Alex Patterson from Ballymoney, in County Antrim, is severely sight impaired. His hallucinations started about 15 years ago.
“It was just after the Christmas holidays, we were on Royal Avenue (in Belfast) coming out of a restaurant, and there was a tiger walking down Royal Avenue – that was a bit alarming.
“And that’s when we started looking into what this is.”
Alex also sees insects crawling over food – but he has learned techniques, like blinking, looking away, breathing.
One of his newest techniques is his guide dog Angus.
“If Angus doesn’t flinch when we’re out walking and nothing bothers him, I know I’m just having an episode and I trust him so I walk on.
“It’s one of the myths, this is not a mental health issue. Please believe me, this is not a mental health issue. In layman’s terms – and I can barely see at the best of times – it’s my head and my eyes trying to communicate and the communication is leaving blank spaces, so there’s hallucinations.”
Alex says joining a support group was very beneficial to understanding the condition, and he credits the support of his wife and two daughters for where he is today.
But he says the condition should be better known about in Northern Ireland
“We need to talk about it. If you have any concerns, just pick up the phone.”