Hallucinating
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Reviewed By:
Charles Carlson, DO, MS (Psychiatry)
Dr. Carlson graduated from Touro University in Nevada with a degree in osteopathic medicine. He then trained as a resident in Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals where he was also a chief resident and completed a fellowship in Public and Community Psychiatry. After training, he started practicing in | Addiction Psychiatry at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs where he also teaches Psychiatry residents.
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
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False sensory perception
I keep seeing small insects (which are not real)
See things don't exist
Have hallucinations
Seeing things and feeling restless after cutting down on alcohol less than 2 days ago
Hallucinating things and insects after stopping alcohol for 2 days or less
Imaginary insects
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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
About the symptom
Most commonly, a hallucination can be seeing or hearing something that does not exist, but it could also include one of the other senses such as smell or of touch. It can be caused by many different physical or psychiatric conditions.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Hallucinations
Possible causes
- Schizophrenia
A psychological disorder where there is altered brain function. The exact cause is unknown, but a combination of genetic, psychological and environmental factors are likely responsible.
- Dissociative disorder
Dissociative disorder is mental disorder that involve experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions and identity. People with dissociative disorder escape reality in ways that are involuntary and unhealthy and cause problems with functioning in everyday life.
- Alzheimer dementia (AD)
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. The brain shrinks affecting memory and behavior. Symptoms worsen over time, and can interfere with daily life. Increasing age increases the risk for Alzheimer dementia.
- Hypothyroidism
- Alcohol dependence / delirium tremens
- Pellagra
Related serious diseases
- Uremia / chronic renal failure
Severe decrease in kidney function. There are many causes of this, from repeated damage due to infections, diabetes, high blood pressure to autoimmunity (body's immune system attacking itself).
- Dehydration
- Epilepsy
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES)
Questions your doctor may ask about this symptom
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom
Have you ever seen, heard, or smelt something that did not actually exist?
Have you currently regained consciousness after temporarily losing consciousness?
Do you have headaches or does your head feel heavy?
Do you have a fever?
Do you feel any weakness in your arms or legs?
Other Related Symptoms
Similar symptoms or complaints
Symptoms from the same body system / part
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
Jardri R, Larøi F, Waters F; International Consortium on Hallucination Research. Hallucination Research: Into the Future, and Beyond. Schizophr Bull. 2019 Feb 1;45(45 Suppl 1):S1-S4. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sby170. PMID: 30715538; PMCID: PMC6357977.
https://academic.oup.com/schizophreniabulletin/article/45/Supplement_1/S1/5305654
Zepf J, Zepf S. Hallucination in Adolescence-Or, Nora in Nowhereland Between Neurosis and Psychosis. Psychoanal Rev. 2018 Oct;105(5):463-480. doi: 10.1521/prev.2018.105.5.463. PMID: 30300083.
https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/10.1521/prev.2018.105.5.463
Graux J, Lemoine M, El Hage W, Camus V. From depersonalization to hallucination. Psychopathology. 2012;45(1):42-52. doi: 10.1159/000325911. Epub 2011 Nov 28. PMID: 22123515.
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/325911
Blom JD. Auditory hallucinations. Handb Clin Neurol. 2015;129:433-55. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-62630-1.00024-X. PMID: 25726283.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B978044462630100024X?via%3Dihub
Wu F, Cheng J, Wang X, Wang L, Tao D. Image Hallucination From Attribute Pairs. IEEE Trans Cybern. 2022 Jan;52(1):568-581. doi: 10.1109/TCYB.2020.2979258. Epub 2022 Jan 11. PMID: 32275630.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9059026
Reviewed By:
Charles Carlson, DO, MS (Psychiatry)
Dr. Carlson graduated from Touro University in Nevada with a degree in osteopathic medicine. He then trained as a resident in Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University/University Hospitals where he was also a chief resident and completed a fellowship in Public and Community Psychiatry. After training, he started practicing in | Addiction Psychiatry at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs where he also teaches Psychiatry residents.
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Ubie is supervised by 50+ medical experts worldwide
Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD
Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)
National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan