Perception TV Show Features Narcolepsy

TNT’s crime-drama TV series, Perception, featured narcolepsy on a recent episode, “Alienation” (Season 2, Episode 2).  

Watch narcolepsy clip here:

One character describes aliens coming into his bedroom shortly after he’s gone to sleep. This terrifying description caputures sleep paralysis (the inability to move) AND hypnagogic hallucination (seeing the aliens in his bedroom as if real). The character also mentions sleepiness and slurred words. The slurred words would be a sign of cataplexy, a symptom of narcolepsy.

Although brief, all 4 major symptoms of narcolepsy were mentioned, including:

Perception follows Dr. Daniel Pierce, an eccentric neuroscientist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex criminal cases. Narcolepsy is SO often inccurately portrayed by the media, so thank you Perception, for featuring the real symptoms! And a BIG thank you to my FB friend, Melody, for bringing this to my attention! 

Learn more about NARCOLEPSY

7 Comments

  1. Jackie Quinn on July 11, 2013 at 1:46 pm

    This is fantastic! For once, narcolepsy isn’t a punchline. Congrats to Perception! I will definetely share this one.

    • Patricia Higgins on July 11, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      Thank you for posting this. I am tear filled and happy to have this clip. I think it can be the ground-breaker for all PWNC. Thank you Julie and Melody from the bottom of my heart. What an emotional exciting day for all of us with and without narcolepsy.

      • julie on July 11, 2013 at 4:40 pm

        Thank you for your comment, Patricia! It is an exciting day indeed! 🙂

    • julie on July 11, 2013 at 4:41 pm

      Yes, exactly, Jackie! Narcolepsy isn’t the punchline. So proud of Perception for getting it right!

  2. TheDreamer on July 11, 2013 at 9:13 pm

    Yeah, I thought they did a good job with that, though didn’t think to share it with anybody….

    • julie on July 11, 2013 at 9:16 pm

      Thanks for your comment. Glad you saw this too!

  3. kelli on February 3, 2014 at 1:13 am

    Oh my God! That happened to me. I wrote a whole post on my blog about it. When it began it was a flashing pulsing light and I was paralyzed and couldn’t open my eyes (I didn’t want to anyway because I was convince it was alien abduction). It was loud, like using semi trucks. The house felt like it was shaking and I could hear and feel the presence around my bed. It was terrifying. I figured it was from narcolepsy but I had no idea. Crazy. It is a small world after all!

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