I had someone 'steal' my hallucinations. It's creepy.

[nenevomito]

In a discussion about mental illness, someone asked me what having hallucinations was like. I told them some of the hallucinations that I'd had.

In a later discussion (not with me) the person was describing having hallucinations, pretty word for word what I'd said, but claiming that they had had them.

I spend a lot of time with people who have mental health problems and have them myself. I've got a great sympathy and understanding from the delusional to the paranoid to the manic and depressed. However I found that just the most incredibly creepy thing ever.

Why on earth would someone want to pretend they had hallucinations?

Maybe they've made themselves believe they have had them? Or have had since?

I've read about other people's triggers for anxiety and sometimes find I've 'caught' them. I know that's a bit different though.

Sorry. Does sound odd

Probably coincidence. Hallucinations, voices etc, seem to pretty similar. Voices putting person down, visual hallucinations of shadows of people. Depressed people see certain kinds of, people coming out of antipsychotics too fast other kinds etc.

Possible. Maybe. I find it hard to believe that someone would say they'd never have any, to saying they had and describing word for word what they were in a couple of days.

then again, maybe some folks problems extend waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay beyond mental health.

Malingering? Munchausen?

I'd say coincidence as well, had we not had the "What's it like to have hallucinations?" conversation.

I've met more than one person who has the special powers to save the world.

Maybe the person was having them but unsure if they really were hallucinations. Visual ones can just be a quick sight of something to a picture lasting minutes/days.

Sounds familiar - they want to be centre stage and make everyone worry about their health. I have a mil like that. Ignore and detach...

Golden, I'd have expected them to say, "I think I'm having hallucinations, but I'm not sure" I'm just creeped out by it, thats all.

DameFanny - Quite likely.

If I were to be unsure I would ask like just the person did. I would never say "I think I see /hear things, how about you?". I would not admit anything.

I have met a lot of people with MH problems who latch onto other people's paths through their illness and absorb parts. Hard to put it into words!

When I was an IP there was a girl who would copy other people's self harm. When I was trying to hang myself she started ligaturing and asked me exactly how I did it (I didn't tell her and the only reason she knew I had tried to hang myself was because I had bruises around my neck), when I burned myself on the unit she started to burn herself, when another patient ODed on a certain type of medication she did the same. It was also quite common to see a spate of people kicking off and being restrained after one patient had done it.

I think it is quite common, sometimes it can become a competition or even a way to find common ground. Or seeing someone else's experience can make your own start to make sense.

It is quite upsetting though, I felt very intruded on and a bit guilty that I had somehow made/encouraged this girl to do certain things.

It seems very odd, having hallucinations is a great fear of mine, maybe the person wanted attention, in whatever form they could get it?

Bizarre!

Yes, Fluffy. When I was an inpatient, things definitely triggered other people. Self-harm did come in ebbs and flows. Everything is magnified in hospital isn't it?

Golden - To be honest, if hallucinating that your bike is there when it isn't (and being confused when you try to get onto it) is a common hallucination, you could well be right.

Well, probably not common and does not really sound typical hallucination. Rather a thing that happens when you are tired and think your bike is there. Same like forgetting to open the door and banging onto it.

Yes I think everything is magnified through being IP. I am always mindful to follow my own MH path, however shitty that may be, because clouding it with other people's shit only makes it worse.

I can understand how easy it is to blend other people's experiences in with your own and I get why people do it. Sometimes I wonder if it is because if someone else is experiencing it and then you experience it it makes it more valid somehow. I think that is why people latch onto things. It is very disconcerting though.

Can you avoid this person?

that does sound odd. The trigger thing sounds plausible, but if they were that specific then I would probably detach. You don't need it.

Yes am avoiding.

golden - Bless you for trying to think the best of the situation.

When I'm tired I tend to see things out of the corner of my eye, or think I hear things. If Bikes happened every time I was tired, I'd have to walk around with a spare bike lock

lissie - lovely to see you by the way. xx

mwah, and you my lovely. Just shitty that you are having this. You need to protect yourself, and some people are like vampires.

Well, this kind of things has happened to me many times. You think you see something you expect to see, but it is not there. It just does not sound a "mental" hallucination. Like, well, a devilish baby hanging on a passing car (not my hallucination).

Golden, I know what you mean.

Can understand why you would be creeped out. Is this in rl or mn? Hallucinations are weird and scary, and I don't know why someone would chose to have them. Maybe munchausens, or just an attention seeker?

I have been getting worse this week, and started seeing things moving or things that weren't there. I feel silly telling anyone about it.

misslatte - I've experienced that kind of stuff when ill. Patterns were an absolute bugger as they moved as did thing like curtains blowing in the breeze (not moving, no window open).

Is there anyone at all you can tell?

I told my cpn today but was just tols it was down to sleep deprivation, and was told to use sleep hygiene techniques!

Do you have them regularly?