Why do people hallucinate

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Open search bar Open navigation Submit search. Health conditions. Facebook Youtube Twitter. Home Health conditions Hallucinations and hearing voices. Hallucinations and hearing voices Hallucinations refer to the experience of hearing, seeing or smelling things that are not there. Hearing voices speaking when there is no-one there is known as an auditory hallucination. Voices can talk about very personal matters, which can be quite frightening.

Often, other sounds like music, animal calls and the telephone ringing can be heard. The noise volume varies from very quiet to very loud. The experience is different for different people. Seeing images when there is nothing in the environment to account for it is a visual hallucination.

Simple visual hallucinations may include flashes or geometric shapes. Other types of hallucinations include feelings on the skin, smelling or tasting things that cannot be explained. Causes of hallucinations Intense negative emotions such as stress or grief can make people particularly vulnerable to hallucinations, as can conditions such as hearing or vision loss, and drugs or alcohol.

Auditory hallucinations are typically more common in psychiatric disease, and visual hallucinations in disorders of old age, People who experience hallucinations do not necessarily suffer from a mental illness. Signs and symptoms It is possible to lead a productive and meaningful life with hallucinations. Editorial team. Common hallucinations can include: Feeling sensations in the body, such as a crawling feeling on the skin or the movement of internal organs.

Hearing sounds, such as music, footsteps, windows or doors banging. Hearing voices when no one has spoken the most common type of hallucination. These voices may be positive, negative, or neutral. They may command someone to do something that may cause harm to themselves or others.

Seeing patterns, lights, beings, or objects that are not there. Smelling an odor. When to Contact a Medical Professional. What to Expect at Your Office Visit. Your provider may take a blood sample for testing. Treatment depends on the cause of your hallucinations. Hallucinations are where someone sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels things that don't exist outside their mind. They're common in people with schizophrenia , and are usually experienced as hearing voices.

Hallucinations can be frightening, but there's usually an identifiable cause. For example, they can occur as a result of:. See your GP straight away if you're experiencing hallucinations. The recommended treatment options for hallucinations will depend on the underlying cause. For example, antipsychotic medication may help with hallucinations for people living with schizophrenia. Hallucinations can make you feel nervous, paranoid and frightened, so it's important to be with someone you can trust.

The following information explains the typical types of hallucinations, including why they occur and what you can do. Hallucinations can also occur as a result of extreme tiredness or recent bereavement. However, these and other rarer causes are not covered here. Hearing voices in the mind is the most common type of hallucination in people with mental health conditions such as schizophrenia. The voices can be critical, complimentary or neutral, and may make potentially harmful commands or engage the person in conversation.

They may give a running commentary on the person's actions. The experience is usually very distressing, but it's not always negative. Some people who hear voices are able to live with them and get used to them, or may consider them a part of their life.

It's not uncommon for recently bereaved people to hear voices, and this may sometimes be the voice of their loved one. If you're hearing voices, discuss any concerns you have with your GP. If necessary, they'll refer you to a psychiatrist. This is important in determining whether you have a serious mental illness.

If your voices are due to schizophrenia, the earlier your treatment is started, the better the outcome. The Mental Health Foundation has more information and practical advice about how to deal with hearing voices.

People can experience hallucinations when they're high on illegal drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, LSD or ecstasy.