Hallucinations, pseudohallucinations, and severity of suicidal ideation among emergency psychiatry patients.

AIMS

This study investigated relative relationships between auditory hallucinations and nonpsychotic hallucinations (pseudohallucinations), and suicidal risk.

METHODS

A sample of 206 consecutive patients seen in an emergency psychiatric service was evaluated for the presence and intensity of hallucinatory experiences (the hallucination item of the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale), suicidal intensity (the suicide item of the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale), and cumulative suicide risk (the total number of risk factors).

RESULTS

Individuals with nonpsychotic hallucinations experienced greater intensity of suicidal ideation versus subjects with no hallucinations or subjects with psychotic hallucinations (p = .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Pseudohallucinosis is associated with higher intensity of suicidal ideation compared with psychotic hallucinations or no hallucinations.