What is Hallucinations?

Hallucinations can be defined as false perceptions which occur in the absence of an external stimuli. A large number of people tend to confuse the term hallucinations with illusions. The latter (illusions) are basically mistaken perceptions of some thing real, and unlike hallucinations, they are brought about by an external stimuli. Hallucinations can be caused due to a number of reasons; however it is important to note that an individual has to be awake or in a state of consciousness in order to experience them. This thus demarcates them from dreams, which a person experiences during sleep. Hallucinations are primarily looked upon as a sign or warning of a possible mental problem. This condition could be an implication of grief, acute depression or schizophrenia.

Causes of Hallucinations

Hallucinations could also be a result of physical causes, some of which include, brain tumors, kidney failure, high fever, fatigue, extreme dehydration, migraines, glaucoma, cataracts, Alzheimer’s disease, drug abuse, alcohol and as a side effect of certain medications. There are different types of hallucinations, depending on which particular sensory modality is affected or involved. Auditory hallucinations basically refer to the false perceptions of voices, noises, music or sounds. For example, one may hear voices when there is no one around or when there is an absence of any kind of auditory stimulus. The sounds may be heard either outside or inside the person’s head. Gustatory hallucinations refer to the false perceptions of taste. Such an experience is generally unpleasant. A classic example would be of a person complaining about a constant taste of metal in their mouth. Olfactory hallucinations involve a fake perception of smell or odor.

This again is an unpleasant experience, as a person may feel that they can constantly smell things such as decaying bodies or rotting fish. Many a times, individuals believe the smell is emanating from their own bodies.

Types of Hallucinations

Somatic hallucinations are fake perceptions of touch. A person may for example, feel that something is crawling under their skin or on their body. Visual hallucinations basically involve seeing something that is not there such as lights, people, shapes or colors. Mood-congruent hallucination and mood-incongruent hallucination are the other types of hallucinations. There are a large number of treatments available for this condition. The treatment however will vary from one person to the next depending on the severity of the condition. Hallucinations which are associated with mental illnesses like schizophrenia will need to be treated by a psychiatrist or a psychologist.