Sensory hallucinations

A person who begins to hallucinate and is detached from reality should get checked by a health care professional right away. Many medical and psychiatric conditions that can cause hallucinations may quickly become emergencies.

A person who begins to hallucinate may become nervous, paranoid, and frightened, and should not be left alone.

Call your health care provider, go to the emergency room, or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if someone appears to be hallucinating and is unable to tell hallucinations from reality.

Your health care provider will do a physical examination and take a medical history. Blood may be drawn for testing.

Medical history questions may include the following:

• How long have the hallucinations been occurring?
• Do the hallucinations occur just before or just after sleep?
• Has there been a recent death or other emotional event?
• What medications are being taken?
• Has alcohol been used?
• Are illegal drugs being used?
• Is there agitation?
• Is there confusion?
• Is there a fever?
• Is there a headache?
• Is there vomiting?

Review Date: 02/22/2010
Reviewed By: David B. Merrill, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)