Cancer and dissatisfying jobs increase risk of hallucinating
Hallucinations are a rare phenomenon and are troubling experiences in which someone sees or hears things which are not there, but which feel very real.
People with cancer are more likely to suffer from hallucinations than people without it, according to new research by Birkbeck. This is most likely because being diagnosed with cancer, receiving treatment, and coping with fears about prognosis (including risks of dying) are highly stressful experiences.
The research analysed data from 7,586 adults, of whom 1,082 have cancer. The researchers found that 1 in 180 people with cancer experienced hallucinations, whereas around 1 in 500 people without cancer experienced them. Overall, patients with cancer felt less in control or autonomous about their lives, which contributed to reduced life satisfaction which is a protective factor against hallucinations.
The researchers also discovered that working in a dissatisfying job, suffering from loneliness, and having restless sleep, also raises the chances of someone suffering from hallucinations.
Hallucinations are a rare phenomenon and are troubling experiences in which someone sees or hears things which are not there, but which feel very real. They can be a sign of severe mental illness (for example schizophrenia) but studies show that people in the general population can suffer from hallucinations under certain circumstances, for example being under heavy stress.
Lead researcher Dr Caroline Kamau-Mitchell, Reader in Occupational Health at Birkbeck, University of London, said: “People who suffer from hallucinations can find them very distressing, and hallucinations can worsen the stresses facing people with cancer. Organisations need to protect the occupational health of workers with cancer, such as by tackling bullies and unreasonable physical demands.
“Loneliness or jobs that make people unhappy are also known to reduce mental health, but we have discovered that they could raise the risk of hallucinations, a potential symptom of psychosis. It is therefore important for clinicians, families, and societies to be aware that physical health, mental health and occupational health are all interconnected.”
The research is published in The Journal of Psychiatric Research.