Hallucinations Essay

Imagine sitting in a dark room hearing demonic voices, your mind making up false noises due to many possible reasons. A hallucination is the perception of a noise, smell, or sight that is not physically present. These hallucinations are forced, and many scientist have a hard time understanding the meaning behind having one. There are two types of hallucinations: auditory and visual hallucinations. Hallucinations are associated with sleep deprivation, the use of certain drugs, and specific neurological illnesses.

Hallucinogens, commonly known as psychedelics, are psychoactive substances that powerfully alter perception, mood, and a host of cognitive processes. Hallucinogens “stimulate 5-HT2A receptors” (Nichols). The 5-HT2A mediate both excitatory

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is found in several areas of the body, and that is thought to have a lot to do with feelings of well-being and happiness. (“How Hallucinogens Affect the Brain”)

Furthermore, Hallucinogens react with these receptors, and different pattern responses are produced from the normal healthy brain. “Research suggests that hallucinogens work at least partially by temporarily disrupting communication between brain chemical systems throughout the brain and spinal cord” (“Abuse”). This causes the brain to act slightly different and produce auditory and sensory

Patients with the illness schizophrenia hear voices in their head that no one else can hear. Furthermore, they hear clicking noises and non-human voices. A patient with schizophrenia can ignore the hallucination, but some patients experience hallucinations daily, like another person for input in your daily tasks. Therefore, they often become controlling and patients have problems with overcoming “their” voices. Patients with schizophrenia isolate themselves from their family and friends, which causes hallucinations to appear more often because of more self-thoughts. The experiences are real and vivid, so many patients can’t handle the hallucinations and often commit suicide. Furthermore, many patients have therapists that help decrease the hallucinations and work with the patients to overcome fears of hallucinations and the topics associated with their hallucinations. Many therapist tell their patients to “encouragement to persevere, not to give up, to discuss things with the therapist & reassurance that the family & close friends understand, are important” (“Understanding and Responding to Symptoms of Schizophrenia”). The patients often feel powerless by these hallucinations due to constant pressure they hear from all of the voices in their head. Schizophrenia patients become violent because their brain completely changes, and they become someone else if the hallucinations go on for a long period of time. Hallucinations