Illusion

A misperception of a real external stimulus. For example, a person may misperceive the rustling of leaves as the sound of voices. Contrast with hallucination.

The result when one erroneously organizes, then misinterprets, and misperceives stimuli q.v. from the physical environment as something contrary to reality.

A faulty perception or misinterpretation of something perceived, such as hearing a train whistle as a woman s scream; a common symptom of psychosis. By contrast, hallucination is a perception of something that is not present.

False impression; wrongful interpretation of what has been perceived by the senses.

A misperception of an external stimulus. For example, during alcohol withdrawal, some alcoholics will see shadows on a wall as insects or rodents. Illusions are often associated with LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) use. An illusion differs from a hallucination in that the perception is false but the stimulus itself is real.

A false perception due to misinterpretation of the stimuli arising from an object. For example, a patient may misinterpret the conversation of others as the voices of enemies conspiring to destroy him. Illusions can occur in quite normal people, when they are usually spontaneously corrected. They may also occur in almost any psychiatric syndrome, especially depression.

An inaccurate perception; a misinterpretation of sensory impressions, as opposed to a hallucination, which is a perception formed without an external stimulus. Vague stimuli are conducive to the production of illusions. If an illusion becomes fixed, it is said to be a delusion.

An erroneous optical experience of an entity, which is perceived correctly by others, represents a prevalent occurrence. One illustrative instance involves the multitude of reported sightings referred to as “UFOs,” subsequently identified as conventional aircraft or meteorological balloons.

An illusion is a distorted sensation resulting from the misinterpretation of a genuine stimulus, like mistaking a pen for a dagger. It differs from a hallucination, where a perception occurs without any actual stimulus. Illusions are typically brief and can be comprehended when explained. They may arise due to fatigue, anxiety, drug use, or brain damage. Delirium tremens, a condition commonly associated with alcohol withdrawal in alcoholics, can often trigger illusions.