Hallucination is a misperception of an object or event involving the senses, such as sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Someone experiencing hallucinations will perceive something as real when it actually isn't, and it is created only by the mind. One example is when they have a high fever.
Types of Hallucinations
Usually, individuals may consciously or unconsciously realize that their hallucinations are not real. For instance, when hearing a voice or seeing a deceased family member. Hallucinations are not limited to hearing a voice or seeing someone's face; there are other types, such as:
- Auditory (hearing): the most common type involves hearing hallucinations, such as footsteps, music, or door knocks, and sometimes human voices instructing harmful actions.
- Visual (sight): involves seeing something that isn't real, like objects, shapes, humans, animals, or light.
- Tactile (touch): feeling a touch or movement directed at the body, such as ants crawling on the skin or movement of internal organs.
- Olfactory (smell): smelling an odor that isn't present and cannot be smelled by others.
- Gustatory (taste): experiencing a strange and unpleasant taste, like a metallic taste.
- Presence: feeling that someone is in the same room or standing behind.
- Proprioceptive: thinking that the body is flying or floating.
- Hypnopompic: hallucinations upon waking up.
- Hypnagogic: hallucinations while falling asleep, like seeing moving objects, faces, animals, landscapes, or patterns.
Read also :
Understanding Childhood Allergies - What Parents Should Know
Causes
Hallucinations can be caused by various factors, ranging from temporary causes, mental health issues, neurological disorders, to serious medical conditions. It can also be a side effect of certain medications, especially when given to the elderly. Here's a more detailed explanation.
-
Temporary causes: during sleep or just waking up, influence of alcohol or illegal substances (marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, ketamine), high fever, severe dehydration, lack of sleep (hypnopompic and hypnagogic), migraines, trauma, recovery from anesthesia, or grieving.
-
Mental health issues: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression with psychotic symptoms, and delirium (consciousness decline causing severe confusion).
-
Neurological disorders: Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, epilepsy, and narcolepsy.
-
Serious medical conditions: kidney failure, liver failure, HIV/AIDS stage 3, and brain cancer.
Treatment
The best strategy when aware that your perception is not real is to consult a doctor. On the other hand, if you feel that someone else is experiencing hallucinations, do not leave them alone, as, in some cases, hallucinations can lead to dangerous behavior for themselves and others. The treatment of hallucinations depends on their cause, such as:
-
Treating the underlying condition (if caused by temporary factors).
-
Antipsychotic medications and counseling (if caused by mental health issues).
-
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or specific medications (if caused by neurological disorders).
So, hallucination occurs when someone experiences sensory perceptions (sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste) that feel real but are actually created by the mind. Additionally, some hallucinations make a person feel the presence of others or feel like they are flying. Ladies, have you ever had such an experience? How do you deal with it? Let's share!
Download the Newfemme app now to get more interesting tips and information!