General Information About Hallucinations
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is a condition where the brain generates faulty signals, causing a person to believe they genuinely see or hear something, even though there is no sound, image, or object present.
In an illusion, there is a real object in the environment, but the brain misinterprets it (e.g., mistaking a hose on the ground for a snake). In a hallucination, there is nothing in the environment; seeing a snake when there is not even a hose is a hallucination.
The most common are auditory hallucinations (hearing non-existent sounds or people giving commands/talking). Visual (seeing things that are not there) and tactile (feeling bugs crawling under the skin) types also exist.
Psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are the main causes. Additionally, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, high fever, alcohol/drug withdrawal, and certain brain tumors can also cause hallucinations.
It is detected through a clinical interview by a psychiatrist. However, MRI or EEG tests are requested to differentiate whether this condition stems from an organic lesion in the brain (tumor, epilepsy, etc.).
Treatment is entirely directed at the underlying cause. If it is of psychiatric origin, antipsychotic medications are used to balance dopamine in the brain, thereby stopping hallucinations. If it is neurological or substance-induced, the relevant underlying disease is treated.
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
