Coping With Hearing Voices

by Rethink

Introduction

Most people in modern-day western culture think of hearing voices as a clear sign of mental illness but it's as well to remember that not everyone shares this opinion. A report published by the British Psychological Society in (2000) claims that 10-15 % of the population hear voices or experience other hallucinations at some point in their life. However, only about 1 % of the population is given a diagnosis of schizophrenia and a similar number get a diagnosis of manic depression (often called 'bi-polar disorder'). In some other cultures hallucinations are thought of as spiritual gifts. So not everybody who hear voices is thought of as having a mental illness by themselves, their families or even the mental health services.

Hearing voices in itself may not necessarily be distressing. What really matters is the effect that hearing voices has upon the person's life. For some voice hearers the experience is highly distressing and disturbing and it has a negative impact upon their life. Voices can be critical, hostile and even result in suicide. For others the experience is not distressing; it can even be positive, comforting or inspiring. Sometimes, hearing voices becomes distressing in itself because of the way it is viewed by our culture and because of the way the media portray people who hear voices as dangerous to others, which is very rarely the case.

But many people who hear voices find themselves having to deal with a different world, which may at times be overwhelming and may shut out everything else. As a result reasoning may be almost taken away, making it difficult or even impossible to go about life without being affected by such penetrating and confusing experiences.

What Are Voices?

Using brain imaging techniques (ie using a brain scanner), researchers can see which parts of the brain are active during different tasks. So, using these brain imaging techniques researchers can see which parts of the brain are active whilst you are experiencing psychotic symptoms, such as hearing voices. This shows that when you are hearing voices part of the brain, called Broca's area, is active. This is the same area that is active when a person without psychosis makes inner speech, such as when reciting a poem to themselves. This shows that the voices originate within the brain, in just the same way inner speech is generated. The difference is that with hallucinations (e.g. voices) the auditory cortex is also activated. The auditory cortex is normally active when we are listening to sounds, such as somebody talking. So, when you have hallucinations of hearing voices, Broca's area and the auditory cortex are both active, making it seem like the voices are coming from outside. Whereas, in inner speech (such as silently reciting a poem to oneself) only the Broca's area is active and we recognise it as our own silent speech.

What Factors May Make Hearing Voices Difficult To Cope With?

* Our society mostly views hearing voices negatively and this increases the distress caused by the experience;

* The media tend to give very biased accounts and this maintains public prejudice which can be distressing;

* Being misunderstood or even ostracised by other people can be a problem and it can be difficult to find somewhere that feels safe in such a situation;

* Blanking out or not accepting voices can make the experience worse;

* People may have a poor experience of mental health services and so be reluctant to seek help;

* Professionals, family members and friends may be reluctant to talk about the content of voices; and

* Being given a diagnosis of a mental illness may be distressing in itself and may lead to the experience of not being invited to social occasions, and not being consulted about personal and family issues, although this might be done with good intentions eg to protect you from stress. It may also lead to discrimination by employers or others.

What Makes Hearing Voices Easier To Cope With?

Knowing about the available options and getting the best treatment for you is vital.

* For many people, taking appropriate medication can stop the voices altogether or make them more distant and therefore easier to cope with. New drugs have been developed in recent years which are less likely to cause unacceptable side effects.

* Some talking therapies are proving to be very helpful to people who hear voices. Cognitive therapy, in particular, can enable someone to cope with hostile voices and reduce the delusions which often accompany them.

* Learning to recognise what might 'trigger' episodes of voice hearing, and to recognise patterns in the voices should make you better prepared for dealing with future episodes. Many people find that relaxation or some form of distraction can be helpful.

* Talking about hearing voices with other people who understand the experience, such as other voice hearers, can be a very useful way to begin to come to terms with your experiences. Talking with others can help you accept your voices, as well as reducing feelings of isolation and can boost self-confidence. Talking to other people about voices may be difficult for you. You may feel vulnerable or even ashamed. It can be helpful to find people to talk to who will give you a positive and accepting response. It may be easier to talk with other voice hearers than to people who have never experienced anything like it. Self-help groups, such as NSF'S Voices Forum or those set up by The Hearing Voices Network are often useful.

* Being positive about who you are can be a great help, and also getting a positive and accepting response from other people.

* Being respected as an individual. It can be helpful if services adopt an approach which treats the individual as a whole person and not just his or her symptoms;

* Services which support and help your family members in understanding and responding to you are also very important.

About the Author

www.rethink.org
Rethink is the largest severe mental illness charity in the UK. We are dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by severe mental illness, whether they have a condition themselves, care for others who do, or are professionals or volunteers working in the mental health field.