What Is It Called When You See Illusions? Let’s Break It Down
Understanding the Basics: What Are Visual Illusions?
Alright, let’s get real — you’ve probably looked at one of those mind-bending optical illusion pictures and thought, “Whoa, am I seeing things?” I had this exact conversation last night with my friend Alex. We were staring at one of those spinning circles online, and Alex goes, “Dude, is this some kind of hallucination or illusion or what?” Good question, right?
Here’s the deal: when you see illusions, it’s called a visual illusion or optical illusion. These are situations where your brain misinterprets visual information, making you see something that doesn’t match physical reality. But wait, it’s not always harmless trickery — sometimes, it’s part of something deeper.
The Science Behind Seeing Illusions
How Does the Brain Process Visual Input?
Your eyes collect light, sure, but it’s your brain doing the heavy lifting. When you see an illusion, it’s often because your brain is trying to fill in gaps, make predictions, or resolve conflicting signals. For example, those famous “impossible objects” (like the Penrose triangle) exploit how your brain processes depth and perspective.
Now, here’s where it gets tricky. Alex and I debated this: if you’re seeing illusions without any external trigger (like no funky pictures, just random visual distortions), it might be something called visual hallucinations — and that’s not the same as an optical illusion. Hallucinations come from the brain itself, not from misreading real-world inputs.
Different Types of Illusions You Might Experience
Optical Illusions
These are the fun ones — art, puzzles, magic tricks. Your brain gets fooled, but it’s harmless.
Cognitive Illusions
This is when your expectations or past experiences shape what you perceive. Ever see a cloud and think it looks like an animal? That’s your brain imposing meaning where none exists.
Pathological Visual Distortions
This one gave me pause when researching. If you consistently see things that aren’t there, it could signal a neurological issue — migraines, epilepsy, or even Charles Bonnet Syndrome (look it up, it’s wild). I’ll admit, at first, I lumped all visual oddities under “illusion,” but no, some are actual medical symptoms.
My Own Story: Getting It Wrong
Quick personal anecdote: last year, I freaked out because I kept seeing flashes of light at the edge of my vision. I googled like a maniac, convinced I was seeing “illusions.” Turns out, after a slightly panicked visit to the eye doctor, it was a retinal issue — totally different from an optical illusion. Lesson learned: don’t self-diagnose everything you see online!
When Should You Be Concerned?
Fun vs. Frightening
If you’re enjoying illusions in art, games, or magic — awesome. But if you’re seeing shapes, figures, or lights that no one else can see, especially without external triggers, talk to a doctor. Alex and I both agreed it’s easy to joke about “trippy” visuals, but your brain and eyes deserve real care.
Final Thoughts: More Than Just a Trick of the Eye
So, next time someone asks, “What’s it called when you see illusions?” — you can say: it’s a visual or optical illusion if it’s about perception tricks, but if it’s spontaneous, it might be a hallucination or a medical issue.
Have you ever been completely fooled by an illusion or worried about something you saw? Seriously, I’d love to hear your story — because honestly, sometimes our brains play the most fascinating (and frustrating!) games on us.
How much height should a boy have to look attractive?
Well, fellas, worry no more, because a new study has revealed 5ft 8in is the ideal height for a man. Dating app Badoo has revealed the most right-swiped heights based on their users aged 18 to 30.
Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.