What it means
A sense experience with nothing outside the person causing it. The most common kind is hearing voices (auditory hallucinations); others are visual, tactile (touch), olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste). Hallucinations can occur in psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, in deliriumdih-LEER-ee-umA sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.Full entry , in alcohol withdrawal, and with some drugs.
For the nurse
Ask directly what the voices are saying, because command hallucinations can tell a person to harm themselves or others. Do not argue about whether it is real; say calmly that you do not hear it but you understand it feels real, and bring the client back to what is happening now.
In a chart
"Client states voices are telling him he is worthless; denies voices telling him to hurt himself."
At a glance
| Spanish | alucinación |
|---|---|
| Also written | hallucinations, hallucinate, hallucinating |
Related terms
delirium
A sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.
mental status
A person's state of mind at a given time: how alert they are, what they know and how they think, speak and behave.