthy in shape fit guy in the Airforce. Had just gotten married 6 weeks before (I was his flower girl ❤), and one evening his new bride found him laying across the bed, deceased. She thought he was playing a joke on her, like usual. It stunned our whole family and was very traumatizing. At that time they called it the “widow makers” heart attack, as it wasn’t named Bugada syndrome til years later. When this happened, the doctors suggested my dad’s whole immediate family get tested. And sure enough my grandfather and 5 of his 6 children (one being deceased) carried it. Well they didn’t have the genetic testing we do today, but the tests they did run suggested they had the makings of it. It affected my dad over the years, many heart problems and his heart constantly going into AFib. This disease killed all of them except 2 eventually. I had to get the genetic testing done and luckily I do not have it. I worry still though and for my daughter and other relatives. 3. I have experienced sleep paralysis multiple times over the past 10 years or so and OMG it is literally one of the scariest experience I’ve ever had! I thought I was dying the first time it happened. And the demon/hag was the grim reaper in my mind at that time. I had no clue what was happening! Didn’t learn about it until a few years later and felt a little better about it. But while it’s happening is so freaking scary!!!

[@soulife8383]

Why do soo many people experience the same thing during sleep paralysis? A feeling of a presence in the room, pending doom, evil, sometimes varying contact with you such as a weight on your chest or back (I often feel something get into my bed, and if I ignore it and don't pull myself out of paralysis I'll feel it begin to lean against me). I had no knowledge of sleep paralysis until it became regular in my sleeping routine so I started Googling my experience looking for spiritual meaning, then discovered the world of sleep paralysis...

[@SpiceAndFox]

Most likely explanation: The weight on your chest is because you want to breathe, but you cannot control it. The situation of not being able to move+darkness is very scary, so your brain probably gets in all sorts of alert levels including increased perception. And since humans excels at pattern recognition you see figures were are none (since you know, being scared too often is better for survival than being scared not often enough). But if you really want spiritual explanation: Evil demon wants to get you! Watch out! Luckily the demon is quite incompetent as it doesn't manage to do anything but scare you when you are not able to move an inch.

[@shadw4701]

Mostly fear and superstition. The more you understand sleep paralysis the less scary it becomes

[@soulife8383]

@@shadw4701 Thats bizarre considering I knew nothing about it until I researched it, it was only then I learned its nearly identical for everyone. I'm American, have no culture, Im not religious or spiritual, and my only superstition is when Im driving and street lights go out as I pass them.

[@green7449]

@@soulife8383A lot of street lights have sensors on top to detect if it’s day or night. Sometimes your cars headlights will hit these sensors and boom, street light turns off as you’re driving past. I used to go outside with my buddy and use his dad’s super powerful flashlight and shine it at street lights to turn them off.

[@360.Tapestry]

i've only experienced sleep paralysis a handful of times so far and some small part of me (despite being deep in the psychosis of whatever dream i was having) always knew what was happening. sometimes, i catch myself trying to wake up (kinda feels like breaking above water), but knowing how much worse that makes it, i just give in and tumble back into the deep dark water of sleep and nothing more comes of it 🤷‍♂

[@sam1812seal]

I’ve had sleep paralysis a few times. The worst was when I was about 10 years old. I woke up, couldn’t move, couldn’t scream, while a 17th century man looking a bit like Charles II, walked up to me whilst sharpening a knife, and started cutting strips of flesh from me 😱 Sweet dreams 😂

[@bradbole6853]

I have it often .

[@wihdinheim0]

Sounds like a glitch in the reincarnation program.

[@theophany150]

I have sleep paralysis too, and in my case is that it has sometimes continued after I am up and walking around. Once I was all the way in the bathroom and still hearing this very strange sound I am pretty sure was just an episode of hypnopompia.

[@user-ec3rm9wr1n]

Bart Simpson 😂😂😂😂😂😂 and Showpop

[@theophany150]

@@user-ec3rm9wr1n I wish. It has actually happened more than once. I never see anything strange, but hear a noise like gigantic marbles rolling around in a huge pie pan very loudly. It has happened maybe 4 or 5 times, but not recently. About a decade ago I had a few episodes of something "exploding head syndrome." Now that was pretty weird.

[@ElDJReturn]

Wow, well done video and topic Joe! Thank you!

[@jlb73]

This video is now in my TOP 5 Joe Scott Video’s. Engaging, informative and I really liked all little connections. Great job.

[@JV-ks3eb]

Wasn't there a film called Dreamscape with Dennis Quaid. This is where people could enter your dreams and kill you??

[@jamescarter3196]

Yeah, that was a killer movie. Awesome ideas in that one.

[@CwL-1984]

I've experienced sleep paralysis several times, and I believe that it's what people experience, when they are abducted by aliens. It does indeed get scary

[@stevebuffinton1094]

This was super interesting. Good job Joe.

[@tw8464]

Joe, great work on this video. Incredible how you connected all this and thanks for educating me on more of the Vietnam war era history. Learned some things didn't know from this. Keep up the good work

[@axnyslie]

Sleep paralyses and repressed trauma is the most logical explanation for the alien abduction phenomenon.

[@DemoDick1]

Sure, except for cases where the reporting person was wide awake.

[@semkovych]

​@@DemoDick1Have you ever experienced sleep paralysis? You feel pretty damn awake.

[@springbloom5940]

*CITATIONS NEEDED*

[@DemoDick1]

@@semkovych Yes, to the point that I can induce it. I’m well versed. Sleep paralysis *is* the most likely explanation...for people lying in bed. I don’t think Betty and Barney Hill were asleep while driving. LOL There’s more to it, and it gets weird.

[@ElJefeS4]

@@DemoDick1- there certainly is more to it, but nothing that can't be explained. There isn't any extra terrestrial evidence for alien abductions.

[@EricStott]

When my wife had debilitating dreams, she would breathe really heavy where I would wake up and have to shake her to wake her out of the 'dream' She would say that she was paralyzed and couldn't move in her 'dream'

[@mmmmmmolly]

Isn't that sleep paralysis

[@HerbaMachina]

Sounds like she has sleep paralysis.

[@Junkpusher77]

Same but I’m the dreamer. Glad we have folks to wake us up

[@shadw4701]

If it's sleep paralysis and not just a dream where she's paralyzed it's possible to break out. Wiggling fingers and toes, holding your breath and/or breathing sporadically

[@EricStott]

@@mmmmmmolly I don't know, it is what Joe is describing in his video. And she is Hmong (she escaped when she was a year old, her mother sneaking at night across the Mekong River to Thailand from Laos)

[@davidhjdebrecen]

Been watching you for years and you come across so likeable. Keeps me coming back ;)

[@StrafeKing1991]

As always, great videos Joe 😎🙏

[@shadw4701]

Sleep paralysis isn't a bad thing. All these superstitions and scary stories are what make it seem so terrifying (and if course first time experiences). Truth is sleep paralysis isn't scary as long as you understand how it works. You can actually use it to your benefit. You can break out easily or even use it to lucid dream

[@Sletty73]

I confirm this. I have on average 3-4 episodes of sleep paralysis per month. Most of the times I prefer to just wait for a couple of minutes and then you'll be able to move again. In some cases I go into lucid dreaming. However, in many cases you are too awake (and pissed off) to start dreaming. That being said, over maybe a hundred of episodes or more, you get used to it and learn to manage it but it is never pleasant. Also, have never seen any demon... Just immobilised in the bed with open eyes and see the bedroom. If you do not believe in demons, you pretty much know that even if you saw one you know that you are just dreaming.

[@360.Tapestry]

well... you know... ignorance is like an invisible disease

[@jamescarter3196]

@@360.Tapestry Yeah, and you're setting a great example by blurting out something meaningless when you think you're making a point.

[@jamescarter3196]

The real truth is, sleep paralysis isn't scary if you can control it, and it CAN be scary if you CAN'T control it, and you're not speaking for anybody but yourself. It's very easy for YOU to "break out of it" apparently but that doesn't mean anything about anybody else. Go ahead and start teaching people how to do that instead of just acting like your experience is everybody's when it's not.

[@shadw4701]

@@jamescarter3196 I already do teach people. I never said my experience was like everyone's, didn't even make that implication

[@LimitedCapacity]

Sleep paralysis is awesome lol. I mean when I get it, I get it in/off the entire night. Every time i wake up, and the first time it happens can be scary but after that you know what’s going on, it’s less frightening.

[@springbloom5940]

You haven't had sleep paralysis

[@shadw4701]

​@springbloom5940 The scary stories are from people with superstition or the inexperienced. Sleep paralysis has an entire positive side that most people aren't aware of because the scary stories go more viral. The nonscary ones are usually within dreaming communities and such

[@springbloom5940]

@@shadw4701 *CITATIONS NEEDED*

[@emariaenterprises]

Excellent research. Kudos to you.

[@tysonb1460]

Glad to see you back Dan!! Your running channel was one of the first I started watching and inspired me to do the same

[@adamdanielson8674]

Anyone else hearing an odd echo for the audio on this video?

[@360.Tapestry]

that's just your sleep paralysis demon hiding

[@dartriv17]

Either he's talking about Indira Gandhi or he switched 1948 with 1984 for Mahatma Gandhi. Moments when your brain screeches to a halt lol

[@kellyhoward6941]

Thank you, I had a similar brain screech experience, wondering (twice) if I'd lost my mind & my knowledge of history.

[@randalalansmith9883]

And the first ᴀɪᴅs cases were reported in '81.

[@kitefan1]

AIDS was first explained as an identifiable retrovirus in April 1984. At first, in 1981, it wasn't terrifying the general public and making huge news. It was homosexuals and drug users. Drugs weren't was widespread outside of cities are they are now. And people were getting weird things like Kaposi's Sarcoma. Only 337 people were identified with this unknown immune deficiency, usually of some other disease, at the end of 1981. The cause was unknown and only Gay communities had become activists to stop known homosexual transmission. So large sections of the US were away from it, to their knowledge. At the end of 1982 blood product recipients were getting Immune deficiencies to a noticeable extent. This was when the big panic started. When the general public started to understand that you couldn't catch it without blood or other body fluid transmission the fear and panic calmed down some. The time period between about 1982 and 1985 there was a huge stigma, as bad as medieval leprosy attached to having or being related a person to having aids. It was a 3 plus year COVID fear level with no lockdowns. One of the reasons it was so bad was because it first became known in the homosexual community. So a bunch of wingnuts were sure God was punishing the sinners. I think Congress would have funded research sooner if the young hemophiliac and other blood product patients had been first. @@randalalansmith9883

[@mengy007]

Joe. I've watched your videos for years. You have a way of breaking things down and explaining so everyone can understand. Thanks for the great videos!

[@alan_whoneedstiedye]

Good episode you covered it well. Thank you.

[@AdhityaMohan]

Uh in 1:34 MK Gandhi(Also knows as Mahatma Gandhi) was assassinated in 1948, in 1984 Indira Gandhi(daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru) was assassinated. Its weird because you usually don't refer to Indira Gandhi as Gandhi, its usually Ms. Gandhi or her full name.

[@georgeblackwell2306]

Brought to you by Dreamscape…

[@williambliss6087]

I visited Luang Prabang on two occasions. The local hospital had a pile of artificial limbs on hand because farmers are still blowing off arms and legs when they plow and plant rice. I've been in many of the world's countries. Laos is my favorite.

[@lh3540]

I had sleep paralysis on post operative pain killers. I kept seeing the neighbor's black dog in the corner of my room, but huge and malicious. It was so disturbing I asked the surgeon to dump my opioids and decided to rough it through the rest of the recovery. According to my veteran family, a lot of men in all sides of that war came home on a ton of drugs.

[@axem.8338]

Gandhi was assassinated in 1948 and not 1984, Joe.

[@MrHighRaw]

Says you. It's all a conspiracy!

[@christopher.m.dickinson0315]

No no open your eyes sheeple

[@kuebelcado1701]

And the movie was released in 82

[@afaircomparison]

Indira Gandhi, first and thus far only female Prime Minister of India, was assassinated in 1984.

[@jeandrepeach]

Multiple gandhis have been assassinated, 1948 (Mahatma) and then also 1984 and 1991, mother-and-son prime ministers

[@Operator11B]

Hey Scott, interesting video, but I do see a slight problem with it. The gentlemen who you included in your cover photo can be easily identified. I knew who one of them was right away, and realized who the other was shortly after. They had nothing to do with the title of your video. I think it'd be a good idea and respectful to these gentleman to change the photo, as I don't think they'd appreciate the title being attached to their service.

[@vlchek1]

I've been through college and law school and never had a professor that was as pleasant to learn from as you. Well done, Sir.

[@jamescarter3196]

Yeah, he doesn't have to deal with students and it makes his job a lot more pleasant.

[@gtbkts]

Thanks for all the awesome content and great videos!

[@Saffron-sugar]

When I had my first experience of sleep paralysis, nobody knew what the heck I was on about, even my doctor. Now, decades later, there’s information about it everywhere. Millions know about it. This is what I love about the Internet. ❤

[@genghis_connie]

This was a particularly excellent series of segues from start to finish. Sort of a circular railway or puzzle. Nicely done.

[@jenniferbailey2214]

Way to bring it full circle Joe!👏👏👏👏👏

[@BuddhaFpv]

i was having episodes of sleep paralysis for years eventually i stopped having them but found i was having "waking" dreams, out of body experiences, deja vu..this would happen up to 20 times a day and would last a few minutes at a time. I resisted going to the doctors and wasnt until i had a tonic clonic seizure in my sleep breaking both shoulders in the process. I was finally diagnosed with epilepsy and although I have it under control with medication I do fear what they call SUDEP, where people with epilepsy just die in their sleep without any warning and no real signs of why the person has died...the brain is more than a powerful thing, its literally what makes up all of your individual reality. Its amazing how different reality can be from person to person.

[@3abxo390]

Thank you for your storytelling and narration style(s)

[@tedshea102]

Thanks for the idea!

[@lloyd9819]

A heart condition I have runs on my dad's side of the family. We often experience sleep paralysis. And it is always... ALWAYS a nightmare. So I find this fascinating! And I'm extremely thankful I didn't find this video at bedtime.

[@abesauer2189]

this feels like an old and gold joe video and i love that

[@rickyscott9351]

I wish I had someone like Joe as my teacher when I was in high school/college. Class would've been so much more fun and easy. He has an amazing way of explaining information that keeps you interested, listening, and makes you want to learn more. I have ADHD, and I lose attention pretty fast and easily, but when watching Joe's videos, I'm glued to the screen, listening to everything he is talking about. I think I've learned more watching this channel than I did at school. Thank you, Joe! Your channel is one of the greatest on KZbin! LET'S GET THIS CHANNEL TO 2 MILLION!!

[@TheSilentStar]

Thank you Joe

[@tomcrowell6697]

Great video, Joe.

[@dieAnthropologischeKonstante]

1. I’ve got a weak heart from birth. 2. I’ve got a severe case of ptsd where I dreamt decades each night that someone killed me. 3. I also got really strange instances of sleep paralysis related to my trauma that made me consider the possibility of being possessed… 4. I’m still commenting on yt videos

[@user-es6gq3je4b]

I try to move my fingers. Concentrating on fingers & breathing only. After a while I wake up. This is what works for me.

[@Psycorde]

Wait, you claim PTSD because of something that happened in a dream?

[@dieAnthropologischeKonstante]

@@Psycorde check the sources

[@sunlightimplosoin]

This was fantastic

[@michaelr9839]

Excellent video.

[@dwilliamsnetosnet]

Woah! great topic and deep dive. Thanks Joe. I have always thought there is almost always more than 1 reason for everything that goes wrong. And I meant to ask you last week if you are feeding your film dreams beyond "answers" - glad to see you mention that here. By the way, we barely made our flight last week. I assume you missed it?? Sorry. We missed one on our way back tho! (-: It took the pioneers months to go out west. It only took us 2 days to return. (-:

[@studiosandi]

Love your channel.❤

[@Houseofeveningstar]

Thanks for talking about Laos

[@mathieuleader8601]

these sleep deaths would make for a great Halloween special for King of the Hill with Khan taking the central role

[@danielleohallisey4218]

Whoever wrote this episode deserves a raise. Amazing work.

[@michelebeuttel3289]

My husband was dropped in Laos on his 18th birthday and eventually died from his injuries and agent orange exposure at age 55. Thank you for educating others about what so many suffered - here and abroad as a result of many factors but one being the loss of jfk.

[@kotogray8335]

My father was in the Vietnam war but he was stationed in Thailand. He was a jet engine mechanic. He never saw the effects of the war other than sending pilots off never to return. This was enough to change him severely forever. When he came home, he was only a shell of the man he once was

[@champymanchamps2591]

Joe the new background music is fire I love it

[@shabithesnail7016]

Great video

[@MaxDraper-cc7yn]

Joe! Love your stuff; you should bring back some of the dark historical/biographical videos. The one you did of the Harpe brothers was one of my favorites. I enjoyed the HH Holmes video as well

[@Miumiu0404]

I've experienced sleep paralysis many times before. It usually happens when I sleep in an awkward position, like when one of my arms is pinned beneath my body's weight. It was a terrifying experience of not being able to move or feeling like you're screaming for help when you're not. There were times, though, that it also felt euphoric. It felt like I was floating, and my surroundings felt warm and cozy.

[@shainakaystinard-artist3579]

Very interesting video! Definitely a traumatizing movie from my childhood and the connection to the war and JFK death was fascinating. Great work!

[@gmeadows62]

You're the best, Joe.

[@Styxswimmer]

I get sleep paralysis every couple years. Im used to it by now, but the first time it happened, it was the most terrifying thing I had ever experienced. When it happened, it shook me to my core.

[@Saffron-sugar]

Same. Really upset me. And in those days it wasn’t all over the Internet yet. I told my doctor, they had no idea what I was talking about. I had to go to the library and read about sleep disorders and I found one tiny paragraph about it. Thank goodness.

[@WretchedIcon]

It’s crazy that this video focuses so heavily on Laos. I’ve been getting acquainted with Laos culture recently. A friend (who is Laotian) from work introduced me to his sister-in-law, who is currently living in Laos and considering moving over here. His family owns a Laotian restaurant that his wife operates and he’s been trying ingratiate me to the culture by giving me food, haha. I’m digging it, haha. I thankful to be learning more history about the culture, so thank you.

[@CharlieTheNerd91]

Nice topic, heard of this before, scary stuff .

[@sandyclaflin2844]

Really good video. I was a child when all this was going on, but I remember the nightly body count on the news and the grewsom photos. You put things into perspective. War socks.

[@michelebeuttel3289]

Thanks!