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Can you really hallucinate because of alcohol, after drinking?
You might think that this severe side effect only occurs with other drugs, but the reality is that it can occur. Alcohol hallucinations are real, and they can be incredibly dangerous, no matter when or why they happen.
Today, we’re taking a closer look at this phenomenon and sharing how to seek the help you need today.
Can You Hallucinate Because of Alcohol?
There are many different ways in which a person could experience hallucinations as a result of alcohol abuse.
Getting Intoxicated
First, being drunk or high” can cause a person to hallucinate. Many different drugs can create this effect, among them alcohol. If a person drinks enough, they might see or hear things that aren’t really there. Especially if someone abuses drugs in conjunction with drinking large amounts of alcohol, the chances of this outcome grow considerably.
Withdrawing From Alcohol
Alcohol withdrawal is another time when someone could possibly hallucinate as a result of alcohol abuse.
Many people who become dependent on this substance experience withdrawal when they stop, and some experience a severe withdrawal syndrome called delirium tremens. Hallucinating is of the strongest signs that a person is undergoing this syndrome rather than a milder form of withdrawal.
Delirium Tremens
Delirium Tremens is a severe symptom of alcohol withdrawal that can cause a host of symptoms, including shaking, disorientation, and hallucinations.
A person undergoing delirium tremens is likely to experience visual or auditory hallucinations. This can lead to extreme fear and can cause the individual to become a danger to themselves or others.
Chronic Alcohol Abuse
Alcoholic hallucinosis is a rare complication of chronic alcohol abuse. It’s mostly characterized by auditory hallucinations that occur during or after a period of heavy alcohol consumption This is separate from the possible hallucinations caused by alcohol and/or drug abuse and those caused during delirium tremens.
Unfortunately, the syndrome strongly mimics schizophrenia and can be very frightening. It often sounds like someone is talking to the individual, even if no one is. Mood disturbances are also common during this experience.
Can These Hallucinations Be Treated?
Usually, alcohol hallucinations of any type are temporary and can be treated in a professional medical setting.
Most people seeing or hearing things that are not there as a result of alcohol abuse or withdrawal need to be brought to a hospital or another 24-hour medical facility as quickly as possible. They could become very dangerous in this state.
Doctors and nurses will often place individuals with alcohol-related hallucinations in a dark, quiet room where they will experience little to no stimulation. In addition, the person may need to be sedated.
Severe alcohol withdrawal is treated by sedating the patient with medications and monitoring the patient’s vital signs until their withdrawal is complete.
Normally, whether these hallucinations are caused by withdrawal or alcohol toxicity, they will begin to subside after a few days or so.
However, the hallucinations caused during alcoholic hallucinosis can sometimes last even after the individual has become abstinent. This issue can often be treated with neuroleptics, but again, it is very rare.
Individuals may also need follow-up treatment. In many cases, someone experiencing alcohol-related hallucinations (and especially someone dependent on alcohol) will need to stop drinking and require addiction treatment to make this change.
They may also need therapy; not just for their addiction, but for the feelings and fears these hallucinations may have caused. Luckily, both of these issues can usually be treated simultaneously for the best effect for the individual.
What Should I Do If I’m Experiencing Alcohol Hallucinations?
Call 911 immediately. It is very possible that your hallucinations could worsen without warning, and you could hurt yourself or someone else as a result. This effect of heavy drinking and alcohol dependence is extremely dangerous, and it is important to seek the proper care as soon as possible.
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If you are currently safe but know you need help to put a stop to your drinking, visit the Sober.com AA meeting directory to find reliable treatment options for your recovery.