Are you hearing noises or noticing things that aren’t there? If yes, you might experience hallucinations. Our mind sometimes creates things like sounds, visions, or smells that feel real but they are not; they are called hallucinations. Many conditions can cause different types of hallucinations in people. For treatment, it is important to know what conditions or factors the reason behind your hallucinations are.  

Learn about the conditions that cause hallucinations in this article.  

Causes of hallucinations 

Many conditions can cause hallucinations, including:  

• Fever: 

Hallucinations commonly happen in children and adults if they have a high fever. Fever can make you hallucinate for several minutes when your core temperature is rising. You can manage your fever by taking over-the-counter medications or by maintaining good fluid intake and rest.  

• Infection: 

Certain infections or illnesses such as meningitis or septic shock can cause hallucinations. But once your infection is cured, the hallucinations go away too.  

• Sleep disorders:  

Certain types of sleep disorders can cause hallucinations. Usually, they cause visual hallucinations, which happen when you sleep or wake up. It feels a lot like dreams but seems more real. A sleep specialist can help you prevent those hallucinations by making changes in your lifestyle or giving medications to ease them. 

• Diabetes:  

Diabetes also causes hallucinations when your blood sugar level is extremely high for a long time, usually over 600 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). If your blood sugar levels are in that range, then you might have the hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome, which is a severe complication of diabetes that causes symptoms – extreme thirst, fever, confusion, and hallucinations. This complication can be life-threatening so taking emergency medical help is required. Doctors treat this complication by giving you IV medications to lower your blood sugar levels and adding fluids and electrolytes in your body to flush out the extra sugar from the body through urine.  

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): 

Although it is exceedingly rare, post-traumatic stress disorder can cause auditory hallucinations. You might hear strange noises or sets of voices or just some ringing in your ears. You may also start feeling paranoid or suspicious of others. It can go away with treatment- medications or psychotherapy such as talk therapy, etc.  

• Schizophrenia:   

It is one of the most common causes of hallucinations. Around half of the people with schizophrenia experience them. Auditory or visual hallucinations are the most common. Doctors are still trying to understand the reason for these symptoms. They think it may be caused by a combination of changes in your brain, genetics, and your environment. You can take antipsychotic medications to ease your symptoms after consulting with your doctor.  

• Parkinson’s disease:  

More than half of all people with this condition experience hallucinations or delusions. It mostly causes visual hallucinations. However, why they occur is unknown. Experts believe that it may be caused by changes in the brain from treatment, or just the disease itself. Sometimes it happens with other types of dementia, like Lewy body dementia. Your doctors may give your antipsychotic medications to keep your hallucinations under control.  

• Alzheimer’s disease:  

Alzheimer’s disease can cause hallucinations when your brain gradually destroys your abilities to think, memorize, and eventually carry out the simplest everyday tasks. You may feel paranoid, or think people are trying to get you. Certain drugs that can treat Alzheimer’s might help you change the way your brain chemicals work and reduce your hallucinations.  

• Migraine:  

Migraine with aura may cause flashes of light, blind spots, or other vision changes. You also may feel numb or tingly in your hands and face. These symptoms usually happen around an hour before head pain. Experts think these auras cause an electrical or chemical impulse in the brain across the vision part making you feel hallucinating. The doctor will prescribe medications to treat both your migraine and hallucinations.  

• Brain tumor:  

Brain tumors can cause symptoms such as confusion, forgetfulness, speech problems, mood shifts, etc. which can lead to visual hallucinations. You may see things that aren’t there or act differently than you behave. To remove the tumor, you need to have surgery or radiation therapy.  

• Epilepsy: 

Epilepsy occurs in a certain part of the brain that involves sensory parts, so when a seizure occurs it can cause specific kinds of hallucinations, for example, visual, auditory, gustatory, olfactory, and cutaneous sensory sensations. Certain medications can help you reduce your seizure episodes which can also decrease your hallucinations. 

• Drugs and alcohol:  

Substance use is another common cause of hallucinations. It makes changes in brain chemistry which make people hallucinate. They start seeing or hearing things that aren’t there after drinking too much alcohol or taking recreational drugs like cocaine. And there are hallucinogenic drugs like LSD or PCP which cause you to hallucinate to make you feel good.  

• Surgery and anesthesia:  

While surgery directly doesn’t cause any hallucinations unless it’s brain surgery. Most drugs that are given before and after the surgery cause hallucinations such as anesthetic drugs, strong painkillers, etc. Some people also experience hallucinations with the noise of the intensive care unit even if it’s day or night. When they recover completely after the surgery their hallucinations also go away on their own.  

What can you do?  

There are different treatments available for different types of hallucinations. Treatment depends on the cause of the hallucinations. Treatment is usually given through psychological therapies and medications. 

Besides treatment, having a good family, friends, and professional support can provide good support during your treatment. This way you can still live a good life even with this problem.  

Many conditions can cause several types of hallucinations which can be managed with treatment. So, make sure you don’t ignore your symptoms and take early treatment to manage your condition that causes hallucinations to improve your life.  

Suffering from hallucinations and looking for help, then take your first step forward and come to us. Call us at 718-DORAL-55, 1-347-384-5690 to get a free consultation. If you need help learning coping methods, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors and psychiatrists to learn those methods, log on to www.doralhw.org. Doral Health and Wellness has the best Doctors and Psychiatrists that specialize in Behavioral Health, make accurate diagnoses, and craft tailored treatment programs. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.