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.