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“Indeed, the line between perceiving and hallucinating is not as crisp as we like to think.”
- Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
Can you remember the worst nightmare you’ve ever had?
Waking up from a nightmare can leave you gasping for air, your heart sprinting in your chest as you rapidly try to confirm your surroundings are safe. Some nightmares stick with us more than others, but at the end of the day, we know they’re in our mind – not something that can physically hurt us – right?
Now what if your nightmares happened in real life?
Nearly 1 in 20 people will experience a hallucination at some point in their life. While not all hallucinations are violent or fear-ridden, they can still have a lasting impact. Hallucinations can stem from many things, like dehydration or sleep deprivation, but our team at Serenity Lane is most familiar with the hallucinations that stem from substance use.
Why do they happen? Are there specific drugs that make you hallucinate more than others? Can you stop this? We’re going to answer these questions and more so you can make more informed decisions about your health.
In order to understand why drugs can cause hallucinations, it’s important to understand why hallucinations happen in the first place.
Hallucinations occur because of chemical imbalances in the brain. Our mental faculties are very complex, overlapping each other and constantly moving. When any part of that system is changed or influenced largely by outside sources, it can lead to hallucinations.
Substances, especially when taken over long periods of time, alter our brains. Under the right circumstances, nearly any substance has the potential to cause hallucinations.
Even though multiple kinds of substances can cause hallucinations, they don’t all cause them for the same reasons. The most common substance-related reasons for hallucinations come from three things: long-term substance use, overdoses, and withdrawal.
Understanding why a particular substance can cause hallucinations can be key in determining the source if you experience them. Let’s look further at the most common substances that cause hallucinations.
Stimulants primarily impact the central nervous system. They cause the body to speed up, leading to racing heart and thoughts, as well as increased breathing and body temperature. Hallucinations are not common from one-off use, but the continued presence of stimulants in your body can alter your mind. Long-term use is the primary reason for hallucinations in those who take stimulants.
Substances that alter our perception of pain do so by directly impacting our minds. Opioids like heroin, for example, influence the opioid receptors in our brains. In high doses, these chemicals can lead to hallucinations, with auditory and visual being the most common.
Of all of the substances, you’re the most likely to experience hallucinations if you engage with psychedelics. In fact, many people seek out these substances because of their hallucinogenic properties. They alter the mind, changing perception, mood, and overall cognitive processing when in use, or from long-term use.
Regardless of the source, hallucinations come in many forms. These forms can occur at the same time or individually. This means that someone can experience multiple types of hallucinations at once.
The categories for hallucinations include:
When someone is hallucinating, it’s very hard for them to discern between what is and isn’t real. While in cases where the hallucinations are benign, this isn’t a problem, it can become serious in the right circumstances.
If hallucinations occur because of drug use, they’re frequently accompanied by other side effects. This can make a person experiencing the hallucinations prone to violent outbursts and sudden shifts in mood, leaving them at risk of harming themselves or others in the process.
The most important thing you can do to assist someone who is hallucinating is to stay calm, even if they start to panic.
Talk with the person and ask them about what they’re seeing or experiencing. For some, it can help to talk to them about what they’re experiencing. For others, a better approach may be to distract them from their hallucinations entirely.
If at any point you feel your safety is threatened, or that they might be a danger to themselves, don’t be afraid to seek additional professional help.
It’s not the hallucinations themselves that are cause for medical concern, but rather the other side effects alongside them, or the source of the hallucinations. For example, if you’re experiencing hallucinations because of dehydration or sleep deprivation, medical intervention may be necessary to address this root cause.
Ultimately, the most important factor is to consider how you feel about it. It’s always safer to seek medical help than to not seek medical help.
One of the only ways to truly reduce the number of hallucinations you experience, or to stop them entirely, is to seek resources to help you step away from substance use. This starts with an addiction rehab program.
From detox to inpatient and outpatient services, rehab offers you a way to learn the skills you need to live a life of healing. You deserve to have access to support and care whenever you need it. These options are available for you right here in Oregon, whenever you’re ready to take that first step.
As one of the oldest non-profit rehab centers in the state, our team of master’s level physicians at Serenity Lane is equipped to help you every step of the way. You can get started today, or ask any questions you may have, by giving us a call at 800-543-9905.
Finding serenity in long-term recovery.
How long do hallucinations from drugs last?
There isn’t a set timeline for how long hallucinations from drugs last. If they’re occurring because of a drug you took, they will likely only last as long as the drug is in your system. If they’re happening because of withdrawal, the timeline will vary much more.
Can I get “flashback” hallucinations from drugs?
Hallucinations come in many forms, including utilizing past memories to help provide imagery, sounds, and more. Those who are dealing with past trauma may be more likely to have that trauma feed into their hallucinatory experience.
Can hallucinations from drugs be permanent?
No mental change like a hallucination is truly “permanent,” but when things like hallucinations last for a long time, they could be a sign of someone experiencing psychosis.
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