Written by Patricia Weiser, PharmD | Last updated April 6, 2026
Fact-checked by Patrícia Silva, PhD
If your parent is living with Parkinson’s disease, you may eventually notice changes that go beyond symptoms that affect mobility. Some patients begin to see, hear, or sense things that others do not. These experiences can be part of Parkinson’s psychosis.
These symptoms are more common than many families realize. Research suggests that 20% to 40% of people with the disease experience hallucinations or delusions. Recognizing these signs early and discussing them with your parent’s care team can help guide care decisions.
Signs to watch for in your parent
Spotting early Parkinson’s psychosis symptoms may be difficult because they are often subtle and may be mistaken for normal aging or fatigue. Your parent may also feel embarrassed or unsure about how to talk about what they are experiencing.
While symptoms can look different from person to person, Parkinson’s psychosis most often appears as hallucinations, illusions, or delusions.
Hallucinations
Hallucinations in Parkinson’s involve seeing, hearing, or sensing things that are not actually there. Hallucinations may last only seconds or minutes. You might notice your parent:
- seeing people, animals, or unfamiliar figures
- hearing voices, music, or knocking that others do not hear
- talking to relatives, neighbors, or pets that died long ago
Illusions
Illusions are similar to hallucinations but occur when something real is misinterpreted. These experiences can happen when the lighting is dim or when an object is viewed from a distance. Examples of illusions may include mistaking a shadow, a coat rack, or a lamp for a person, or believing someone moved in the room when it was only a shifting shadow.
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