Alzheimer s It s Been a Long Day Till I See You Again

Alzheimer'south Illness and Hallucinations and Delusions

WebMD Medical Reference in Collaboration with the Cecil G. Sheps Heart at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Medically Reviewed by Christopher Melinosky, Dr. on September fourteen, 2020

Hallucinations and delusions are mutual in older people with Alzheimer's affliction and other types of dementia. While they're alike in some ways, they're not the aforementioned thing.

Hallucinations happen when someone sees, hears, feels, tastes, or smells something that isn't actually at that place. Someone who hallucinates might come across insects crawling on their manus or hear imaginary voices. These are fairly rare with Alzheimer's disease simply are common in other types of dementia, particularly Lewy torso dementia.

Delusions cause someone to firmly believe in things that are clearly untrue. They might think you lot're stealing their things or that at that place are strangers in the business firm. These happen in almost half of all people with any type of dementia, including Alzheimer'due south disease.

Telephone call 911 or take your loved one to an emergency room or doctor's office right away if:

• Hallucinations start to happen with more one sense. For instance, they feel and hear things besides as see them.
• Hallucinations or delusions cause them to injure themselves or others.
• They suddenly begin to see sparks, flashes, streaks of light, night spots, floating spots, or spots that look like a spider web or a large fly. These could be signs of a problem with their eyes.
• They of a sudden can't run across. This could exist acquired past a stroke or a problem with their eyes.
• They accept severe shortness of breath or chest hurting or are vomiting.

Call their doc if:

• You're worried they'll hurt themselves or others.
• The hallucinations or delusions upset them.
• This is the first time this has happened.
• The hallucinations or delusions get-go to last longer or happen more than often.
• Your loved one shows signs of delirium, like being more easily distracted or forgetful than usual, having less free energy or sudden changes in personality and behavior, being strangely emotional, or rambling when they talk.

Causes

Hallucinations and delusions tin can be caused by many things:

• Trouble seeing or hearing: Poor calorie-free, background noise, or poor eyesight or hearing make it hard to run across and hear well. When someone is also confused because of Alzheimer's disease, they may run across or hear things that aren't really there.
• Changes in the brain caused past dementia
• Disease: Fever, seizure, stroke, migraine, or infection can impact how the brain handles information from the senses.
• Memory problems: People with dementia sometimes don't call up things, so their mind fills the gap in their retentiveness with a mirage that makes sense to them.
• Medications: Many drugs (such as steroids and stimulants) can bear on the brain.
• Drug and alcohol apply or withdrawal: Use or abuse of alcohol and many drugs can cause changes in how the listen works.
• Mental Affliction: If someone has a history of serious mental illness, their hallucinations or delusions may exist related to information technology.
• Defoliation (delirium): Certain illnesses and medications sometimes make someone more confused. This can make them more likely to have hallucinations or delusions.

Treatment

Treatment of hallucinations and delusions depends on their cause. If a new medical problem is the reason, that'southward what should be treated.

If the hallucinations and delusions are caused by Alzheimer's disease or some other type of dementia, some medicines may assistance. These are chosen antipsychotic medications.

Almost of the time, it's best non to employ drugs, considering they brand a fall, middle attack, or stroke more likely.

Care at Home

If they're not upset well-nigh the hallucination or delusion and not likely to do something unsafe, you might not need to do annihilation.

If they are upset:

• Don't argue with them about what they see, hear, or believe.
• Talk to them calmly to comfort them. If they'll permit you, give them a gentle touch.
• See if you can tell what might be making them remember what they do. For instance, are they looking at a specific object? Inquire them to point to where they see or hear something.
• For some people, it's best to exist honest. You might say, "I know you see something, but I don't meet it." For others, it might help to react to what they think they see or what they think is happening. For instance, if they see snakes, pretend to kill them.
• Distract them with a favorite activity: Listen to music, draw, or look at a photo anthology.
• Run into if you tin become them come up away from that place with you.
• Alter what causes them to see or hear things. For example, if they meet a face in the kitchen curtains, change the curtains or accept them away.

Things to Watch For

If your loved i has a hallucination or delusion, they may get agitated. This can be because they need something. Check to come across if they've had a bowel movement in their wearing apparel or are wet, constipated, in hurting, hungry, thirsty, or tired.

Someone who'southward agitated can act in many dissimilar ways. They can be irritable, anxious, and restless. They may hit, push, or scream. If yous're worried most this, take steps to protect yourself. Step back, give them space, and accept away whatever nearby objects that could be used as a weapon.

Recall that the things your loved ane believes or thinks that they encounter are caused by their illness. They don't take anything to do with them personally or how they feel nearly you or your care. It'southward very real to them, even though you lot tin't encounter or hear it.

Keep It From Happening Again

You can do some things to help make hallucinations and delusions less likely:

• If your loved one needs spectacles, a hearing aid, or dentures, try to make sure they article of clothing them. Check that their spectacles are make clean and the right ones for the distance. Brand sure their hearing aid works and is turned on. Accept their eyes and ears checked regularly.
• Make certain all rooms are well-lit. Turn on lights to get rid of shadows and reflections. Shut off sounds that might misfile them, such as noise from a Idiot box, radio, furnace, or air conditioner.
• Go along their home and routine every bit shut to what they're used to as you tin. Accept them be with people they know as much as possible.
• If the same thing always causes them to accept problems, change it or take it abroad if yous tin can.

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Source: https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/alzheimers-hallucinations-delusions

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