Hi, there. I am a nurse and used to work in psychiatry. Hallucinations are always caused by a disturbance in brain chemistry. The causes can be multiple - high fever, sleep deprivation, dehydration, brain tumors, stroke, reaction to medications, dementia, and imbalance of brain neurotransmitters. In fact, hallucinations not caused by physical things are nearly always related to neurotransmitter disturbance.
Anyone can develop hallucinations at any time, at any age. You did not say what your mother's age was. However, in an elderly person, I would suspect that hallucinations would be most likely caused by:
If it's caused by dementia, there's not much that can be done. If it's schizophrenia, it can be controlled with medication. If it's a med reaction, the solution is to stop or switch that medication.
Hallucinations are sensory experiences that seem real to people with Alzheimer's, yet they are not really happening. They see, hear, smell, taste or feel something that isn't there. And because hallucinations seem so real to them,I think it is not helpful to try to convince them that they are imagining things.No one wants to spend valuable time arguing with a loved one with Alzheimer's. Instead, acknowledge her feelings, try to reassure her that you are there to help, and redirect her to a pleasant activity. If she is easily reassured and the hallucinations aren't particularly upsetting, this is usually enough and the incident is forgotten.And sometimes hallucinations can be quite disruptive, in this case certain medications can be used, but they do have side effects and aren't always effective, so it's always best to try reassurance and distraction first.
Thank you sooooooo very much for your kind and informative response Dragon Flower. My mom is 83, but these "auditory" hallucinations have been going on for three years. BEFORE she really was on any medications. I requested tests to rule out stroke, tumor, urinary tract infection, etc., but everything has been ruled out. I do notice, however, that when she does not get enough sleep (due to hearing people "plotting" against her and "music"), the paranoia worsens and she sleeps with "me" to feel safe. This is truly taking a toll on "me", which I do not mind so she does feel "safe", but was simply looking for some guidance or "direction" so that I may best help her. Thank you soooooo much. You have helped a great deal.
I live in namibia-africa. my father also has auditory hallucination. he's been having it now for 2 years and it is getting worse. a psychiatrist prescribed some drugs for him but he is not getting any better. he hears people that wants or plotting to kill him or bad-mouthing against him and so on. please advise me further.
My mother,98, has 3-monthly injections for pernicious anaemia. Could there be a connection between her auditory hallucinations and the time just before and just after these injections? She hears the same voice singing songs against her and also berating her for the nasty things she had done to this woman long ago and that "she" ' would get her yet' for being so bad. She tries to cancel the voice by singing in her head a nice song herself, but now thinks that because she can sing to herself at the same time as this voice is talking to her, the voice must be real because as she puts it, 'I can't sing one song while listening to another, so the voice must be coming from outside'.She is convinced it is real and just 'humours us' when she says she is fine again. Believe me, she is all there mentally apart from this.
Anyone can develop hallucinations at any time, at any age. You did not say what your mother's age was. However, in an elderly person, I would suspect that hallucinations would be most likely caused by:
1. Dementia.
2. Late-onset schizophrenia.
3. Unusual reaction/intolerance to prescription medications.
If it's caused by dementia, there's not much that can be done. If it's schizophrenia, it can be controlled with medication. If it's a med reaction, the solution is to stop or switch that medication.
Hope that helps.
Thank you soooooo much. You have helped a great deal.
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