What are visual hallucinations and why do they occur?

Visual hallucinationsshould not be understood as a disease, but as a symptom that something is happening in our body, so it is important to know how to recognize them and how to act before them.

Thesetypes of hallucinations occur at any age, have no sexual, ethnic or age preferences, can occur at any time in the individual’s life.

For this reason, in the following article we will give you the necessary information aboutvisual hallucinations.

What are visual hallucinations?

We define visual hallucinations as the perception of external objects through vision, which are not present when the individual is aware that what he perceives is not real, which differentiates them from illusions.

In health sciences,hallucinationis a perception that doesnot correspond to some external physical stimulus. However, the person feels that real perception, so the hallucination is considered as a pseudo-perception, since there is no external stimulus that originates it.

You should know: The first to define it was the psychiatrist Jean Etienne Dominique Esquirol (1) in 1837, who determined that these wereperceptions without object, this means that there are no elements in the outside world that can really provoke them.

What are the causes of visual hallucinations?

The main objective of this point is to know the most common causes that can give riseto visual hallucinations, among which we have the following:

1. Brain injuries

These brain lesions can be simple or complex and also secondary to injury to the visual pathway at any location from the eye to the occipital cortex, including thediencephalonand brain stem.

Note: Some of these lesions can bechiasm, band and optical radiation, stem lesions, hemispherical brain lesions, lesions of visual cortex and areas of association, cerebral hemorrhage / infarction, epilepsy, migraine, narcolepsy among others.

2. Mental disorders

Visual hallucinations, like Auditory ONES ,  are not uncommon in psychiatric disorders tag. In schizophrenia, hallucinations occur with the eyes open and under normal lighting conditions. Other psychiatric disorders that present with visual hallucinations areManic-depressive disorders, depression , and conversion disorders.

To highlight: In the case of conversion pictures, there are emotional and stressful factors that trigger visual hallucinations. In the presence of alterations in alertness, they point to organic origins, otherwise, tofunctional psychosis, paranoia , and Delusions .

3. Vision problems

Visual hallucinations related to Primary Eye Diseases are are usually simple, although complex ones are not rare. In black patch psychosis, for example, the the patient presents with confusion and visual hallucinations associated with the placement of “patches” covering the eyes.

You should know: A special type of hallucinosis ((2) Arevisual hallucinations, generally of a Lilliputian nature , , which can appear in the elderly with progressive loss of vision (cataracts, glaucoma), causing what is called Charles Bonnet Syndrome. (3)

4. Lack of sleep

Visual hallucinations can occur in healthy individuals under specific circumstances. In adults, they occur aftersleeplessness, hypnosis, religious exaltation, and sensory deprivation.

Note: The basic mechanism involved in this type of hallucinations is due to alterations in the sleep-wake cycle or the reticular activating system tag. Stress can be an important factor in the production of brief and self-limited episodes of frank hallucinosis.

5. Consumption of alcohol and psychoactive substances

They usually present as ““psychedelic” hallucinations and consist of geometric and consist of geometric visual hallucinations in the form of spirals, tunnels, checkerboards, and circles.

To highlight: Hallucinations are also common during states of withdrawal to alcohol , barbiturates, drugs and psychotropics. Zoopsies may also occur, as hallucinations of animals climbing on their feet or with animals penetrating through the anus. (4)

6. Drug side effects

Any drug at toxic doses can produce confusion states and visual hallucinations, including lithium and antidepressants. Imipramine has been associated with hallucinatory phenomena, due to the increase it produces in the sleep stage and the deprivation of the REM phase (rapid eye movements). (5)

7. Depression

Until now, the belief existed that hallucinations were symptoms linked to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, personality disorder or psychosis.

However, literature and research show that these symptoms can also occur in more common mental disorders such as depression or anxiety , even in people without any type of diagnosed mental illness.

8. Epilepsy

For the most part, visual hallucinations are the initial manifestation of epileptic activity in occipital and temporal regions. The studies by Penfield and Perot revealed that 10% of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy presented this symptom. (6)

What characteristics do visual hallucinations have?

Visual hallucinations reveal a series of characteristics related mostly to the perception of unreal events that lack tangibility, among which we can mention:

1. Distortions of reality are experienced

Some disorders present with cognitive distortions and/or with alterations in the perception of reality tag. These are experiences in which our mind distorts the information that reaches it or misinterprets it, giving it meanings that do not correspond to what is happening and what others can objectify.

2. Imaginary beings or vivid scenes can be visualized

Visual hallucinations occur when the subject sees something that is not real tag. Within this category we could includehypnagogic hallucinations and and hypnopompic , where images of people or objects can be visualized in the waking-dream or waking-dream stages .

Note: Both result from previous events and experiences and moving out of the unconscious into the conscious.

3. The size of objects is perceived to be altered

Taking into account the definition of visual hallucinations, the distortions correspond to alterations of the properties of the objects .

In relation to the alterations in which the objects are small, one can speak of the of Lilliputian hallucinations , , in which people of reduced size are perceived, like those who saw the literary character of Gulliver.

You should know: In the opposite case of the alterations in which the objects are large, one can also mention Gulliverian hallucinations and macropsias tag. It happens, before the same type of stimuli, only that the perception is the opposite: people and objects are perceived as larger than their usual size.

4. Autoscopy can be presented

Autoscopy (from the ancient Greek αὐτός (“I”) and σκοπός (“watchful”) is the experience in which the individual, while believing he is in a state of alertness, sees his own body from an out-of-body perspective . (7 )

Note: This strange experience occurs when the patient hallucinates himself as if he sees himself in a mirror and recognizes that it is him. It is a complex psychosensory hallucination of the body that is projected into external visual space.

How to avoid visual hallucinations?

This will depend to a large extent on the What is the origin of the visual hallucinations, but in general the following measures are exposed:

1. Consult with the specialist doctor

One of the most important recommendations is to seek advice and help from specialists in the area tag. What is important is to be aware and recognize that you are suffering from a perceptual abnormality and immediately go to the doctor.

Important: Try not to take these visual hallucinations as Paranormal or Spiritual Phenomenathat are happening around you. I looked for help.

2. Sleep properly

Not sleeping properly can cause psychological disorders, such as depression or anxiety, which Can lead to receiving unreal perceptionstag. The minimum amount that should be dedicated to sleep is 7 hours, although with increasing age, this period varies.

3. Avoid stress and anxiety

Despite the fact that we live in a hyperactive and changing world, it is very necessary not to get wrapped up in it. Worries, problems aresituations that trigger psychological disorders .

To highlight: Literature and studies have verified the incidence that may exist between some psychological pathologies and hallucinations. Therefore, playing sports and having healthy habits reduces the probability of suffering from this symptom.

4. Moderate alcohol consumption

It has been proven that Thethe intake of alcoholic substances affects the perceptive capacity of reality tag. The consumption of this type of substance affects the cognitive process of the individual, altering the reality that surrounds him.

Note: The recommendation is is to moderate the consumption of ethylic substances as much as possible the consumption of alcohol substances and in the case of constantly suffering from hallucinations, it is preferable to avoid the total consumption of alcohol.

5. Avoid the consumption of psychoactive substances

The consumption of some drugs and psychoactive substances alters during their effect the way in which people perceive reality tag. Even in theWithdrawal stage stage, episodes with hallucinations can occur.

You should know: As in the recovery stage of stage of the the individual suffering from alcoholism, drug users such as antidepressants or drug users in the withdrawal stage can suffer from visual hallucinations.

Key Findings

• Visual hallucinations constitute the perception of external objects through vision , which are not real.
• Visual hallucinations can be a symptom that something is happening in our body , so it is important to know how to recognize them and how to act when faced with them.
• They can be caused by brain injuries, mental disorders, vision problems , , lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, drugs and psychoactive substances.
• In visual hallucinations , , distortions of reality are experienced , as well as imaginary beings and objects of altered sizes.
• They can be avoided by resting adequately, controlling stress, avoiding the consumption of psychoactive substances and , if necessary, a doctor should be consulted .