14-Year-Old Girl Suffers from Severe Hallucinations: Is It a Hallucinosis? What Kind of Treatment is Needed?

Question

A 14-year-old girl has been frequently daydreaming and laughing to herself for the past half year, claiming that people are talking to her in her head and playing games with her. Her academic performance has dropped, she doesn’t do her homework, and she even burns books and throws things. Her memory has also deteriorated, and she doesn’t want to go to school after the summer vacation. Local hospital checks indicate normal intelligence and psychology but suspect hallucinosis or early signs of schizophrenia, recommending medication treatment. The family environment is special; her mother works abroad, and her father is alone with the child, busy with work and unable to provide effective companionship.

Answer

Firstly, it can be confirmed that the girl indeed has a problem. The sensation of people talking to her in her head is a hallucination, a psychiatric symptom commonly seen in schizophrenia but can also appear in other diseases. Based on your description of the medical history, there is a high suspicion of a psychiatric disorder. Whether it is schizophrenia or not requires an in-person diagnosis by a psychiatrist. Currently, she is in the acute phase of the disease, not a “premonition,” and the issue is severe, necessitating immediate consultation at a psychiatric specialty hospital. Early diagnosis and treatment are beneficial for the recovery of the disease. If diagnosed with schizophrenia or other diseases, medication treatment will be required. Her reluctance to go to school may be due to the impact of the disease. According to the current situation, seeing a doctor is more appropriate than transferring schools. The parents’ role is to take their child to a specialty hospital for consultation; if possible, they should visit larger hospitals. In clinical practice, I have found that most families with problematic children also have issues. They can seek consultation at the psychological therapy department of a psychiatric hospital. If conditions permit, inpatient medication and psychological treatment are ideal.