A person can be in a state in which his perception of the real world is disturbed. Interaction with the external environment, as well as all the information it receives, turns into hallucinations, which are often called deception of consciousness. They consist of many representations, memories and feelings of the patient.
The hallucination feature is that they are not controlled and do not appear at the request of the patient. This is their main difference from invented fantasies. To understand this phenomenon in more detail, it is necessary to carefully study all the nuances of the disease, as well as determine the signs of true and false hallucinations.
What are hallucinations
They are called images of various objects, people, as well as situations that are perceived by a person as absolutely real, but in reality they are absent. These images arise spontaneously. Some are bright, sensitive and extremely convincing. They are considered to be true hallucinations. But there is another variety. Such attacks pass through perception by internal hearing or vision, forming at the same time in the depths of consciousness and felt as a result of the influence of external forces. They evoke visions, vague images, various voices and sounds. They are called pseudo-hallucinations. All types of mental disorders need complex treatment and long-term follow-up by doctors.
The essence of the symptom of hallucinations
The final wording, which reflects the essence of true hallucinations in our days, was revealed by Jean Eskirol. He defined the essence of this psychiatric deviation as a person’s deep conviction that he is currently experiencing a sensory perception of a particular situation, while all possible hallucinating objects are not within his reach. This definition is relevant in modern society.
The essence of the symptom is that in a person the sphere of perception of reality is violated. During an attack, he feels and realizes the presence of various objects that are absent in the real world. The patient is fully convinced of his innocence and does not succumb to any disproving beliefs. This happens due to the fact that a person is no longer able to distinguish between reality and hallucination.
Hallucinations
A patient experiencing true hallucinations, despite the pathology, can quite adequately perceive the environment and real reality. At the same time, his attention is divided randomly, focusing mainly on false images. A person does not feel the pain of attacks, perceiving them as if they were a natural part of his life. For most people suffering from this disease, hallucinations become more real than real events and people. They often disconnect from what is happening in reality and plunge into their own, artificial world. During such attacks, the following changes in behavior occur with a person:
- With a deception of consciousness by a hallucination, a person actively gestures. He begins to carefully peer at something, worry, turn away, close his eyes with his hands, look around, brush off or defend himself. The patient may try to grab a non-existent object, throw off invisible clothes.
- Under the influence of true hallucinations, various things can be done. They will reflect a deception of perception: a person will hide, look for something, catch, attack people and himself. He will also be prone to destroying objects around him.
- The patient may try to commit suicide.
- Auditory hallucinations will be pronounced. A person will freely talk with non-existent people, as he will be completely confident in their real existence.
- True hallucinations are characterized by an active expression of emotions: rage, tears, regret, anger, rapture or disgust.
A person may have difficulty if his reality and hallucinations act on perception with equal force. In this case, he develops a split personality, which constantly balances between the extremes of behavior. Most often, sick people begin to hear the voice of God, to feel his touch and to believe that they are messengers of heaven or prophets.
What are hallucinations
They can be the result of deceiving any of the five senses of a person. Hallucinations are: visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory or tactile. There are also hallucinatory images of general feelings, which are caused by feelings about the processes occurring in the body, in the sensation of the presence inside a foreign body or object. All types of true hallucinations are characterized by the following signs of behavior:
- Auditory hallucinations. A person begins to hear the voice of people and various sounds. In his mind, these sounds can be quiet or loud. Voices can belong to familiar people and are constantly reproduced in hallucinations or be episodic. By their nature, they can carry a narrative, accusatory or imperative bias. A monologue or dialogue in different languages ​​may sound in the patient’s head. True auditory hallucinations in a patient are easier to determine than the rest of their species.
- Visual hallucinatory images. During them, a person can see absolutely simple situations, objects, people or events. It is also likely the appearance in his mind of non-existent animals or other creatures. At the same time, the patient can participate in imaginary scenes, actively gesticulate, perform various physical actions.
- Taste hallucinations. They contribute to the sensation of any tastes that do not exist in nature. For example, a sick person may begin to chew on a pencil while experiencing sweetness in his mouth. This hallmark of true hallucinations is the rarest.
- Olfactory hallucinations. From them, the patient can smell the imaginary aroma of perfume or the smell of rotten meat. Moreover, he seems to him absolutely real. A person can even trigger a gag reflex due to a similar deception of consciousness.
- Tactile hallucinations. A patient suffering from an illness feels touches that do not exist: insects on the skin, tied ropes, a noose around his neck, animal bites or blows. He may also feel heat, frost, or raindrops on his body. Such hallucinations can focus both on the surface of the skin and under it.
Characterization of types of hallucinations
In addition to classification by behavior, hallucinatory images are divided into the following types of complexity:
- The simplest. They can be characterized as incomplete images of perceived situations. For example, it can be: glare, sparks, glowing spots, rays or circles. All these types of images are visual. Among the simplest auditory hallucinations, unusual rustles, sounds, squeaks, groans, screams of people or animals can be distinguished.
- Subject. Most often, they affect one analyzer. The patient can see visual hallucinations: a person, a beast, a part of the body or any object. Of the auditory ones, they include words of speech or songs, dialogues between several people.
- Complicated. This type of hallucination is considered the most dangerous. The patient begins not only to see non-existent people, but also to communicate with them. Also, alien creatures and mythical creatures may seem to him. Since a person does not control such phenomena, he can harm himself by trying to fight or fight with participants in his images.
True hallucinations
They are always projected from the outside world and are inextricably linked with the reality of man. The actions of true visual hallucinations can be in a familiar environment. For example, a fictional wild beast can hide in a real room or behind a wall. Such visions do not cause a person a single doubt that they really exist. True verbal hallucinations are very vivid and realistic. The patient, more likely, will consider that the mistake of perception is real life, his relatives and friends, than unrealistic images in consciousness.
True and false hallucinations can overtake every person. Especially if he takes psychotropic drugs, constantly drinks antidepressants or suffered brain injuries. It is very important to determine their appearance on time and provide close assistance to doctors.
What are pseudo-hallucinations
Such a pathology of the human psyche is characterized by the following features:
- A voice may sound in the patient’s head, which will push him to certain actions. All visions will depend on him. A voice from the head will guide, make you see something that does not really exist.
- The patient can completely disconnect from the real situation around and observe exclusively a hallucinatory image.
- Each deception of perception will make a person think that everything around is rigged, that voices or visions are the result of poisoning or collusion. They begin to accuse the people around them of having abandoned them and handed over to the massacre of doctors who experiment with them.
The differences between true hallucinations and pseudo-hallucinations
Their main difference is the expressive orientation to the outside world, as well as their connection with truly existing objects and people. A true hallucination is when a person sees an imaginary spot on a real armchair, hears a sound outside the door, he smells food or smells of perfume. Pseudo-hallucination can only be called his internal sensations, which are in no way connected with surrounding things. A patient can feel foreign objects in his body, hear people's voices in his head. He may also experience pain caused by perception deception.
Pseudo-hallucinations differ from true hallucinations and the level of danger to others. Such a pathology does not depend on thoughts, memories or situations experienced by a person. They have an obsessive form, accusatory and imperative. A patient who suffers from pseudo-hallucinations can quickly go crazy, harm others and commit suicide.
Causes of Hallucinations
The reason for confusion, with the presence of true visual hallucinations, can be mental, somatic diseases, chronic stress, as well as taking medications that adversely affect the nervous system. Among mental illnesses, hallucinations can provoke:
- The acute form of schizophrenia.
- Bouts of epilepsy.
- Psychosis.
Among somatic diseases, the following pathologies can contribute to hallucinations:
- Brain tumor, concussion or injury.
- Various infections that affect the brain.
- Diseases accompanied by febrile seizures.
- Stroke.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Severe poisoning.
Also, a deception of consciousness can overtake after taking:
- Alcohol in large doses.
- The drug.
- Tranquilizing drugs.
- Antidepressants.
- Psychostimulants.
- Certain types of plants that poison the body (belladonna, dope, poisonous mushrooms, etc.).
Hallucination Diagnosis
It is very important to be able to distinguish real hallucinations from illusions. If a person thinks that the sofa in front of him has changed its shape and turned into a beast, or the hanger has become like a human shadow - he sees an illusion. But when the patient claims that he sees an animal, object or person from scratch, he was overtaken by a hallucination.
Illusion is a distorted perception of a real object. If a person imagines something, after a close friend remarks, he will always agree with this, making sure that this is just an optical illusion. When a person has a real true hallucination, he will never agree that it is not real. After long convictions, he can make it appear that he has accepted someone else's point of view, but in fact, deception of consciousness will always be a reality for him.
Illusions can occur in a completely healthy person. For example, it may seem to him that a mysterious stranger is standing around the corner of a dark alley. Such a phenomenon may result from a fear of the dark or increased caution. Having approached the source of fear, a person can see for himself that the illusion appeared due to an unsuccessful reflection of an object nearby or a car passing by. Such situations are quite normal for a healthy person, since everyone has their own fears and concerns about the outside world.
A person suffering from hallucinations, on the contrary, is a sick person who urgently needs the help of doctors. If relatives or friends do not send him on time for treatment, the consequences can be very deplorable both for the patient himself and for people close to him.
Changes in personality behavior are easy to spot when true and false hallucinations occur. Their difference in this case can play a serious role in the safety of others. False hallucinations are much more dangerous than true ones. Such a person will behave very wary, constantly mumble something, talk in a whisper with imaginary people, try not to attract too much attention.
If you find any of the friends or acquaintances signs of hallucination, you should try to discuss them with the patient. If he really sees a hallucination, and not an illusion, he should be given a mild sedative, and then put to bed. After this, you need to urgently call an ambulance and report all the symptoms.