Hallucinations – Conditions and Symptoms
A hallucination is hearing or seeing something that does not exist. Hallucinations can result from an illness or medication. A person who hallucinates is detached from reality, as they are seeing or hearing something that does not really exist.
There are different types of hallucinations, such as:
- Auditory hallucinations
- Visual hallucinations
- Smell hallucinations
- Tactile hallucinations
- Taste hallucinations
Alcohol or illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, or heroin can cause hallucinations. In addition, conditions such as severe dehydration, dementia, epilepsy that involves the part of the brain called the temporal lobe, fever, sleep disturbances, psychiatric disorders, sensory problems, and severe illnesses can cause hallucinations.
Hallucinations can be treated using various methods. For hallucinations caused by psychiatric disorders, they can be treated by the use of psychotherapeutic interventions. Medication can also be used in the treatment of hallucinations in instances where the hallucinations are caused by severe illnesses, such as migraine headaches.
In cases where hallucinations result from tumors, surgery is used to remove the tumor and stop the hallucinations. Other methods used to treat hallucinations include cognitive behavioral therapy or a combination of family and psychological interventions. Support and self-help groups are also used.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Hallucinations
In order to qualify for benefits, you must be suffering from a condition that is listed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) as one of the conditions that qualify for benefits. The conditions listed are conditions that are seen as limiting in such a way that they hinder the sufferer from engaging in any meaningful or income-generating activity.
To qualify for benefits because of hallucinations, you will have to prove that you suffer from severe hallucinations or conditions that result in hallucinations, such as schizophrenia. Hallucinations can cause one to detach from reality and to see or hear things that do not exist. You must be able to prove that the hallucinations are severe enough to prevent you from engaging in any meaningful or income-generating work.
You would have to provide evidence in the form of:
- Medical reports
- Laboratory results
- Treatment records
This evidence will serve to show that you have been suffering from the condition for a period of more than 12 months, so that you will be able to qualify for social security benefits. If you have been suffering from the condition for more than 12 months, or expect to suffer from the condition for a period of more than 12 months, and the conditions limits you from engaging in any meaningful or income-generating activity, then you may qualify for benefits.
If your medical evidence is not sufficient for any condition on the SSA’s list of impairments and conditions, then a residual functionality capacity assessment can be done to assess the amount of functionality you have left because of the condition. If it is proven that you have very little functionality, then you may get benefits.
Your Hallucinations Disability Claim
If you are suffering from hallucinations and you are applying to the SSA for a disability claim, then it would be important that you have an attorney to help you. When it comes to claiming disability benefits, you will have to provide evidence that you have suffered hallucinations for 2 years or expected to suffer from hallucinations for more than 2 years.
You also have to provide medical evidence to show that your condition is serious and that it hinders you from performing any meaningful or income generating activity. The evidence is in form of medical records, treatment histories, and laboratory and test results.
Doctors do not always write their reports in such a way that it easily shows a disability. It is therefore important to have an attorney who can help to prove that the condition you are suffering from indeed limits your functionality and you therefore need the disability benefits.
A disability attorney will help you:
- Prove that your condition is genuine
- Prove and show by use of medical records that you need disability benefits
- Appeal your claim, in case you are turned down by the SSA
To ensure that you get the disability benefits you rightfully deserve, hire a disability attorney.
