Causes of Visual Hallucinations

What is a visual hallucination?

A visual hallucination occurs when a person, in a conscious state, sees something which is not actually in front of them. The hallucination may involve people, animals, objects, or simply various shapes, colors or images of light.

There are many different causes of visual hallucinations. Some of the most common include:

• Dementia
• Sleep deprivation
• Side-effects of prescription medications or illegal substances
• Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
• Brain injury
• Alcohol withdrawal

A person who suffers from a mental illness such as schizophrenia experiences visual hallucinations differently from someone whose hallucination results from a physical illness. The person with the mental disorder cannot recognize that the hallucination is not part of reality and will often respond to it. Treatments for visual hallucinations vary, as each cause requires a unique approach.

What is Trichotillomania? Compulsive Hair Pulling

Trichotillomania suffers are blighted by uncontrollable urges to pluck the hair of the scalp and even eyebrows and lashes, often to the point of baldness.

Trichotillomania may affect up to 5% of the population, although getting a handle on the exact prevalence is difficult, partly because sufferers may hide their condition and be too embarrassed to seek help.


Hair-pulling most commonly begins in the early teens, although it can start at a much younger or older age, and in some cases can be linked to a stressful life event like the death of a family member.

For some, hair-pulling can be seen as a soothing behaviour that is driven by rising tension.

For others, hair-pulling is undertaken during times of relaxation and is a habit that is to some extent subconscious.

Once the hair has been pulled it is often played with or eaten rather than immediately discarded.

Trichotillomania shares some common features with obsessive compulsive disorder, and is probably linked to common genetic factors, but it is not the same condition.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder characterized by drastic changes in a person’s mood which cycles between periods of depression and periods of mania. This condition is also sometimes referred to as manic-depressive disorder. When in a depressive state, a bipolar person may have low energy, persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest and pleasure in activities normally enjoyed, and possibly suicidal ideations. By contrast, symptoms of a manic episode include agitation, decreased need for sleep without loss of energy, rapid speech, impulsive or reckless behavior, and sometimes delusions of grandeur.

There are four types of bipolar disorder:

• Bipolar I Disorder
• Bipolar II Disorder
• Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
• Cyclothymic Disorder

While there is no cure for bipolar disorder, the symptoms can often be managed with the help of mood-stabilizing medications. Some common treatments include Lithium, Depakote and Lamictal. Psychotherapy may also be used in tandem with medication to support and guide recovery. Finally, when medication and therapy fail to adequately relieve the symptoms of bipolar disorder, electroconvulsive therapy has proven beneficial for some people.

Related links:

• http://www.bipolar.com/
• http://www.bipolarcentral.com/
• http://www.dbsalliance.org/

About the author: Miranda Bartholomew is a behavioral health specialist at Aenta Behavioral Health.

What are Auditory Hallucinations?

An auditory hallucination is the experience of hearing voices or other sounds that no one else hears. These hallucinations typically present in psychotic conditions, such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder; however, they may also result from the abuse of drugs like cocaine or amphetamines.
Common causes of auditory hallucinations include:

• Schizophrenia
• Drug Abuse
• Depression
• Withdrawal from alcohol
• Dementia
• Epilepsy

An auditory hallucination can consist of one voice familiar to the person, of two people conversing, and sometimes can be heard as commands, telling the person to do something. In the case of conditions such as schizophrenia, the tone of the comments or conversation being heard is usually critical or negative.
Related links:

• http://www.intervoiceonline.org/
• Mental HealthGate: What is Schizophrenia?

Author: Miranda Bartholomew is a behavioral health specialist with Aenta Behavioral Health.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder which severely impacts a person’s ability to successfully express emotions, think logically, interact socially, and perceive reality. This disorder is not the same as multiple personality disorder, though it is often mistaken for it. While there is no known cause for the disease, it is clear that a genetic component exists. Some common symptoms of schizophrenia include:

• Delusions
• Auditory hallucinations and/or visual hallucinations
• Disordered thinking
• Altered perceptions of reality

These are just a few of the symptoms which can manifest, but symptoms vary widely from person to person as well as within the different types of schizophrenia. While it is not curable, there are treatments available to help reduce the severity of the symptoms and improve the lives of those who suffer from this debilitating disorder. Schizophrenia is most commonly treated with various antipsychotic medications such as Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Geodon, and Abilify. The treatment can also include psychotherapy as well as electroconvulsive therapy.
For more information on schizophrenia, visit:

• http://www.schizophrenia.com/
• http://www.nami.org/
• http://www.nimh.nih.gov/

About the author: Miranda Bartholomew is a behavioral health specialist with Aetna Behavioral Health.