What causes hallucinations?

Question

I had one yesterday and it was wicked scary. I was at my summer camp, and I walked over by the mat room. (This is a room with a mirror on one wall and no mirror onthe others with a bunch of mats. I see my brother, a camp counsler. I wave to him, and he waves back in the mirror. I go to talk to him face to face, and i poke my head around the door and look to where he should be. He isn't there. Glance over to the mirror, and he's still there. I realize this isn't my brothers group. Freaked, I walk out. In the hallway there is a door leading outside, and I see my brother walking out the door.

After that I was fine. It was short but scary and creepy all the same. Is this from lack of sleep? I'm not using any drugs, medications, or narcotics. This was strictly visual.

Answer 1

sometimes stuff like that happenes to me when i feel confused along with having a lingering type of stress. and the stress can be gilt, fear, time pressure, anything that can vary from events starting in early childhood to even just yesterday.  also i have to admit weird things do happen to me when i dont get enough sleep.  but ya i also agree to talk with your doctor and get a professional opinion.  

Answer 2

It can happen as a temporary result of sleep deprivation.  Could it also be that the mirror confused you somehow?  We're never as sharp when sleep deprived, it may not have been a hallucination.  Also, if you are sleep deprived, this can cause you to have "microsleeps," or falling asleep for a second or two, during the day while you think you're awake, and you can dream weird things during that time.

Answer 3

You might want to see your doctor, and describe to him what you saw, it could be a disorder in its beginning stages, and it might be nothing. The Brain isn't a perfect machine, sometimes it misfires, and people see things they shouldn't. But you should think about all the factors about that exact time. What time of the day did it happen? Are you on any kind of medication whatsoever? what did you have to eat beforehand? are you absolutely sure that you weren't dreaming? etc. Things like that should be taken into account, sometimes certain factors can lead to weird stuff. But Go see your doctor for sure, if not a doctor than a brief visit with a psychologist.

Answer 4

There are some hallucinogen plants, they distort the senses and usually produce hallucinations - experiences that depart from reality. Although most hallucinations are visual, they may also involve the senses of hearing, touch, smell, or taste - and occasionally several senses simultaneously are involved.

You might have been exposed?

From loss of sleep you might have hallucinations also.

Schizophrenia, generally onset is in young adulthood.