What are hallucinations and what are their causes?

Hallucinationscan be a sign of a mental health illness, but it doesn’t always mean a person isn’t feeling well. In fact, hallucinations are relatively common. But what are they really?

In this article you can learn more about hallucinations, their causes, the different types of hallucinations that can be experienced and the treatment indicated to avoid having them.

What are hallucinations?

Hallucinations are what happens when someone sees, hears, smells, tastes or even feels things that do not exist in reality. In other words, according to theRAE, hallucinations are asubjective sensation that is not preceded by impression in the senses. (1)

Note: Hallucinations arecommon in people suffering from schizophrenia. Hallucinations can be frightening, but there is usually an identifiable cause. They can occur as a result of taking drugs, or alcohol, or mental illness.

What causes hallucinations?

According to the prestigious medical journalWebMD, there are numerous reasonswhy a person may suffer from hallucinations(2). There are many different causes, from drugs to a mental illnesssuch as schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, among others.

Here are some of themost common causesthat generate hallucinations:

1. Effects of alcohol and psychoactive substances

A study published bythe Industrial Psychiatry Journal suggests that alcohol consumptioncan lead to hallucinations. (3)

According to the study, alcoholic hallucinosis is a rare complication of chronic alcohol abuse, characterized by predominantly auditory hallucinations during or after a period of heavy drinking.

To highlight: In addition, , psychoactive drugs could also alter the relationship between the parts of the the brain that process the senses and the frontal frontal lobe , generating hallucinations.

2. Consumption of medicines

Although hallucinations are a common symptom of schizophrenia, they can also be caused by some psychiatric medications such ace:

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• Quetiapine (Seroquel)
• Haloperidol (Haldol)
• Zolpidem (Ambien)
• Eszopiclone (Mondayta)
• Clonazepam (Klonopin)
• Lorazepam (Ativan)
• Ropinirole (Requip)

You should know: Also some anticonvulsant medications Drugs and migraine drugs can cause hallucinations.

3. Trauma or brain injury

A study published in in Frontiers in Psychology , concluded the relationship between hearing voices, having hallucinations and experiencing trauma or brain injury (4)tag. These are likelydirectly linked to stressful events and accidents that are based on reactions to trauma.

4. Epilepsy

Seizures that accompany this condition can increase the chances of hallucinations . The type you get depends on which part of the brain is affected by the seizure itself.

5. Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy, a sleep disorder , , is strictly linked to hypnopompic hallucinations , especially shortly after awakening . Many people perceive him as if there is a stranger in his room. 

Note: These hallucinations can be very vivid and frightening, as you may not be fully asleep during the dream and experience the dreams as reality.

6. Very high fever

According to the medical journal WebMD , hallucinations are common in children with a high fever fever(5) , but they usually disappear within a few minutes when the fever subsides. Other infections or diseases, such as meningitis , , can also trigger hallucinations, which disappear when cured.

7. Serious illnesses

Some serious diseases, such as brain tumors , can cause different types of hallucinations. Other illnesses such as schizophrenia , of which more than 70% of sufferers have visual hallucinations and between 60% and 90% auditory hallucinations.

8. Alterations of vision and hearing

There is a condition called Bonnet syndrome, which causes people with vision problems like glaucoma or cataracts to see things. At first, you may not realize that you are hallucinating , , but eventually, you will realize that what you are seeing is not real.

9. Stress and anxiety

Stress can exacerbate symptoms of psychotic , mood, anxiety, and trauma disorders.

Noteworthy: When these disorders are at a severe level, that is when the risk of psychosis, paranoia , and Delusionsincreases . So in a way, stress can indirectly cause hallucinations.

What are the types of hallucinations?

Hallucinations can affect your vision, smell, taste, hearing, or bodily sensations . In this sense, there are different types of hallucinations which are:

1. Visuals

hallucinations involve seeing things that are not there . Hallucinations can be of objects, visual patterns, people, or lights. For example, you may see see a person who is not in the room or flashing lights that no one else can see.

2. Auditory

3. Tactile

Tactile hallucinations involve the sensation of touch or movement on your body tag. For example, you may feel that you are being touched, or that insects are crawling on your skin.

4. Of taste and smell

Olfactory hallucinations ( phantosmia ) involve the sense of smell, such as feeling feeling an unpleasant odor upon waking up or feeling that your body smells bad, etc. This type of hallucination alsoincludes pleasant aromas , such as the smell of flowers.

You should know: hallucinations Gustatory hallucinations are similar to olfactory hallucinations, but they involve the sense of taste instead of smell.

5. Pseudo-hallucinations

Pseudohallucinations are vivid mental images , which differ from true hallucinations in that they lack all the qualities of true perceptions.

Note: For example, you can Hear a voice inside your headinstead of perceiving it as coming from outside.

How to treat hallucinations?

Hallucinations Can be alarmingto anyone, regardless of whether you are directly experiencing them or witnessing someone else having them.

Some hallucinations Require Professional Helptag. The following are some ways to treat hallucinations:

1. Medicines indicated by specialists

If you suffer from frequent hallucinations, you should seek professional help. Antipsychotics , or neuroleptics , can control most hallucinations. However, these medications require a prescription .

2. Avoid the consumption of psychoactive substances and alcohol

If you suffer from hallucinations, , avoid drug and alcohol , use, especially marijuana, cocaine, and hallucinogens such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), mescaline, psilocybin, PCP (phencyclidine), and ketamine, among others.

3. Manage stress

To highlight: They also suffer from symptoms such as nervousness, agitation, tension, palpitations and chest pain. In fact, anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems.

4. Rest properly

Going several days without sleep Can alter perceptiontag. You may experience hallucinations or see something that isn’t there if you don’t visit the dream world often.

Note: The recommendation is to to rest and sleep enough hours (generally 8), so that in this way the body and mind recover energy and remain attentive to reality.

5. Exercise and eat properly

Exercise Can reduce findings, according to a new study published in PubMed (6) . Establishing an exercise regimen is likely to is likely to be more effective when it comes to younger people.

Important: Adopting a healthy lifestyle also helps improve the health of the body and brain in the long term.

Key Findings

• Hallucinations are a subjective sensation that is not preceded by an impression in the senses.
• Hallucinations happen when someone sees, hears, smells, tastes, or even feels things that aren’t really there .
• Hallucinations can occur as a result of drug, alcohol, and medication use.
•  They can also be the product of mental illness, brain trauma ,, stress, anxiety, epilepsy, vision and hearing disorders.
• Some hallucinations require professional help and medication ,, but they can also be controlled by getting adequate rest, avoiding stress, and exercising.