Dr. Shamkant Chaudhari

Do you think hallucination involves only seeing things which are not real? There is much more to it actually and you may even smell or touch something, which does not exist. Hallucinations occur from various causes, primarily because of mental illnesses and nervous system disorders in your body. It is important for you to know about the different types of hallucinations, which are commonly experienced, along with their causes.

Types of hallucinations

1. Hearing voices: This is known as auditory hallucinations in which you hear sounds and voices coming from within your mind or from outside. These voices might talk to each other as if they are trying to tell you something.
2. Seeing things: This is called visual hallucination in which you see things, which actually do not exist. You might observe snakes crawling on your hands, but it is unreal. You can also see flashes of lights, and spots or shapes of bright colors.
3. Smelling things: This type of hallucination is called olfactory hallucination in which you might sense a certain odor coming from your body, or from your surroundings.
4. Tasting things: Known as gustatory hallucinations, you might find an odd or weird taste in something you are eating or drinking.
5. Feeling things: This phenomenon is called tactile hallucination. You may feel that you are being tickled, or poked in spite of no one being around you. You might also feel that insects or snakes are crawling under your skin. Feeling a blast of hot air on the face is also likely.

Causes of hallucinations

1. Schizophrenia accounts for being the primary cause of hallucinations and above 70% of the patients with this condition suffer from visual hallucinations, while others hear voices.
2. Parkinson’s disease is another disease, which causes visual hallucinations in patients.
3. Alzheimer’s disease and certain other types of dementia also account for causing hallucinations because of changes in the brain.
4. People suffering from migraines may experience a form of visual hallucination known as aura. It resembles a crescent of multicolored light.
5. Brain tumor causes hallucinations based on its exact location. In case of brain tumor in an area which controls vision, visual hallucinations are indicated. Smell and taste hallucinations are also likely.
6. The condition called Charles Bonnet syndrome causes visual hallucinations in patients with cataract, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.
7. Patients suffering from epilepsy are also prone to hallucinations. Different types of hallucinations are likely along with seizures, which are a common part of the condition. The exact type of hallucination caused depends on the part of your brain, which is affected by seizures. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Psychiatrist.