What do people hallucinate

Speak to your GP about how the medication is affecting you, so you can discuss the possibility of switching to another medicine. Some people experience hallucinations just as they're falling asleep hypnagogic , or as they start to wake up hypnopompic. The hallucination may take the form of sounds, or the person may see things that don't exist, such as moving objects, or a formed image, such as a person the person may think they've seen a ghost.

Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations are particularly common in people with narcolepsy. However, they can also occur in people without narcolepsy or any disorder. They're essentially like dreams, and in themselves are nothing to worry about. Hallucinations can sometimes occur in children who are ill with a fever. Call your GP if your child is unwell with a body temperature of 38C or above and you think they're hallucinating.

In the meantime, stay calm, keep your child cool and reassure them. Encourage them to drink plenty of fluids and give them paracetamol or ibuprofen always read the patient information leaflet to find out the correct dose and frequency for your child's age, and check they're not allergic to medicines you give. The hallucinations should pass after a few minutes.

Some people with visual impairment may experience temporary visual hallucinations. This is known as Charles Bonnet syndrome and it tends to affect older people who have started to lose their sight, although it can affect people of any age. The hallucinations usually last for about 12 to 18 months and can take the form of simple, repeated patterns or complex images of people, objects or landscapes.

Hallucinations can sometimes occur in frail older people who are ill. The hallucinations may start before other signs that the person is unwell. They may be caused by a chest infection or urine infection , for example. Call the GP or if your elderly relative suddenly develops hallucinations, particularly if they appear unwell in any other way.

Page last reviewed: 5 February Next review due: 5 February Home Mental health Feelings, symptoms and behaviours Feelings and symptoms Back to Feelings and symptoms. Hallucinations and hearing voices. For example, they can occur as a result of: taking illegal drugs or alcohol a mental illness, such as schizophrenia a progressive neurological condition, such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease loss of vision caused by a condition such as macular degeneration — this is known as Charles Bonnet syndrome See your GP straight away if you're experiencing hallucinations.

It covers: hearing voices drug-induced hallucinations hallucinations and sleep hallucinations in children with a fever Charles Bonnet syndrome hallucinations in older people with delirium Hallucinations can also occur as a result of extreme tiredness or recent bereavement.

Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The word "hallucination" comes from Latin and means "to wander mentally. In layman's terms, hallucinations involve hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, or even tasting things that are not real.

Auditory hallucinations, which involve hearing voices or other sounds that have no physical source, are the most common type. Hallucinations can have a range of symptoms, depending on the type, including:. After asking about your symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle habits, your health provider will likely do a physical exam and order a few tests to try and rule out medical or neurological causes of your hallucinations. Diagnostic tests may include:. Unfortunately, studies show that people underreport hallucinations.

Hallucinations are most often associated with schizophrenia , a mental illness characterized by disordered thoughts and behaviors.

However, they are also a possible characteristic of bipolar disorder. With bipolar I disorder, hallucinations are possible both with mania and depression. In bipolar II, hallucinations may occur only during the depressive phase. Not only do hallucinations occur with mental health conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but they can also occur with the following physical and psychological conditions as well:.

The treatment of hallucinations will depend on the type of hallucination, the underlying cause, and your overall health. In general, however, your doctor will likely recommend a multidisciplinary approach that includes medication, therapy, and social support. Psychotherapy for hallucinations involves engaging the patient to be curious around the details of the symptoms, providing psycho-education, exploring "plausible reasons" for the hallucinations and normalizing the experience.

Antipsychotic medications often are effective for treating hallucinations, either by eliminating or reducing the frequency with which they occur or by having a calming effect that makes them less distressing. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS , a relatively non-invasive procedure that involves placing a small magnetic device directly on the skull, has some preliminary evidence that it may be able to reduce the frequency and severity of auditory hallucinations in some people with schizophrenia.

An important aspect of helping a loved one who is experiencing hallucinations is reassuring them that treatment is available. Here are a few more practical steps for helping your loved one cope with hallucinations.

The environment can play an important role in misperceptions and worsening of hallucinations; for example, a poorly lit room and loud, chaotic setting may increase the likelihood of a hallucination. Depending on the severity of the hallucination, gently touching or patting your loved one may help serve as a distraction and reduce the hallucination. Other possible distractions include conversation, music, or a move to another room. If they ask: "Did you hear that? Keeping normal and reliable day-to-day routines can make it less likely that your loved one will stray from reality and experience hallucinations.

This type of hallucination can also include scents you find enjoyable, like the smell of flowers. Gustatory hallucinations are similar to olfactory hallucinations, but they involve your sense of taste instead of smell. These tastes are often strange or unpleasant. Gustatory hallucinations often with a metallic taste are a relatively common symptom for people with epilepsy. Auditory hallucinations are among the most common type of hallucination. You might hear someone speaking to you or telling you to do certain things.

The voice may be angry, neutral, or warm. Other examples of this type of hallucination include hearing sounds, like someone walking in the attic or repeated clicking or tapping noises. Tactile hallucinations involve the feeling of touch or movement in your body. For example, you might feel that bugs are crawling on your skin or that your internal organs are moving around. Mental illnesses are among the most common causes of hallucinations.

Schizophrenia , dementia , and delirium are a few examples. Substance use is another fairly common cause of hallucinations. Not getting enough sleep can also lead to hallucinations. Certain medications taken for mental and physical health conditions can also cause hallucinations. Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and perform a physical exam.

Additional tests might include a blood or urine test and perhaps a brain scan. In some severe cases, fear and paranoia triggered by hallucinations can lead to dangerous actions or behaviors. Stay with the person at all times and go with them to the doctor for emotional support. You may also be able to help answer questions about their symptoms and how often they occur.

Treatment for your hallucinations will depend entirely on their underlying cause. Counseling might also be part of your treatment plan.