Visual hallucinations

I am having these hallucinations that are just out of my line of sight. They are like silhouettes of people and they are moving but when I look there is nothing there. I have had slight ones before but these are becoming more pronounced. My pdoc didn’t seem too concerned about it but it is starting to get annoying and distracting. It is making me start to doubt things that I am seeing. I know I am probably blowing it out of proportion.

I have had these and other visual hallucinations at various times over the years as well. Are you sleeping? Recent med changes? Any other symptoms changes of late?

I do find that these kinds of things often speak to some psychosis generally kind of creeping up, so, I would try to sort of run the list of that stuff and see if you think you might be flaring a bit in other ways, too.

Sending strength and support. Hang in there.

Hi Crook32. Do keep monitoring this. Hopefully these hallucinations (or whatever they might be) will ease soon.

Obviously, I have no idea what your history with hallucinations have been or what exactly you are experiencing, but I wonder if you recognize these images as hallucinations WHEN you see them. Or if you believe they are actual things happening, in real life. There are all kinds of sources for hallucinations, not all of which are psychotic (i.e. bipolar or schizoaffective, etc. related). I have had hallucinations when psychotic, though delusions are my usual bipolar episode psychotic symptoms. But I have also had hallucinations that were clearly NOT bipolar-related. Seizure-related? Dissociative hallucinations (maybe related to severe stress or a trauma sourced trigger)? Silent or other migraine auras? Dare I say some religion/meditation/brainwashing induced? Hyperfocus/repetition trance (movements/music or sounds)? Other? In some of those latter cases (I haven't had all), I always knew (or soon figured out) that what I was seeing (or more often hearing or smelling) was not real, while I was hearing/smelling it..That didn't mean that I didn't perceive it as existing, despite the questioning. [Searching all around for sources that could not be found.]

Why I mention above, is because I think such "other" categories of hallucinations are not so very uncommon. And I believe people with mental illness may be more vulnerable to the "other" categories in addition to the more typical psychotic types, related to episodes. Medications, themselves, can be culprits.For example, Wellbutrin and some antipsychotics come to my mind as notorious possible causes.Or even other unexpected substances (OTC supplements, marijuana, etc.). Maybe acupuncture. Actual vision issues or symptoms of seemingly unrelated illnesses (physical). Then there are the "good ole" illusions that come into play. Not everyone in history that was sure they saw a flying saucer had a diagnosable mental illness. The brain is a very interesting organ, indeed!

I fully understand that any kind of hallucination can become highly distressing. It's horrible when a doctor, therapist, or anyone else mocks such reports, or blows them off. No one should continue to suffer from them! If they do continue, please do press your doctor to take them seriously, to some degree. It is important for them to help get to the bottom of what is causing them.

I write all of the above because I've had some terrible periods with hallucinations, in the past. Some affected me negatively in significant and long-term ways. Solutions (or time) helped rid me of them.

I start to get hallucinations like this mainly when I'm sleep deprived. Once i start getting more sleep (usually due to a med adjustment), they go away.

I've had these from sleep deprivation. Are you sleeping?