Read the passage and answer the following questions:
Sarita is a 45 years old housewife. Her husband observed that Sarita's behaviour has changed in the past few months, as she seems to be constantly worried, is suspicious of others and very cautious of going out or even eating the food made by their maid. When asked, Sarita claimed that she hears someone is plotting against her and she may be attacked by others around her including her family members. She also complains of hearing voices of her family members and even strangers who speak ill of her. Sarita firmly believes that 'everyone should be nice to her as she is nice to everyone'. These experiences trouble her mentally, resulting into Alogia, social withdrawal, blunt affect and avolition.
In the passage above, Sarita seems to be experiencing which type of hallucination?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Auditory Hallucination
A hallucination is a perception that occurs in the absence of external stimuli, and the sense involved gives it its name.
Option (1) Visual Hallucination — Incorrect. Visual hallucinations are vague perceptions of colour or distinct visions of people or objects. Sarita does not report seeing anything.
Option (2) Somatic Hallucination — Incorrect. A somatic hallucination is the feeling of something happening inside the body, such as a snake crawling inside one’s stomach. Sarita reports nothing of this kind.
Option (3) Olfactory Hallucination — Incorrect. An olfactory hallucination is a false perception of smell, such as the smell of poison or smoke. Her fear about the maid’s food comes from suspicion, not from a strange smell.
Option (4) Auditory Hallucination — Correct. Sarita complains of hearing voices of her family members and even strangers who speak ill of her. In auditory hallucinations, the most common kind in schizophrenia, patients hear sounds or voices that speak to them or talk about them.
NCERT (2025-26): “Symptoms of Schizophrenia … People with schizophrenia may have hallucinations, i.e. perceptions that occur in the absence of external stimuli. Auditory hallucinations are most common in schizophrenia. Patients hear sounds or voices that speak words, phrases and sentences directly to the patient (second-person hallucination) or talk to one another referring to the patient as s/he (third-person hallucination). Hallucinations can also involve the other senses. These include tactile hallucinations (i.e. forms of tingling, burning), somatic hallucinations (i.e. something happening inside the body such as a snake crawling inside one’s stomach), visual hallucinations (i.e. vague perceptions of colour or distinct visions of people or objects), gustatory hallucinations (i.e. food or drink taste strange), and olfactory hallucinations (i.e. smell of poison or smoke).…” |