My first sleepwalking episode occurred when after a nap, I found myself outside in the middle of the day in my PJs.

I am a forty-year-old woman and have been sleepwalking my entire life. Sometimes I just wander about or I eat. But what scares me the most is I also beat myself up and I have even thrown myself down a flight of stairs. I am terrified every night as to what I'll do next. Sometimes I don't know where I have been for days at a time. Anyone able to offer some advice as how to deal with this problem would be much appreciated.

I sleepwalk and I hurt myself quite a bit.

I tend to sleepwalk during periods of extreme stress. I also occasionally did so as a small child. It then resurfaced in college when I was having difficulty adjusting. The episodes subsided until my marriage broke up, 17 years later. I have anxiety disorder, OCD, and moderate Asperger's Syndrome.

I'm 42 and first started sleepwalking when I was about 10 years old, when my mother found me standing in the street after hearing the front door open. To my knowledge, I hadn't done it for a long time, but over the past few years my family has witnessed me yelling gibberish, having conversations with myself, walking around the room, using the bathroom, and other activities while asleep. Over the past year, I have injured myself twice. Once, I stood up and tried to walk while my foot was asleep, resulting in a nasty fall and a sprained foot. Last month, I apparently stood up and ran straight into the metal support pole in the middle of the room, fell face first onto the floor, and separated my shoulder. Thankfully, I narrowly missed a rotator cuff tear. The doctor who treated my shoulder is questioning if the gabapentin I have been taking the past three years may be a cause. Also, over the past year I have been diagnosed with OCD and depression, which also may be a factor.

My daughter sleepwalks at least twice per week. She doesn't remember doing it but it is getting quite worrying for my husband and I because she has gone outside on at least three occasions. We now hide her car keys and also the front door keys so she can't let herself out. Last night she was sleepwalking and a very large television in her room was knocked on to the floor. If she was in the way she could have been seriously hurt. She has just gone through a very bad relationship breakup and it has been since then these episodes have occurred.

My 40-year old male cousin has been sleep-walking for around 12 months and usually, after having been out drinking with friends. His wife has also, found him urinating in various places other than the toilet and he appears angry if she tries to lead him back to bed. He remembers nothing of his experiences and his wife is now getting most concerned at the frequency and possible dangers of her husband's sleepwalking.

I think my 2 year old may be a sleepwalker. One day while sleeping he got up walked over to his table sat down picked up a towel that was on the table and tried to eat it, he then woke up dazed like he didn't know what was going on. I'm kind of concerned, hopefully this is something he will grow out of, I noticed recently that he has been having night terrors as well.

I sleepwalk and I have had conversations with my wife, used the bathroom and unforgotten. I have gotten violent, yelled, cussed and even hit my wife. I had no memory of any of it and frankly I'm scared of doing worse. I love my wife and I don't like hurting her.

I have been sleepwalking for as long as I've known. My family says that one time they heard weird noises coming from my room and it turns out, I was trying to climb up the wall. Other times I have tried to "escape" out the door while wearing my sister's boots. It is very scary not knowing what I do in the middle of the night.