What are Hallucinations?

A hallucination appears extraordinarily real to the person who is having it, exactly as you or I would perceive anything else in the universe. They experience it as very genuine; however, another individual in a similar circumstance might not.

When someone has a hallucination, they may experience sounds, smells, or visions that don’t actually exist. The mind produces these things.

In accordance with the American Psychological Association (APA), a Hallucination is “a false sensory perception that has a compelling sense of reality despite the absence of an external stimulus. It may affect any of the senses, but auditory hallucinations and visual hallucinations are most common.”

TYPES OF HALLUCINATION

1. Auditory Hallucinations

These are the most typical kind. They entail hearing unreal sounds like music, footsteps, or banging doors. When nobody has spoken, some people can still hear voices. The voices could be neutral, negative, or positive. They might order you to perform something that could be dangerous for you or other people.

2. Visual Hallucinations

These entail seeing things that aren’t real, such as lights, people, animals, or objects in different shapes or sizes. For example, you might see a person who’s not in the room or flashing lights that no one else can see.

3. Tactile Hallucinations

You experience unreal touches such as feeling sensations or as if you’re being touched when you’re not or movements on your body as a result of these hallucinations. They might include sensations of your internal organs shifting or of bugs crawling on your skin.

4. Olfactory Hallucinations

These involve smelling things that are either unreal or unattainable to anyone else, basically Smelling something that has no physical source.

5. Gustatory Hallucinations

Tastes that are frequently unusual or unpleasant result because of these hallucinations. Gustatory hallucinations, frequently with a metallic taste, are a fairly typical epilepsy symptom. In essence, having a taste in your mouth that has no source, is one of the rarest types of hallucinations.

6. Presence Hallucinations

In this kind of hallucination, one feels as if someone is sitting next to them or standing behind them, basically a false sense of presence where you believe someone is with you or nearby yet they are not.

7. Proprioceptive hallucinations

This hallucination involves that even when neither of these things is happening, one may experience the sensation that their body is moving or that their limbs are detached from their body. For instance, when their body isn’t moving, they may experience hallucinations that lead them to believe that they are floating or flying.

CAUSES OF HALLUCINATION

There are numerous potential reasons why hallucinations occur which can be divided into the following major categories:

• Temporary causes.
• Certain mental health conditions.
• Certain neurological conditions.
• Side effects of certain medications.

Temporary Causes:

The following conditions or situations may momentarily bring on hallucinations:

• Falling asleep or waking up.
• Being under the influence of alcohol or certain drugs, such as marijuana, hallucinogens (LSD and PCP) cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, or ketamine.
• High fever, especially in children and older people.
• Severe dehydration.
• Sleep deprivation.
• Migraine.
• Trauma.
• Severe pain.
• Grieving or bereavement
• Recovering from anesthesia after a surgery or procedure.

Certain mental health conditions:

The major and most common mental illness that results in hallucinations is schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a term used to describe both a single disorder and a range of disorders that are linked to psychosis. These are situations where a person feels a “disconnection” from reality in some way (psychosis), which may or may not involve hallucinations.

Hallucinogenic conditions that are part of the schizophrenia spectrum include:

• Schizophrenia.
• Schizotypal personality disorder
• Delusional disorder.
• Brief psychotic disorder.
• Schizophreniform disorder.
• Schizoaffective disorder.

Other mental health conditions that may cause hallucinations to include:

• Bipolar Disorder
• Major depression with psychotic features (psychotic depression

Certain neurological conditions:

There are several neurological diseases that might result in hallucinations, such as the following:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Lewy body dementia
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Epilepsy
• Narcolepsy

Side effects of certain medications:

As a side effect, many pharmaceutical drugs occasionally trigger or exacerbate hallucinations. Seniors may be more vulnerable since they are more sensitive to drugs. Medicine-induced hallucinations may be dose-related and frequently end when you stop taking the medication. The most reliable source of details about the side effects of medications is your healthcare professional. Never discontinue taking a drug without first consulting your doctor.

DIAGNOSIS OF HALLUCINATIONS

If you think your perceptions aren’t accurate, it’s advisable to phone your doctor immediately away. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination and inquire about your symptoms. A brain scan and a blood or urine test are potential additional examinations.

Hallucinations are regarded by psychiatric professionals and other medical professionals as a sign that can point to a serious physical or mental problem. As a result, they thoroughly examine your past, present symptoms, and physical state while evaluating someone who has been hallucinating.

An interdisciplinary team may occasionally collaborate to make sure the most significant options are taken into account. They might watch you and maybe even order some lab work.

TREATMENT OF HALLUCINATIONS

The most effective hallucination treatments are those that address the root source of these symptoms. Medication is frequently used to cure hallucinations.

To better understand their unique symptom patterns and manifestations, people who have hallucinations may also benefit from consulting with a psychologist or other mental health professional.

In order to maximize their capacity to engage in worthwhile activities and daily duties, even when hallucinations are still present, they can learn how to use behavioral methods to reduce the impact of hallucinations on their functioning.

One may feel more comfortable and secure while receiving inpatient hallucination treatment than you have since the hallucinations started. The medical staff watches out for your safety from the risks associated with hallucinations. In the interim, the doctor prescribes drugs to assist with their mind getting back to normal. It can take a while or it might happen immediately. The most crucial thing is that one has access to a psychiatrist who can make necessary modifications. Psychotherapy can be started after the hallucinations are more manageable so that one can comprehend what is occurring and why.

It’s crucial for people who experience hallucinations to discuss them with their loved ones and medical staff. Hallucinations can be controlled with treatment, but if left unattended, they can worsen or become hazardous.

If any of your loved ones are facing hallucinations or other mental health problems, you can refer them to Rehabilitation Center in Clifton Karachi. At PRC, a well-trained team of professionals helps people with addiction and mental health issues. For more information regarding treatment services feel free to call 0341-1959599 or visit our centers.