I keep hearing what sounds like bird's wings flapping in the air above my bed at night. Is that an indication that I have some kind of mental disorder?

1) Does it happen in every different place where you are sleeping? Do people sleeping in your house (with a light sleep!) also hear this?
It could also be real.

It could be:
- real flapping wings
- a real noise in your house that you interpret as such
- a real noise inside your head (such as blood pulsing)
- an acoustic hallucination
- you could also just be dreaming this


2) A lucid dream example (look at point 6):
"Recurring, scary sleep/dream phenomenon. What is it? How can I change it?

For the last 10-15 years, I've sometimes had a semi-lucid dream which always follows the same pattern. I've never heard of anything quite like it anecdotally or in sleep literature, though it strikes me as something of a cross between a lucid dream and "night terror"/sleep paralysis phenomena. Are there any sleep phenomena experts/enthusiasts out there who might have a clue as what's happening? Or any lucid dreamers who could recommend tips for taking this dream in another, more positive direction?

(Sorry, BTW, for the verbosity of what follows -- just don't want to leave out a significant detail). Here's the pattern:

1. I realize I'm dreaming and think "Oh, cool, I'm finally having one of those lucid dreams! Let's have some fun!" Sometimes, one of the first things I want to do is look into a mirror. I usually appear somewhat differently than I would normally -- e.g., I'm a different age or sometimes even a different gender. This mirror thing usually scares me a bit.

2. The dream environment refuses to remain stable; e.g., I'm walking down a hallway and it starts to turn into a forest.

3. I focus on something (e.g., an object, or even my reflection in the mirror) and try to prevent it from morphing into something else.

4. Object morphs anyway, usually into something increasingly terrifying (i.e., the longer I let it morph, the more scary it becomes -- e.g., a table lamp morphs gradually into a hideous monster). I try to change the dream somehow (e.g., move to another location), but fail. I realize that I could wake up, but I'm determined to keep trying.

5. A strong auditory halluciation occurs -- often an electrical buzzing sound, but it could also be whispers or voices -- sound gets increasingly loud.

6. As sound gets louder and object gets scarier, I feel something tingling/pressure sensations all over my body -- I used to describe it as feeling like hundreds of wings flapping against me, though it sometimes also feels like an electrical current or light muscle spasms.

7. As sound/scary object/physical feeling all get stronger, I start to feel as if some malevolent force is attempting to assualt or "invade" me. At this point I become both genuinely afraid and, strangely, sexually aroused. (To clarify, I don't believe some force actually is trying to invade me, it just feels this way in the dream). I feel so overwhelmed by the sensations that I fear losing myself in them -- i.e., I fear that my "self" will somehow be "erased" in the maelstrom of sensation.

8. I decide to wake up. For the first few moments of waking, I find myself quite disoriented (not sure where I am), and aspects of the dream continue (e.g., the sound continues, or fluttering feeling in my body). Fortunately, reorientation happens quickly -- in a few seconds, I'm fully awake, remember where I am, and the strange sensations are just a memory. "
Source:
http://ask.metafilter.com/44484/Scary-SemiLucid-Dream-Whats-Going-On

It is not necessarily to be seen as a disorder.
You could also see it as a consciousness extension.


3) Tinnitus is a similar phenomenon, but should normally sound somewhat differently, as far as I know:
"Tinnitus can be perceived in one or both ears or in the head. It is usually described as a ringing noise, but in some patients it takes the form of a high pitched whining, buzzing, hissing, humming, or whistling sound, or as ticking, clicking, roaring, "crickets" or "tree frogs" or "locusts", tunes, songs, or beeping. It has also been described as a "whooshing" sound, as of wind or waves."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinnitus


4) "Auditory hallucinations, particularly of one or more talking voices, are particularly associated with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. and the presence may have significance in diagnosing these conditions, People not suffering from diagnosable mental illness may sometimes hear voices as well. The Hearing Voices Movement is a support and advocacy group for people who hallucinate voices, but do not otherwise show signs of mental illness or impairment. Other types of auditory hallucinations include musical hallucinations, where people will hear music playing in their mind, usually songs they are familiar with. This can be caused by lesions on the brain stem, occurring most often from strokes, but also tumors, encephalitis, or abscesses. Recent reports have also mentioned that it is possible to get musical hallucinations from listening to music for long periods of time."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auditory_hallucination#Auditory_hallucinations

sounds like "bats in the belfry"... for real

Either your house is haunted or you have tinnitus. So you either need to consult a priest or a doctor.

It might be a simple hearing disorder. Talk to your doctor.

You're a nut-case...those are bats, not birds...

Did someone die close to you ? Friend or family member? Were you there when the person died?

Did someone Die in your family or a friend real close. A child maybe? Someone real close ?

It could be psyche somatic.
You could take some meds to sleep better.
You might still be asleep and
you just think you are awake.

I've had a similar experience recently. I was half asleep and half awake..IDK if you can classify it as lucid dreaming but I felt fear of something IDK what it was and then heard flapping of wings over me, powerful wind pressing me into the covers of my bed. It felt incredibly real. I remember thinking it was an angel or demon and began reciting Psalms 23. After the "thing" flew away I felt pain all over my body and I felt hot. IDK if it helps to know that you are not the only one with this experience....or something similar to it.