Mental Health: Diseases of the Human Brain and Nervous System

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10 Mar 2024

Types of Hallucinations

When you experience hallucinations, you may perceive sensations such as taste, smell, hearing, or sensations that are not real. You hear noises or voices when you experience auditory hallucinations. When you experience visual hallucinations, you either see fictional items or perceive real objects differently. Touchscreen hallucinations can give you the impression that insects are crawling all over your skin, while olfactory hallucinations provide scents that are unique to you. You experience odd tastes in your mouth during gustatory hallucinations.

Diabetes

For an extended time, having very high blood sugar can cause you to start having hallucinations. You may be suffering from hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome if it is more than 600 mg/dL. Extreme thirst, fever, disorientation, and hallucinations are symptoms of this dangerous diabetes complication. IV fluids and electrolytes as well as drugs to reduce your blood sugar will be necessary.

Schizophrenia

One common symptom is auditory hallucinations. They impact about 50% of people with schizophrenia. Some people experience visual hallucinations. Doctors are still looking into what is causing these symptoms. They hypothesize that it might be caused by a combination of genetics, environmental variables, and changes in the brain. Drugs that reduce psychosis may have less impact.

Parkinson's Disease

Delusions or hallucinations affect more than half of those who suffer from this illness. Typically, it results in visual hallucinations. Experts cannot determine why. They speculate that the illness itself or alterations in the brain brought on by treatment may be the cause. It can sometimes occur with other forms of dementia, such as Lewy body. Antipsychotic drugs may be recommended by your doctor to assist manage your hallucinations.

Alzheimer's Disease

Hallucinations may result from the alterations that Alzheimer's disease causes in the brain. Moreover, you can have paranoia or believe that someone is trying to harm you. Alzheimer's medication may be helpful because it alters the way certain chemicals in your brain function.

Migraine

When you have an aura-related migraine, you may experience blind patches, light flashes, or other visual abnormalities. Your hands and cheeks may also feel tingly or numb. Usually, these signs appear an hour or so before headache onset. Experts speculate that auras could travel through your brain's visual cortex like a wave of electricity or chemicals. Medication might be prescribed by your doctor to treat and prevent migraines.

Brain Tumor

One typical symptom is mental disorientation. Mood swings, speech issues, and amnesia can all be symptoms of brain tumors. Visual hallucinations could also result from them. You may act in ways that are unusual for you or see things that aren't there. To cure the tumor, you might require radiation therapy or surgery.

Charles Bonnet Syndrome

People who have such a condition and lose their vision have visual hallucinations. Physicians believe they might occur because, even in the absence of vision, your brain continues to process images. When your vision returns, they vanish. Even if you are blind forever, you can train your mind to suppress your hallucinations. Antipsychotic medications may also be helpful.

Sleep Disorders

Some sleep disorders result in hallucinations. Usually, these are visual hallucinations that occur during the process of going to sleep or waking up. They resemble dreams quite a bit, yet they appear more genuine. A sleep specialist might offer advice on medication or lifestyle modifications that may assist.

PTSD

An occasional side effect of posttraumatic stress disorder is auditory hallucinations. Either one or several voices, or only a ringing in your ears, could be heard. You may also have suspicion and paranoia about other people. Medication and psychotherapy, such as talk therapy, are part of the treatment.

Fever

Children with high fevers can experience hallucinations. Usually, the hallucinations pass after a short while. They stop after the temperature drops. Ibuprofen or acetaminophen, water, and rest are some of the treatments.

Infection

Hallucinations can be triggered by certain serious infections or illnesses, such as septic shock or meningitis. The hallucinations should stop once the illness is eradicated.