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The condition -

Catalepsy is a rare condition that causes sufferers to become totally immobilized appearing to be unconscious.

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Paralysis -

During an attack, an individual resembles a frozen wax sculpture.

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Duration -

Catalepsy episodes endure from minutes to days without editorializing the duration.

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The victim -

The victim, however, does not fully lose consciousness.

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Perception -

The victim seemed to have the ability to sense their surroundings but couldn't respond.

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Legends -

Catalepsy spawned grim tales and garnered significant media attention in various instances.

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Creepy -

Reports have surfaced of individuals misidentified as deceased and consequently buried alive during an outbreak.

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Central American case -

According to Grandes Medios, a news platform, one of the incidents occurred in the Dominican Republic in 2011.

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The ballerina case - the symptoms -

Per the website, Niurka Reyes, a young ballerina, was discovered unconscious in her bedroom.

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The ballerina case - burial -

The 23-year-old woman was pronounced dead, victim of a heart attack, and buried.

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The ballerina case - feeling -

A friend believed Niurka, the dancer, was alive a few days later, as stated in the article. Afterward, her mother obtained permission to exhume her daughter's body.

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The ballerina case - hope -

The dancer's unfortunate demise was not due to a heart attack, but rather a suffocation within her coffin. This suggests the distressing possibility that she may have been buried alive.

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Catalepsy: the American case -

The portal Grandes Medios also reports on a second case that supposedly occurred in Pikeville, United States.

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The American case - outbreak -

A peculiar illness plagued the area in 1891.

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The American case - symptoms -

The individuals entered a profound state of unconsciousness, which was subsequently linked to an illness spread by the tsetse fly.

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The American case - report -

The website states that Octavia Smith Hatcher, the initial casualty of the unusual outbreak, ultimately succumbed to her illness and was laid to rest.

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The American case - turnaround -

When the husband requested the exhumation, he found a disturbing scene of events.

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The American case - buried alive? -

Octavia's hands were significantly bruised. Reportedly regaining consciousness during a catalepsy episode, she desperately scratched the coffin in an effort to break free.

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Catalepsia: the Buenos Aires case -

A similar incident, as reported by Grandes Medios, took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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The Buenos Aires case -

In 1902, a young woman, aged 19, was discovered apparently deceased in her bedroom and subsequently laid to rest.

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The Buenos Aires case -

According to reports, there were accounts of sounds emanating from Rufina Cambaceres' tomb on the night following her burial.

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The Buenos Aires case - miracle? -

According to the article, it is claimed that the young woman woke up during the outbreak and successfully fled from the grave.

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The Buenos Aires case - tragedy -

However, filled with fear, Rufina tragically passed away from a heart attack moments later, right within the cemetery.

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Myth or truth? -

Some people dismiss these stories as nothing but legends. And how about you, do you believe these people were actually buried alive?

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Catalepsy -

One thing is certain amid the myths and truths surrounding catalepsy: it is a genuine medical condition. Experts are committed to uncovering the underlying causes of this peculiar disease. 

See also: The mysterious and murderous history of Lake Mead

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