What is a Hallucination?
According to dictionary.com the definition of a hallucination is a sensory experience of something that does not exist outside the mind, caused by various physical and mental disorders, or by reaction to certain toxic substances, and usually manifested as visual or auditory images. In simple terms, it simply means see or hearing something that, in reality, are not there. Most often people may hear voices, feel a tingling feeling on the skin, or see objects that are not there. Some hallucinations can be scary and frightening, while others can be of nice and happy things, while even others can be similar to everyday life.
Most Common Type of Hallucination
One of the most common types of hallucination is called hypnagogic hallucination. This hallucination can occur in anybody but affect nacrolypsy patients more often. This type of hallucination usually occurs just prior to falling asleep and can last from just to a few seconds to several minutes.
Drugs and Hallucination
The use of hallucinogenic drugs often cause hallucinations. These drugs include LSD (acid), psilocybe mushrooms (shrooms), THC (found in marijuana), and certain designer drugs to name a few. These hallucinations Hallucinations are also caused by going through withdrawal. An example of this is delirium tremens, a severe form of withdrawal from alcohol.
Common Causes of Hallucination
Other than drugs, there are many reasons why a person may experience a hallucination. People may hallucinate when the have a high fever. Hallucinations caused by fevers are more likely to occur in children and seniors than in adults. Another common cause is blindness or deafness. Many times a blind person may hallucinate images while a deaf person may believe they hear noises. Many people suffering mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, often experience hallucinations. People with schizophrenia can have hallucinations often and confuse reality with fiction.
