Khat‐induced hypnagogic hallucinations
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica October 1, 1988 M. Granek, A. Shalev, A. M. Weingarten
Khat, a plant chewed for its stimulating effects due to the alkaloid cathinone, is widely used in eastern African and Yemenite populations and is often considered harmless. However, chronic khat chewing can lead to persistent hypnagogic hallucinations, a symptom not previously reported. Three case vignettes illustrate this phenomenon, which can complicate psychiatric diagnosis. Possible explanations include chronic suppression of REM sleep.