Auditory Hallucinations: Causes, Types, and Treatment
Auditory hallucinations refer to a perception of hearing something without an external stimuli. Some would report hearing voices or music. Hallucinations are where you hear, see, smell, taste or feel things that appear to be real but only exist in your mind. Hallucinations can be caused by many different health conditions that affect the senses. Sometimes hallucinations can be temporary.
Types of Auditory Hallucinations
Auditory hallucinations also come in different types.
- Hearing Voices: Hearing voices, mostly containing threats or offensive content, are the most common, especially for people with schizophrenia. The voices can be perceived as either originating from the inside or from an external source.
- Realistic Replay: Another type of auditory hallucination is realistic replay. Oftentimes, people with post-traumatic disorder re-experience a traumatic event by hearing cues from that scenario.
- Musical Hallucination: Lastly, it is also possible for healthy individuals to hear songs or notes without any external source in the form of musical hallucination.
Common Causes of Auditory Hallucinations
Common causes of hallucinations include:
- Mental health conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
- Drugs and alcohol
- Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease or dementia with Lewy bodies
- Parkinson's disease
- A change or loss of vision, such as Charles Bonnet syndrome
- Severe depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Side effect from medicines
- After surgery and anaesthesia
Treatment Options
Aside from biological medications, it is also important to deal with the psychological aspects.
- Antipsychotic drugs: These medications help regulate excess dopamine. Examples of these are Thorazine and Zyprexa.
- Psychotherapy: It is also important to deal with the psychological aspects.
| Treatment | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Antipsychotic Drugs | Medications that regulate excess dopamine | Thorazine, Zyprexa |
| Psychotherapy | Addressing the psychological aspects of hallucinations | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) |