Hallucinations are sensory experiences that appear real but are created by mind. They can affect all senses. For example, WE might hear a voice that no one else in the room can hear or see an image that isn’t real.
These symptoms may be caused by mental illnesses, the side effects of medications, or physical illnesses like epilepsy or alcohol use disorder.
TYPES OF HALLUCINATIONS/SCHIZOPHRENIA
Hallucinations may affect your vision, sense of smell, taste, hearing, or bodily sensations.
Visual hallucinations : Visual hallucinations involve seeing things that aren’t there. The hallucinations may be of objects, visual patterns, people, or lights.
For example, we might see a person who’s not in the room or flashing lights that no one else can see.
Olfactory hallucinations : Olfactory hallucinations involve sense of smell. we might smell an unpleasant odor when waking up in the middle of the night or feel that our body smells bad when it doesn’t.
This type of hallucination can also include scents find enjoyable, like the smell of flowers.
Gustatory hallucinations : Gustatory hallucinations are similar to olfactory hallucinations, but they involve sense of taste instead of smell.
These tastes are often strange or unpleasant. Gustatory hallucinations (often with a metallic taste) are a relatively common symptom for people with epilepsy.
Auditory hallucinations : Auditory hallucinations are among the most common type of hallucination. we might hear someone speaking or telling to do certain things. The voice may be angry, neutral, or warm.
Other examples of this type of hallucination include hearing sounds, like someone walking in the attic or repeated clicking or tapping noises.
Tactile hallucinations : Tactile hallucinations involve the feeling of touch or movement in body. For example, we might feel that bugs are crawling on r skin or that your internal organs are moving around.
CAUSES OF HALLUCINATIONS/SCHIZOPHRENIA
Mental health conditions : Mental illnesses are among the most common causes of hallucinations. Schizophrenia, dementia, and delirium are a few examples.
Substance use : Substance use is another fairly common cause of hallucinations. Some people see or hear things that aren’t there after drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs like cocaine.
Lack of sleep : Not getting enough sleep can also lead to hallucinations. You may be more prone to hallucinations if you haven’t slept in multiple days or don’t get enough sleep over long periods of time.
It’s also possible to experience hallucinations right before falling asleep, known as hypnagogic hallucinations, or right before waking up from sleep, known as hypnopompic hallucinations.
Medications : Certain medications taken for mental and physical health conditions can also cause hallucinations. Parkinson’s disease, depression, psychosis, and epilepsy medications may sometimes trigger hallucination symptoms.
Other conditions
Other conditions can also cause hallucinations. These can include:
- high fevers, especially in children and the elderly
- migraine
- social isolation, particularly in older adults
- seizures
- deafness, blindness, or vision problems
- epilepsy (in some cases, epileptic seizures can cause you to see flashing shapes or bright spots)
- terminal illnesses, such as stage 3 HIV (AIDS), brain cancer, or kidney and liver failure
TREATMENT
Counseling : Counseling might also be part of treatment plan. This is particularly true if the underlying cause of hallucinations is a mental health condition.
HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF HALLUCINATIONS/SCHIZOPHRENIA
There is a huge list of homeopathic medications for treating Schizophrenia, and the proper remedies are selected symptomatically for each case:
Lachesis – For High Degree of Suspiciousness
Lachesis Muta is a highly reputed medicine for Schizophrenia treatment. Paranoid delusions are mainly indicative of the use of Lachesis Muta. These delusions include high suspicion of being poisoned, of being harmed and of being followed by enemies. There is suspicion in an extreme degree towards everything. A sensation of being under some superhuman power is yet another unique feature in persons needing Lachesis Muta. A wish to isolate themselves, aversion to work, and a marked loquacity are also present among such subjects. In loquacity, the prominent symptom is continuously talking with quick jumps from one subject to another unrelated subject. Repetition of the same words over and over again is also present in speech.
Anacardium Orientale – For Auditory Hallucinations
Anacardium Orientale is an important medicine for Schizophrenia where a person hears voices. The voices are mostly of spirits or dead people. A few patients narrate that the voices say that they are going to die soon. Some patients say that the spirits call their name and command them to follow them. Some patients state that the voices inside them speak in abusive language.
Other attending features are extreme sadness, absent-mindedness, and suspicion. Forgetfulness, aversion to work, desire to swear and curse are also some characteristic symptoms that may accompany. Another unique feature is the feeling that everything is a dream, and nothing is real.
Hyoscyamus Niger – For Delusion of Being Poisoned
Hyoscyamus Niger is useful in cases where the patient thinks someone is going to poison them. In most cases, as a result they avoid eating or drinking. There is also a suspicion that family members are keeping a watch over them all the time. Sometimes the patient does things that appear foolish. Laughing loudly at everything is also markedly present. An impulse to strike and bite others may also arise along with delusions. Unintelligible chattering can also appear.
Baryta Carb – For Suspicion that a person is being Talked About
Baryta Carb is helpful in treating Schizophrenia where sufferers have a high suspicion that other people are talking about them. There is also a feeling that they are being made fun of and people always laugh at them. Other symptoms that attend accompany are difficulty in concentration and confusion of mind. Childish behavior is also common among patients needing Baryta Carb.
Stramonium – Where Patients Talk with Imaginary Spirits
Stramonium works well in cases of Schizophrenia where the patient thinks that they can talk with spirits. Patients needing this remedy say that they are under the influence of these spirits. They may also say that they are in communication with God. They carry out conversations with imaginary people. A feeling of restlessness attends this talking with spirits and imaginary people. Delusions of the presence of multiple persons in the room may also arise though none are there in reality. The patient sees people coming out of all corners of the chamber.
Patients who hear voices that scold them are also treated well with Stramonium. Another delusion that points towards using Stramonium is a firm belief by the sufferer that he is going to die soon. As a consequence, they start to give directions for their funeral. A constant praying and recitation of religious rhymes also predominantly appears with the above features.e.t.c
