When you start hearing voices, seeing things, smelling, or tasting things that appear to be real to you and only exist because your mind believes it, but no one else can feel or see them, it means you are dealing with hallucinations and require medical help.
Research has shown that women have higher rates of auditory and verbal hallucinations compared to men; the reason could be differences in levels of depressive symptoms.
Types of Hallucinations
Different types of hallucinations can affect an individual. A few of these are:
- Auditory hallucinations: perceive sounds or voices that others cannot.
- Visual (sight) hallucinations: seeing something that doesn’t exist there, like animals, items, or people.
- Tactile (touch) hallucinations are characterized by sensations such as something crawling on your body, your muscles moving, or any other unreal sensation.
- Olfactory (smell) hallucinations: a fragrance that does not exist but can be smelled.
- Proprioceptive hallucinations are when you believe you can fly or float, but in reality, you cannot.
- Gustatory (taste) hallucinations are when you experience a taste that is not pleasant or strange.
- Presence hallucinations are when you realize that someone is in the room with you or standing behind you.
Causes of Hallucinations
Many health conditions can affect the mental state and trigger hallucinations. Additionally, a variety of factors can contribute to the development of these hallucinations.
- Schizophrenia or bipolar disorder are mental health conditions that can trigger hallucinations.
- Excessive use of drugs and alcohol
- Patients with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, narcolepsy, and Lewy body dementia may experience hallucinations. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, narcolepsy, and Lewy body dementia have a high chance of getting hallucinations.
- Charles Bonnet syndrome
- A brief psychotic disorder
- Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, sadness, or grief are common.
- Any medication side effects
- Schizophreniform disorder and Schizoaffective disorder
- After effects, anesthesia and surgery may be required.
Hallucinations can be temporary and last for a few minutes or an hour. Generally, migraines, a high fever or sudden wake-up, and tiredness trigger these hallucinations. An infection, tumor, or confusion (delirium) could also be the reason for hallucinations in old adults.
When to Seek Medical Advice
In some cases, hallucinations could be threatening and need immediate medical attention, as they are likely to harm the affected person or someone else. Some common situations where a person should immediately seek medical advice are:
- If an individual hears voices that provoke them to harm themselves or someone else,
- Having a seizure (fit)
- I often lose focus and get confused.
- I am saying something that doesn’t make sense.
Treatment for Hallucinations
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:
If you have schizophrenia, then cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be considered one of the most common and successful treatment options. It aids in recognizing and removing negative lines of thinking or ways of behaving that make it difficult for you to do your day-to-day tasks, as well as reducing hallucinations.
Lifestyle change: A medical expert may suggest you make some changes in your lifestyle, like less consumption of alcohol, no drugs, and trying to get a better quality of sleep to reduce the hallucinations.
What Can Family and Friends Do?
Family and friends can also play an important role in helping reduce hallucinations. Some of the common ones are:
- Observe and determine whether the hallucination poses a risk to the individual. Whether they are getting upset or trying to attempt something dangerous, do not create chaos; just be calm, quickly talk to them, and use words that can reassure them of their well-being.
- Never argue with the individual about what they’re experiencing. It could exacerbate their condition.
- Avoid any kind of argument with the person who is having hallucinations.
Seek help at Athens Behavioral Health
If you or anyone you know has the above-mentioned symptoms, then you can contact us at Athena Behavioral Health via email at customercare@athenabhs.com or call us at +91 9289086193 We will align a medical expert with you who will assess your condition by knowing your history and the reasons that trigger the hallucinations and plan the treatment for you. The psychiatrist may recommend that you change your lifestyle.
Also Read:
Alcohol as a Depressant and Its Impact on Mental Health
Things That Are Okay To Say To An Addicted Loved One
Importance of Support System in Recovery Process
Impacts of Schizophrenia on Daily Life Common Ways & Effects
