Population-based questionnaires suggest that delusions and hallucinations are far more prevalent than was originally considered.1 They do not always imply that the patient has a mental illness. However, their presence has been noted to be higher in patients with a family history of mental disorders.2 Furthermore, delusions and hallucinations should always be reviewed in the context of the patient's ethnicity and social circumstances, although interpreting such symptoms in the context of ethnocultural diversity may be challenging.3 One study propounded that delusions may be caused by problems with the functioning of the orbitofrontal part of the brain, leading to difficulty in adapting to changing circumstances and external pressures.4
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/mental-health/delusions-and-hallucinations