Hallucinations – Different Types and Causes Of Hallucinations

Here’s the meaning of hallucinations and what causes them.

HALLUCINATIONS – Understanding what hallucination is including its different types and the various causes.

The word hallucination is a Latin word that means “to wander mentally”. Simply described, this condition is hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling, or even tasting things that are not real.

Hallucinations
Photo lifted from Self.com

Oftentimes, this mental condition is associated with psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. But really, one does not need to have a psychiatric disorder in order to have a hallucination.

In a study, the following are the different types:

  • Auditory
    When someone is hearing something like a voice but is not there
  • Visual
    When someone sees something, like a person or animal that is not real
  • Tactile
    When someone feels like he or she was touched by someone or something
  • Olfactory
    When a person smells something that is not there
  • Gustatory
    When someone feels like he or she tasted something that he or she did not eat
  • Presence
    When a person feels like someone is nearby but isn’t actually there
  • Proprioceptive
    When a person feels like her or his body is moving or his or her limbs are being separated from the body but this is not happening in reality

There are also terms to call this condition that happens when awake which Hypnopompic and when sleeping which is Hypnagogic.

When it comes to what causes, some conditions might be the culprit behind it. These conditions include high fevers, migraine, social isolation, being deaf, problems in vision, blindness, epilepsy, and terminal illnesses.

Mental health conditions like schizophrenia, dementia, and delirium may likely cause a hallucination along with other factors such as substance use, lack of sleep, and certain medications.

This is treated through medications and counseling but your doctor will need to know what are the causes before giving the proper treatment first.

If you observe yourself seemingly detached from reality, make sure to see a doctor right away.

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