Can Stress Cause Hallucinations? What to Know

If you’re wondering, “Can stress cause hallucinations?” the answer is yes—stress can be a contributing factor. While hallucinations are often associated with serious mental health conditions, they're more common than many people realize.

‍Studies estimate that between 6% and 15% of people experience hallucinations at some point. High levels of stress, particularly when combined with sleep deprivation or an underlying mental health condition, can increase the likelihood of hallucinations. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) also notes that stress is one of several factors that can contribute to an episode of psychosis, which may include hallucinations. 

If you're concerned that stress is affecting the way you perceive things, it's important to know that hallucinations can have many different causes, and many are treatable. In this article, we'll explain what hallucinations are, how stress may contribute to them, explore other possible causes, and discuss when it's important to seek professional support. 

Can stress cause hallucinations?

Yes, severe stress and related conditions can sometimes cause hallucinations. Hallucinations from stress, whether psychological or physical, are usually temporary and go away when the underlying stress is resolved.

How stress can affect perception

When your body experiences stress, it changes your brain’s chemistry and the way that your body processes sensory input. Under high levels of stress, the brain becomes more alert to potential threats. This heightened state can make it easier to misinterpret everyday sights and sounds. In severe cases, especially with sleep deprivation or mental health issues, these distortions can lead to hallucinations. 

How does stress cause hallucinations?

Exhaustion, overwhelm, and sleep deprivation associated with stress can alter how the brain processes information. This can lead to hyperstimulation, making sights and sounds feel more intense than they actually are. Intense stress can also trigger dissociation, a sense of detachment from oneself or one's surroundings, which can make it difficult to tell what’s real and what isn’t. For people already at risk for conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, stress can trigger or worsen symptoms, including hallucinations. 

What stress-related hallucinations can feel like

Stress-related hallucinations often feel very real and can impact any of your senses. Sometimes, two or more senses can be affected at once. Examples of stress-related hallucinations include:

• Auditory (hearing): Auditory hallucinations are the most common type triggered by stress. People experiencing them often describe hearing distant voices, murmurs, or whispers, or believe they've heard their name called or music playing when neither was present. 
• Visual (seeing): Visual hallucinations can be full figures, such as objects, people, or animals, or they can be more abstract, such as lights or shapes. Some people report seeing shadows darting across the room or notice changing shapes. 
• Tactile (feeling): Tactile hallucinations are often described as uncomfortable physical sensations, such as prickling or crawling on the skin. Some people also note that it feels like someone is touching them, or they notice warm or cold air blowing on them. 
• Olfactory or gustatory (smelling or tasting): Olfactory and gustatory hallucinations involve smelling or tasting something that isn't actually present. Common examples include a burning smell, a metallic taste, or other odors and flavors with no identifiable source. 

Who is most at risk

People most at risk of stress-based hallucinations are those who:

• Experience chronic sleep deprivation
• Have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or complex trauma
• Are experiencing significant life stress, such as bereavement, caregiving, or divorce
• Have severe anxiety or panic disorders
• Have a personal or family history of psychotic disorders, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

What else can cause hallucinations?

Hallucinations can arise from various causes. These include sleep deprivation, grief, trauma, and medical or substance-related issues. Many of these causes are treatable.

Sleep deprivation

A 2018 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that a lack of sleep can lead to hallucinations, especially visual ones. Perceptual distortions often happen first, with hallucinations becoming more common the longer you are awake. Most hallucinations caused by sleep deprivation go away after a period of sleep.

Grief and trauma

Grief and trauma are other common causes of hallucinations. A 2021 study in BJPsych Open found that people who are grieving may feel, see, hear, or smell things related to those they've lost. They might also sense their presence. 

Trauma-related hallucinations can occur because the brain has difficulty properly processing memories formed during the traumatic event, causing fragments of that experience to resurface in the present. This often takes the form of auditory or visual hallucinations that are reminiscent of the traumatic experience.

Medical and substance-related causes

Certain medical conditions, mental health conditions, and substance use can all contribute to hallucinations. Mental health conditions linked to hallucinations include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder (MDD). Medical causes range from neurological disorders to delirium, while substance-related causes include certain medications, recreational drugs, and alcohol withdrawal. 

Can anxiety cause hallucinations?

Yes, extreme stress and anxiety can contribute to hallucinations, though they more commonly cause perceptual distortions. This happens because anxiety puts your brain into fight-or-flight mode, heightening hypervigilance and making it more likely to misinterpret normal sounds or light changes as something else. True hallucinations are more likely during panic attacks or periods of extreme, prolonged stress, or when anxiety co-occurs with another condition. 

When are hallucinations a sign of something serious?

Hallucinations that come on suddenly or with other symptoms can be a sign of something more serious. 

Warning signs to watch for

• A sudden onset of hallucinations, especially in older adults
• Physical symptoms, such as seizures, slurred speech, or high fever
• Mental health changes, such as paranoia or mood swings
• Hallucinations that persist, recur, or worsen over time
• Hallucinations that occur while withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines

Because hallucinations can stem from so many different causes, anyone experiencing them should get assessed to rule out causes beyond stress. If you've already been evaluated and are still experiencing hallucinations that affect your daily life, that's a sign more support is needed.

When to seek urgent help

Call 911 or go to the emergency department if hallucinations are new or sudden, or if they're accompanied by any of the following:

• Confusion, disorientation, or loss of consciousness
• Fever, severe pain, or a recent head injury
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• Aggressive or potentially dangerous behavior toward oneself or others
• Difficulty caring for basic needs

How are stress-related hallucinations treated?

Stress–related hallucinations are often treated successfully through a combination of addressing underlying stress, getting enough sleep, and seeking support. Asking for help is a sign of strength, and a healthcare provider can recommend a combination of approaches to help best manage your stress.

Caring for yourself under extreme stress

When you're under extreme stress, it often helps to strip your daily routine back to basics. This means getting enough sleep, eating regular meals, and practicing stress-relieving techniques like deep breathing, grounding exercises, and mindfulness. If stress is persistent and affecting your daily life, it may be time to consider professional support. A mental health professional can help you build coping skills, set healthy boundaries, and process emotions during difficult periods. 

How Willow Health can help

If stress has become overwhelming and you’ve started to experience frightening experiences such as hallucinations, Willow Health can help. Willow Health provides immediate, judgment-free support as virtual crisis stabilization. It’s a place where you can be assessed and steadied quickly, without waiting weeks. It’s available in New York State and is expanding nationally. Talk to a clinician now.

Frequently asked questions

Can lack of sleep cause hallucinations?

Yes, a lack of sleep can cause hallucinations. This usually starts with perceptual disturbances, but can develop into hallucinations the longer that you are awake. 

Do stress hallucinations go away on their own?

Stress-related hallucinations usually improve once the underlying stress is managed, especially with enough sleep and, if needed, professional support. However, because hallucinations can have so many different causes, it's best to get assessed rather than assume stress is the culprit. If stress is confirmed as the cause, professional support can help by introducing coping skills and building healthy boundaries. 

Clinically reviewed by Emily St. Amant, MA, LPC-MHSP-S, LPCC, 8/3/26.

Sources

Elsaesser, E., Roe, C. A., Cooper, C. E., & Lorimer, D. (2021). The phenomenology and impact of hallucinations concerning the deceased. BJPsych Open, 7(5), e148. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2021.960 

Linszen, M. M. J., de Boer, J. N., Schutte, M. J. L., Begemann, M. J. H., de Vries, J., Koops, S., Blom, J. D., & Sommer, I. E. C. (2022). Occurrence and phenomenology of hallucinations in the general population: A large online survey. Schizophrenia, 8(1), Article 41. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-022-00229-9 

National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Understanding psychosis. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/understanding-psychosis 

Waters, F., Chiu, V., Atkinson, A., & Blom, J. D. (2018). Severe sleep deprivation causes hallucinations and a gradual progression toward psychosis with increasing time awake. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, Article 303. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00303