Auditory hallucinations are often associated with psychotic disorders but can also arise from non-psychiatric causes such as hearing loss. This case report describes a woman in her 50s with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss who experienced persistent auditory hallucinations for more than three years. She maintained insight and normal daily functioning, with no other features of psychosis. Neuroimaging was unremarkable, and antipsychotic trials provided minimal benefit. Even after hearing aids improved auditory input, her hallucinations persisted, indicating that symptoms related to sensory deprivation may not resolve immediately with hearing correction. The case illustrates how sensory deprivation-related hallucinations can be misdiagnosed as psychiatric illness, leading to unnecessary interventions.
Chronic nitrous oxide misuse can cause psychiatric complications such as depression, hypomania, and paranoid psychosis with hallucinations. A 25-year-old woman with bizarre behavior, delusions, and hallucinations had low vitamin B12 levels (135 pmol/L) and a normal neurological exam. Treatment with antipsychotics and vitamin B12 resolved her psychosis. The case highlights that acute psychosis can occur in young people, with use ranging from one month to years, and clinicians need greater awareness of nitrous oxide misuse.
A patient who developed severe nightmares after an erroneous adrenaline injection tracked their sleep for 280 days while taking 0, 4, or 8 mg of the α1-adrenergic antagonist doxazosin. The 8 mg dose resulted in 55.2% nightmare-free nights, far exceeding the 4.3% nightmare-free nights without the drug (odds ratio = 28.2). Dizziness was reported but not bothersome. The findings suggest doxazosin may help treat posttraumatic stress disorder-related nightmares.