Her 22-year-old daughter told her she’s been hearing strange voices for about a week. She was stunned, but maintained her composure. After the conversation and a hug, she reached for her tablet. In seconds she began her search: “What are hallucinations?”

Some believe what they experience is real and likely always will. Research suggests that some 75% of those who have auditory hallucinations lack awareness of them.

We recently wrapped-up a three-part series on derealization and depersonalization – highly distressing phenomena.

Now we’re going to significantly increase the distress factor with a discussion about hallucinations.

Intro

I’ve had my share of derealization and depersonalization episodes throughout my 50 year emotional and mental illness journey

Though I’ve worked with folks who experience hallucinations, I have not.

We have a ton of info to cover. To do it right we’re going to handle it in two parts. Here we’ll get into general information, and we’ll come back in part two to discuss causes and risk factors as well as treatment.

Ready? Let’s go…

What is a hallucination?

I’ve always found the origin of words interesting, so how ‘bout we start there. “Hallucinate”: portions from Etymonline…

“to have illusions,” 1650s, from Latin alucinatus (later hallucinatus), past participle of alucinari “wander (in the mind), dream; talk unreasonably, ramble in thought,”

Okay, an individual is experiencing a hallucination when they perceive what they’re receiving through their senses as reality – but there isn’t an external stimulus.

For example, someone experiencing visual hallucinations may see lights, shadows, or people. The voices the woman’s daughter in the opening paragraph is hearing seem to be auditory hallucinations.

What makes them hallucinations is not being supported by an external stimulus.

Who hallucinates?

Lend a helping hand to someone trying to manage an emotional or mental illness. “There but for the grace of God go I.”

Hallucinations are most often associated with schizophrenia. However, they can also be tied to medication, illness, substance use, sleep deprivation, and more.

And let’s not forget about emotional and mental illnesses, such as schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder..

And, interestingly enough, folks without any apparent cause may experience hallucinations – most often voices.

In fact, research shows that13% of the adult population hears voices at one time or another. Do they all need mental health care? It depends on the level of life interruption and their ability to manage them.

Do they know it?

Have you ever wondered if folks who experience hallucinations know it? Some believe what they experience is real and likely always will. Research suggests that some 75% of those who have auditory hallucinations lack awareness of them.

However, some of those who experience hallucinations have excellent insight, like the guy you’ll meet in a little bit. And many of the folks I worked with knew their hallucinations weren’t real – though they needed the occasional reminder with reassurance.

Needless to say, hallucinations can be confusing, frightening, overwhelming, and potentially dangerous. And let’s not forget about loved ones and close friends.

Types of hallucinations

All five senses are fair game when it comes to hallucinations. And there are special circumstances worth knowing about.

Let’s take a look…

Auditory

Auditory hallucinations are the most common, the majority being voices. They may speak directly to the individual or it could be others talking about them. In single words or full conversations, the voices may be whispering or shouting. Hearing music and other sounds are also reported.

Visual

Shadowy figures, detailed scenes, colors, flashes of light, strange animals, people – visual hallucinations can be in color or black and white. They can be static or have movement.

Olfactory

Chemicals, cigarette smoke, rotten food. burned toast, fresh-made bread, homemade cookies – olfactory hallucinations are about perceiving odors that aren’t present.

Gustatory

Involve tasting something – pleasant or unpleasant – that isn’t there. Gustatory hallucinations are rare.

Tactile (Heptic)

Tactile hallucinations involve feeling sensations on or in the body, like bugs crawling on the skin when there are none.

Multimodal

Sometimes hallucinations involve multiple senses at once, creating an intense experience.

Presence

Presence hallucinations involve a sensation that someone is nearby or in the room. Of course, no one’s there.

Proprioceptive

It’s the sensation that one’s body is moving or limbs are separate from the body.

Hypnopompic

Hypnopompic hallucinations occur when one is waking up.

Hypnagogic

Hypnagogic hallucinations occur as one is falling asleep.

Schizophrenia simulator

I attended a fascinating meeting when I worked at a psychiatric hospital some years ago. It was facilitated by a group of people from a local mental health organization and they brought along enough Walkman cassette players and headphones for all of us.

Inside each was a cassette with a studio-produced recording of what auditory hallucinations sound like. I never forgot it.

Kory Green

When I began writing this series, I looked for something similar on YouTube – and found it. Kory Green aka Schizophrenic Hippie has schizophrenia and does a marvelous job of helping others by sharing his experiences.

Kory is a peer support specialist, recovery coach, suicide prevention specialist. and motivational speaker.

This is his review of a popular “schizophrenic simulator.” I think you’ll find it remarkable…

Kory is a busy guy, and it looks to me like this is the best place to see what’s cookin’.

On to part two

Hallucinations: difficult and potentially disabling for those who experience them – puzzling, even scary, for those who don’t

Education and support are everything when it comes to hallucinations. But to reap the full benefits, one has to participate – those who have them and those who don’t.

Part two coming soon. Stay tuned…

If you’re up for even more emotional and mental illness info and inspiration reading, peruse the titles on the articles page or by category below.

Tip of the hat to Psychology Today and NeuroLaunch for the info assistance.

After a decades-long battle with panic, generalized anxiety, fluctuating moods, and alcohol dependence; Bill finally found his life’s passion and work – lending a hand to those in the same boat. At age 49 he hit grad school and earned his counseling credentials. And he continues his service through Chipur and other projects.