What mental disorder is often associated with hallucinations and delusions?

Schizophrenia is the mental disorder most commonly associated with hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations can involve seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not present, while delusions are false beliefs that are strongly held despite contrary evidence. These symptoms are central to the diagnosis of schizophrenia and significantly affect the individual’s perception of reality, leading to challenges in daily functioning, relationships, and overall mental health.

In contrast, depression primarily involves mood disturbances, such as persistent sadness or loss of interest, and while some individuals may experience psychotic features like hallucinations or delusions, this is not characteristic of the disorder itself. Anxiety disorders focus on excessive fear or worry, which does not typically present with the psychotic symptoms seen in schizophrenia. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions), without the presence of hallucinations or delusions. Thus, among the listed options, schizophrenia is specifically recognized for its hallucinatory and delusional features.