Hallucinations | Management Strategies
- If the hallucination Hallucination
A sensory experience with no physical basis or cause. A person may be able to see, hear, smell, taste, or feel something that is not there. causes distress or discomfort, distraction techniques could assist in calming the person you care for. You could distract them through the use of music, television, a particular food, or activity.
- Visual hallucinations are sometimes due to poor eyesight. Make an appointment with your eye doctor to ensure that they have the right prescription Prescription
A document that is provided and signed by a doctor to issue medication. It must include the medication name, as well as the assigned dosage and frequency of the medicine. for their glasses and do not have any cataracts or floaters Floaters
Dark spots in a person's field of vision..
- Auditory hallucinations are sometimes due to poor hearing. Make an appointment with your doctor to get their hearing checked and to ensure that their hearing aid is working or that they do not have problems with their hearing.
- Do not argue with the person over the hallucination. It is best to remain calm and reassuring. Comfort them by saying things like "I am here to protect you," and "I will take care of you" or by touching them. Simply patting their hand or putting an arm around them may help relax them. It is important to acknowledge that they saw something and are frightened.
- It may be helpful to modify the environment to help minimize the occurrence of their hallucinations. For example, close the curtains if there is a glare on the window, keep lights on to avoid shadows, or remove mirrors. Put yourself in their shoes. Remember that while you may understand where a shadow, reflection or distortion is coming from, the person you care for may not.
- Check with your doctor to make sure that hallucinations are not a side effect Side effect
An undesired effect of a drug treatment that may range in severity from barely noticeable, to uncomfortable, to dangerous. of any of the medications taken by the person you care for.
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