Delusions Vs. Hallucinations: Differences and How To Cope
Delusions and hallucinations can be dangerous for the individual experiencing them and those around the individual. Hallucinations can cause people to act on their emotions and ways they ordinarily would not. For example, an auditory hallucination is often in the form of voices telling an individual to do something dangerous such as harm themselves or others.
This article will briefly discuss hallucinations and delusions.
Delusions can turn into rooted beliefs that cause the individual to act on their belief. For example, a woman who writes letters to Alex Baldwin begins to believe he is sending her messages that he is in love with her, may attempt to buy tickets to all of his shows and cyber stalk him. A strong delusion such as this can lead to emotional (and maybe even) financial distress.
Delusions and hallucinations are not easy to cope with. But here are a few things to try:
- Do not argue facts: I always encourage families to re-frame from arguing with their loved one about their delusions or hallucinations. The key is to be mindful that the delusion or hallucination is very real to them. So if you go against the delusion or hallucination, you are “going against them.” Although not true, this is often the experience of people in these shoes.
- Understand their emotions: Hallucinations and delusions often have an emotional component of some sort. The woman attracted to and writing Alex Baldwin may feel “emotionally connected” to the point of behaving as if she “knows” him on a personal level. If you find there is a strong emotional connection with the delusion or hallucination, try to talk with your loved one and calmly discuss your concerns.
- Get inside their head: Individuals experiencing delusions or hallucinations may be difficult to talk to, especially if they do not believe they are impaired/ill. So wait until the individual brings up their experience and discuss it without judgment. Try not to ask questions that would make your loved one feel condemned or “crazy.” You want to try to understand, no matter how unstable their reasoning is, their thought processes. This is good “data” for if you ever have to discuss your case with a psychiatrist.
The most important thing to do in such cases is to be compassionate and understand that your loved one is going through something quite serious. Reaching out for help is important, but so too is showing love and understanding, even if the delusions or hallucinations are unrealistic.
[bctt tweet=”Do not argue facts: I always encourage families to re-frame from arguing with their loved one about their delusions or hallucinations. The key is to be mindful that the delusion or hallucination is very real to them. ” username=”therapisttee”]
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All the best
