Hallucinations Charles Bonnet Syndrome occurs in people who have sight loss from any eye condition. As sight loss is more common in older people, many people who have this condition also tend to be older. However, anyone of any age, including children and young people, may develop Charles Bonnet Syndrome following sight loss. This condition causes people to experience visual hallucinations due to the brain’s adjustment to loss of sight. Charles Bonnet Syndrome is not connected to any mental health conditions, although it’s possible for someone to have Charles Bonnet Syndrome that co-exists with hallucinations caused by another mental health condition (170). Despite not necessarily being due to poor mental health, any emotional distress caused by these hallucinations should be treated adequately and appropriately using the Youth MHFA action plan. Support a blind or partially sighted young person Communication In a crisis, encourage the young person to text ‘VIP’ to 85258 for free, accessible, and immediate support from SHOUT. Sit and support them while they contact the helpline. Fully sighted people don’t often say their own name when they greet a friend face to face. Face-to-face communication between fully sighted people also contains complex body language and visual cues that may not be visible to the young person. When supporting a blind or partially sighted young person with Youth MHFA, it is necessary to acknowledge and adjust some of your communication traits. When approaching and subsequently giving support: – Introduce yourself by name straight away, no matter how well you think they know your voice.
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