“Dear Rachael, I wouldn’t know what to do if I noticed my husband hallucinating. Is it really okay to ‘go along with it’? Wouldn’t that make the hallucinations worse?“
Always, always Embrace Their Reality™, even when the hallucination is scary. Remember that we’re working to solve the emotional problem, not the physical one. The physical problem is, “Does this thing really exist?” The answer, of course, is no. The emotional problem is, “Am I concerned, scared, or upset by this thing?” The answer is yes. Let’s solve the emotional problem.
How do we do that? When someone is seeing or hearing something that isn’t there, the worst thing we can do is say something like, “Don’t worry, that’s all in your mind!” Hallucinations are incredibly real for the person experiencing them, and telling them that what they’re seeing “isn’t real” will only make things worse.
Instead, solve the emotional problem.
Example: They see that someone is outside, trying to break into the house. Show them that you’re locking the door and then place a (fake) call to the police. Reassure them that you’re armed and dangerous (or whatever you think they’ll respond to) and that you’ll be safe at home.
Example: They feel bugs crawling in their bed at night. Instead of showing them at that “there aren’t any bugs,” grab a spray bottle with some water and some aromatic scent and spray around the bed. Let them know that this spray is bug deterrent, and all should be well.
