A Clinical Study of Hypnagogic Hallucinations
British Journal of Psychiatry May 1, 1971 DOI: 10.1192/bjp.118.546.543 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the distinction between hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations may be artificial, and that these hallucinations are generally considered normal phenomena. |
Abstract
Hypnagogic hallucinations are well established in text books of psychiatry, as also are hypnopompic hallucinations. Hypnagogic hallucinations are those which occur as the subject falls asleep and prevent him falling into a sound sleep, whereas hypnopompic hallucinations occur when the subject is waking up. Since by definition hypnagogic hallucinations actually waken the subject, the distinction between these two types of mental phenomena may be artificial. Psychiatric texts vary in their assessment of the significance of these hallucinations, and, with some exceptions, they have generally been considered as ‘normal’ phenomena.