Hallucinations

[stringbean]

here i am again asking for advice, not sure if anyone has had this but here goes.

i am doing quite well on clomipramine and cbt BUT, last night i awoke and in the darkness looked at my husband and thought he had something on his face i.e a moth or something so i sat up and realised it was my eyes adjusting to the darkness. I kept blinking and my eyes adjusted and all was normal but now i am worried that this was a hallucination. i have looked up symptoms on line but they say hallucinations are when you are awake etc.
Anyone know?? :crybaby:

 

[Dragonfly]

Re: hallucinations

stringbean - I believe that I understand how distressing your experience might well have been. We all depend on, have faith in, count on ... that our perceptions are based on reality. And, it is not possible to say for sure without a formal interview, but it does sound like you experienced an illusion rather than a hallucination. The difference is that an illusion is defined as based on misinterpretation of stimuli - in this case, it might be shadow(s) while you were waking up. In general, hallucinations are defined as occuring when there is no stimulus to misinterpret (in bed alone and you see someone next to you.) However, the definitions get complicated when waking up or going to sleep - because these are both times when you are "semi-conscious" and your brain is prone to misunderstanding what it is perceiving. When waking up, it would be called a hypnopompic halluncination, when going to sleep - hypnogognic halluncination. These are very, very common. They are not true hallucinations, but rather a product of a mind / nervous system that is changing levels of consciousness. If you continue to have these experiences, you might want to talk to the person who is prescribing your medications. Take care,

 

[stringbean]

Re: hallucinations

Thank you so much for this reply. I am so sensitive as one of my main fears is losing my mind. But i did think that if i was wondering if it was a hallucination it most probably wasn't ! And also as soon as i blinked or focused the shadow either cleared or moved like a floater.