When someone **sees people who aren’t real**, they are experiencing what is called a **hallucination**, specifically a visual hallucination. This means their brain is creating images of people that do not exist in the external world, but appear very real to them. These experiences can be vivid and detailed, making it difficult for the person to distinguish between what is real and what is imagined.
Hallucinations of people who aren’t real often occur in the context of **psychotic disorders**, such as **schizophrenia**, but can also happen due to other causes like severe stress, neurological conditions, substance use, or certain medical illnesses. In schizophrenia, for example, hallucinations are a core symptom and can include seeing, hearing, or sensing things that others do not perceive. The person may see strangers, familiar faces, or even figures that seem threatening or comforting, but these figures have no basis in reality.
The experience of seeing unreal people is not just a simple visual trick; it reflects a deeper disruption in how the brain processes sensory information and reality. Normally, the brain filters and interprets sensory input to create a coherent picture of the world. In hallucinations, this filtering breaks down, and the brain generates sensory experiences internally without external stimuli. This can be due to abnormal activity in brain regions responsible for perception, memory, and belief formation.
People who see unreal people may also hold **delusions**—strong false beliefs that support their hallucinations. For example, if someone sees a person who isn’t there, they might believe that this figure is spying on them, trying to harm them, or communicating secret messages. These delusions can be persecutory, grandiose, jealous, or somatic in nature, depending on the individual’s mental state.
The impact of seeing unreal people varies widely. Some individuals might be frightened, confused, or distressed by these visions, especially if the hallucinations are threatening or persistent. Others might find them comforting or even inspiring, depending on the content and context. However, when hallucinations interfere with daily functioning, relationships, or safety, they often require medical attention.
Hallucinations can also occur transiently in people without chronic mental illness. For example, extreme fatigue, sleep deprivation, or the use of psychedelic substances can induce brief episodes of seeing unreal people. Psychedelics like LSD or magic mushrooms can “switch on” vivid internal imagery, sometimes causing people to see figures or shapes that feel real but are generated by the mind. While these experiences can be profound, they are usually temporary and resolve as the drug’s effects wear off.
In some cases, hallucinations of unreal people are linked to **delusional disorders**, where the person firmly believes in the reality of these visions despite clear evidence to the contrary. Unlike schizophrenia, delusional disorder typically involves one or more fixed false beliefs without the broader disorganization of thought or behavior.
Neurologically, hallucinations arise from abnormal brain function. This might be due to chemical imbalances, structural brain changes, or disruptions in neural circuits that integrate sensory information and reality testing. For example, dysfunction in dopamine pathways is often implicated in psychotic hallucinations.
The experience of seeing unreal people is complex and multifaceted. It involves sensory perception, cognition, emotion, and belief systems all interacting in unusual ways. The person’s insight into the unreality of these visions can vary—some recognize them as hallucinations, while others are convinced they are real.
Treatment for hallucinations depends on the underlying cause. In psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, antipsychotic medications and psychotherapy can reduce or eliminate hallucinations. For hallucinations caused by medical conditions or substances, addressing the root cause is essential.
Ultimately, seeing people who aren’t real is a sign that the brain’s normal processing of reality is disrupted. It is a profound experience that can be frightening or confusing, but it is also a window into how the mind constructs the world we perceive.
