• Question: how do we hallucinate and why?

    Asked by pranay900 to Alexis, Dr D, Helen, Jasmine, Mario on 19 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Alexis Barr

      Alexis Barr answered on 19 Jun 2013:

      Hallucinations are certainly weird things. Hallucinations are caused by a number of things, including:

      1. A disease known as Delirium tremens
      2. Parkinson’s disease
      3. Migraines
      4. Epilepsy
      5. Drugs

      We’re not really sure why they occur. Some scientists think that it is a problem with the way the brain interprets signals from the eyes. Others think that chemical signals usually used to transmit messages around the brain become overactive.

    • Photo: Andrew Devitt

      Andrew Devitt answered on 21 Jun 2013:

      @pranay900
      You tend to think of hallucinations as funny things that you see. But you can also get them with your hearing and other senses like your sense of smell. You can get them from a load of diseases. You can even get them if you have a cold and are running a high temperature. And of course with drugs

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