Mind Games or Hullucinations ?

So I have accepted my diagnosis of Bipolar and am now trying to understand what is normal human behaviour and what is a symptom so I can be more aware of my episodes as I am tappering off meds. I seem to be having mind games now and again, I think its only when Im hypomanic. I have quick visual experiences like in the corner of my eye I will see a shadow or something but when I look properly there is nothing there or I have mistaken a bag or something as being something else, or I may be driving and I see something on the edge of the road and looks like an animal or something but when I look again its a rubbish bag. Are these just simple mind games or hullucinations, another problem I have is smells, I smell bad smells that no one else can smell, they are so discusting and strong to me but everyone else says they cant smell anything. Any comments would be great.

[jimgreg]

i gt ther same things out of the corners of my eyes..yes being bipolar you will experience alot..i been this way 4 yrs now..and my days are weird..i only on xanax..was on respidol  that stuff made me climb the walls..great luck to you    James

[paranoid_cataclysm]

Yeah those experiences can be because of hallucinations.  I have that happen a lot in my peripheral field of vision along with the central field like I was paying attention to my computer yesterday and suddenly the light reflecting off my microphone stand looked like a freaky monster staring at me from the side view until I looked at it.  Normally though if you are feeling really anxious or paranoid or scared for example, this will happen a lot and not because of hallucinating, as mind games as you call it, or our mind playing tricks on us.  If you're not feeling that way and it happens anyway I would guess it is safe to assume you are hallucinating.

[Xila31]

I have this a lot, too. I see things that are not there just for a second, or something looks like something else. When I spoke to my psychologist about this she said it is generally not considered a hallucination as everyone has this happen. However, I am inclined to agree with paranoid_cataclysm from experience that when we're not feeling well this happens more often. I guess it is hard to say what is a hallucination and what is a mind game in this type of instance. But, if it is bothering you then talk to your doctor about it at least.

Also, I think smells can be a type of hallucination,so this is one for sure to ask your doctor about.

For me, recently, one thing I've been experiencing is that a big dark shadow is coming up behind me (like you know if someone was sneaking up on you with their arms in the air, casting a shadow?) Anyway, it actually is so startling that I duck. This has happened about five times in the last three weeks. Once I was sure my husband was sneaking up on me because he was standing behind me, (you know, just teasing,) but when I turned he was all the way back in the doorway at least 10 feel away from me. :(

[paranoid_cataclysm]

Here's a fun fact, people without mental illness sometimes hallucinate too. Even being too tired can cause you to hallucinate but I think it's mainly illusions, which get lumped in with hallucinations (which I admit I do it too and it's a bad habit I need to stop doing) but are different where you perceive something as something else instead of perceiving something not even there.  True visual hallucinations are much less common than other types of hallucinations or so I'm told.

[blacksoul004]

i have these hallucinations as well! seeing what i thought was a person waiting in line with me and looking back to see nothing. or a flash of soemthing walking with me n then its gone... mostly when im manic.

Heidi

[Casper1984]

Im freakin out. Im having audible hallucinations, as well as visual ones. Lots of flashing lights, but theres no place they could come from. Im in day 6, its worse than i ever expected. I should of tapered. As for seeing things, any thoughts, ideas, reasons why? I slept this morning from 6am to 1pm. The lights range in color, some appear to be laser lights, usually green. Flash's of white and red, but i cant ever catch it directly

[paranoid_cataclysm]

What are you withdrawing from?  Have you brought this to the attention of your doctor?

[jupsie]

I used to experience that years ago when I was in my 20's. I am now 47yrs old and more stable than ever. But I am also happy and able to deal with life better. I have been on different antidepressants since my late 20's. I am currently taking 150mg of Effexor daily and forgot to mention I have hypothyroid disease which is also under control.  Years ago when I was a new mom and unhappily married I suffered severe anxiety and severe but functional depression. I always had these issues but more magnified when I was married and new to parenting. I also found out when I was experiencing the seeing thing, I was severely anemic. I started taking iron and after about a month it went away. That was when my daughter was 4 months old. Then 2 yrs later my son was born and when he was about 6 months old i found out I had low thyroid levels. That can also cause these problems of seeing things out of the corner of your eye. Basicly what it boils down to is anxiety. When your hemoglbin  or thyroid levels are off you can develop anxiety. so get some bloodwork drawn and make sure it's nothing phyisical contibuting to the prob. And about the smells, I am like that and always will be. And the smells are real. I always find where the bad smell is coming from. It makes me sick how most of the time noone else can smell it. I have a very good sence of smell.

[bpchrisb]

Some of this may be due to the just the simple physiology of being BP. I know that, when I am hypomanic, I am far more aware of everything that is going on around me. I notice shadows and objects because my brain is just firing quicker and they are taking on a lot of visual stimuli.

Also, the side effects of many medications involve a touchy sense of smell. There are odors that I pick up on quickly and I just find them offensive in general. For example, our dog just smells like a dog; he doesn't wreak. But, when he's close to me, that odor becomes overwhelming and it disgusts me. I gave him a bath and he had a nice clean sent, but it was too much for me.