What is a hallucination? (2023)

Hallucinations are the perception of an uncontestive object or event and sensory experiences, which are not caused by the stimulation of relevant sensory organs.The word "hallucination" comes from Latin and means "mentally go".

Among the laypersons include hallucinations that listen, see, feel, meadow or even demonstrating things that are not real.Hallucinations can be heard, which contains voices or other noises with a physical source, are the most common guy.

Hallucinations often occur in people with psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.However, you don't necessarily have to have a mental illness to experience hallucinations.It does not matter what hallucinations causes, they should be taken seriously.

The type

There are five types of hallucinations, including:

• Acoustic hallucinations: Listen to voices or noises that nobody else can do (most often hallucination type)
• Visual hallucinations: See people, colors, shapes or objects that are not real (second most common type of hallucination)
• Tactile hallucinations: Feeling sensations (like insects that crawl under your skin) or as if it were touched, if not
• Olfactory hallucinations: Smell something that has no physical source (less often than visual and hearing hallucinations)
• Gustative hallucinations: Do you have a taste in your mouth that has no source (rarer type of hallucination)
• Present hallucinations: A feeling that someone is nearby or in space with them when nobody is there
• Suitable hallucinations: The feeling that your body moves or that its members are separated from your body when none of these things happens

Some people experience hallucinations at night or tomorrow.These types of hallucinations include:

• Hipnopompico: Hallucinations that occur while you wake up from sleep
• Hypnagogik: Hallucinations that occur when you fall asleep

Symptoms

Depending on the type, hallucinations can have a number of symptoms, including:

• Feeling sensations in the body (as a feeling of persecution in the skin or movement)
• Listen to sound (like music, steps or knocks)
• Hear voices (can include positive or negative voices, like a voice that they harm them or others)
• See objects, beings or standards or lights
• Smell smell (can be pleasant or dirty and in one or both nostrils)
• Taste something (usually a metallic taste)

Diagnose

After asking about their symptoms, their medical history and their lifestyle, their health care will probably carry out a physical examination and request some tests to try to exclude medical or neurological causes of their hallucinations.Diagnosis tests can include:

• Blood testsTo check metabolic or poisonous causes
• Electricity patronams (egg)To check the abnormal electrical activity in your brain and check for seizures
• Magnetic resonance (magnetic resonance)To search for structural problems of the brain such as a brain tumor or a stroke

causes

Hallucinations are more common withschizophreniaA mental illness that is characterized by disordered thoughts and behaviors.However, they are also a possible feature for bipolar disorders.

In the case of bipolar disorder I, hallucinations are possible with both mania and depression.In Bipolar II, hallucinations can only occur during the depressive phase.Bipolar trance with hallucinations and/or delusions can also lead to a diagnosis ofBipolar disorder with psychotic properties.

Hallucinations not only occur with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but can also occur under the following physical and psychological conditions:

• Use of alcohol or drugs and/or withdrawal
• Horn disease
• Dissociative identity disorder (did)
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Hallucinogen use
• Metabolic conditions
• Medium or inner ear diseases
• migraine
• Narcolepsy
• Neurological disorders
• Ophthalmological diseases
• Post -traumatic stress disorder (PTBS)
• Schizo -savvy disorder
• sleep deprivation
• AVC

Treatment

The treatment of hallucinations depends on the type of hallucination, the underlying cause and its general health.In general, however, your doctor will probably recommend a multidisciplinary approach that includes medication, therapy and social support.

psychotherapy

Psychotherapy for hallucinations includes the participation of the patient in order to provide the details of the symptoms to provide psychoeducation, to examine "plausible reasons" for hallucinations and to normalize experience.

Self -help

The following self -help strategies can help patients to deal with auditors:

• A practice
• Sum or sing several times (like "Happy Birthday")
• Ignore the votes
• listen to music
• Read (front and back)
• Speak to others

medicine

Antipsychotics and are effective for the treatment of hallucinations, which eliminates or reduces the frequency with which they occur, or have a calming effect that makes them less stressful.

Nupazida (pimaganserina) It is the first medication to treat hallucinations in connection with psychosis with Parkinson's disease.

Other treatments

Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (EMTR)A relatively non -invasive procedure that contains the placement of a small magnetic device directly on the skull has some preliminary evidence that it may reduce the frequency and severity of hearing hallucinations in some people with schizophrenia.

LIDAR

An important aspect in the support of a loved one who takes hallucinations is calming -the treatment is available.Here are a few more practical steps to deal with hallucinations to their beloved.

Pay attention to the environment

The environment can play an important role in incorrect perception and deterioration of hallucinations.For example, a poorly lit room and a chaotic and high scenario can increase the likelihood of hallucination.

stay calm

Although it may be scary and uncomfortable when a beloved person experiences hallucination, it is important that they make it possible to react calmly and in solidarity.For example, you can say: "I know that this is scary for you" or "Don't worry."

Use distraction

Depending on the severity of the hallucination, touching or gently playing your beloved person can help serve distraction and reduce hallucination. Dealers of possible distractions are conversations, music or move to a different room.

Be honest

Although they do not want to disturb their relatives or to get involved in a discussion, they want to be honest and make sure that they do not reject their concerns.If you ask, "Hear that?"Think: "I know you have heard something, but I haven't heard".

Routine

If you maintain normal and reliable daily routines, your relatives can probably deviate less from reality and experience hallucinations.It is consistent to receive a recording when hallucinations occur and under what circumstances.

VonMarch in
Marcia Purso is the author of mental health and defender Bipolar disorder, who brings her writings strong research skills and personal experiences.