Hallucinations and Hearing Voices (NHS)

Tier 1: Established: peer-reviewed research or government health authority
Publisher: NHS (National Health Service) · Published: August 29, 2026 · Accessed: August 29, 2026

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Claims this source supports

• Hallucinations are where you hear, see, smell, taste or feel things that appear to be real but only exist in your mind.
• Sometimes hallucinations can be temporary. They can happen if you have migraines, a high temperature, if you're very hungry or sleep deprived, or just as you wake up or fall asleep.
• Hallucinations can be caused by many different health conditions that affect the senses, including mental health conditions, dementia, Parkinson's, Charles Bonnet syndrome, severe depression or PTSD, medication side effects, and after surgery and anaesthesia.
• Get medical help if you or someone else have hallucinations - ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.