What condition involves hearing voices and experiencing delusions?

The condition that involves hearing voices and experiencing delusions is psychosis. Psychosis is characterized by a disconnection from reality, which can manifest in various ways, including auditory hallucinations (like hearing voices) and delusions (firmly held false beliefs). These symptoms signify an altered perception of reality and can greatly impact an individual's ability to function normally in daily life.

The presence of auditory hallucinations specifically indicates that the individual's internal experience is significantly distorted, highlighting the severity of the mental health condition. Psychosis can be a symptom of several underlying mental health disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression, but regardless of the cause, the hallmark symptoms of hearing voices and delusions define psychosis itself.

In contrast, anxiety disorders typically involve excessive worry and physical responses to stress, depression primarily affects mood and can involve feelings of hopelessness, and obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors, neither of which generally include the profound disconnect from reality seen in psychosis.