Hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations during amitriptyline treatment.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica October 1, 1980 R Hemmingsen, O J Rafaelsen
Four patients taking amitriptyline experienced brief visual hallucinations when falling asleep or waking up. The hallucinations were vivid, projected into the room, and briefly felt real, but patients quickly recognized them as unreal, likely because they remained critically aware and coherent. The report suggests a possible link between amitriptyline's brain effects, altered sleep patterns, and clinical improvement. Patients should be told these hallucinations are benign to prevent them from stopping treatment prematurely.