Hallucinations in Patients with Schizophrenia Attending a Tertiary Psychiatry Hospital

ackground: Schizophrenia is a clinical syndrome of variable, but profoundly disruptive psychopathology that involves thought, cognition, emotion, perception and other aspects of behavior. The incidence of hallucinations is around 70% in schizophrenia. Hallucinations have a powerful impact on the lives of those who experience them. Objective: The present study aims to understand the phenomenology of auditory hallucinations in patients of schizophrenia in a circumscribed Indian population taking treatment from a tertiary hospital in Mumbai. Method: 100 patients of a tertiary hospital for both inpatient and outpatient diagnosed as having schizophrenia as per DSM-IV TR and meeting inclusion criteria were included. Along with demographic profile, hallucination related semi-structured interview, Phenomenology of Hallucination Scale and Psychotic Symptom Rating Scale (PSYRATS) scale were administered. Results: Abusive types of auditory hallucinations were found in 42% of patients followed by commenting and threatening type in 21% and 13% of patients; 40% strongly believed in external cause for hallucinations and 44% were sure of external factors as cause irrespective of education status; 29% had anxiety of their hallucinations, but could be calm whereas 53% had extreme anxiety and bad feelings; 85% believed hallucinations as real and 71% had discomfort of it. No statistical significance was found across major variables. Conclusion: Abusive types of auditory hallucinations were the most prevalent. No significant associations were found between the educational status and the belief in source of hallucinations, the intensity of anxiety secondary to hallucinations and the reality of hallucinations. Duration of illness also did not affect the reaction to hallucinations. Further studies into the types of hallucinations and factors affecting the same in diverse populations are warranted.