HALLUCINATIONS
SYMPTOMS |
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Common causes of
hallucinations include:
Drugs. Hallucinogenics such as ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine,
or MDMA), LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide, or acid), mescaline
(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine, or peyote), and psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,
N-dimethyltryptamine, or mushrooms) trigger hallucinations. Other
drugs such as marijuana and PCP have hallucinatory effects. Certain
prescription medications may also cause hallucinations. In addition,
drug withdrawal may induce tactile and visual hallucinations; as in
an alcoholic suffering from delirium tremens (DTs).
Stress. Prolonged or extreme stress can impede thought processes and
trigger hallucinations.
Sleep deprivation and/or exhaustion. Physical and emotional
exhaustion can induce hallucinations by blurring the line between
sleep and wakefulness.
Meditation and/or sensory deprivation. When the brain lacks external
stimulation to form perceptions, it may compensate by referencing
the memory and form hallucinatory perceptions. This condition is
commonly found in blind and deaf individuals.
Electrical or neurochemical activity in the brain. A hallucinatory
sensation--usually involving touch--called an aura, often appears
before, and gives warning of, a migraine. Also, auras involving
smell and touch (tactile) are known to warn of the onset of an
epileptic attack.
Mental illness. Up to 75% of schizophrenic patients admitted for
treatment report hallucinations.
Brain damage or disease. Lesions or injuries to the brain may alter
brain function and produce hallucinations. |
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| HALLUCINATIONS RELATED ITEMS |
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