Psychologists have launched a study to find out why some people who hear voices in their head consider it a positive experience while others find it distressing.
The University of Manchester investigation – announced on World Hearing Voices Day (Thursday, 14th September) – comes after Dutch researchers found that many healthy members of the population there regularly hear voices.
Although hearing voices has traditionally been viewed as ‘abnormal’ and a symptom of mental illness, the Dutch findings suggest it is more widespread than previously thought, estimating that about 4% of the population could be affected.
Researcher Aylish Campbell said: “We know that many members of the general population hear voices but have never felt the need to access mental health services; some experts even claim that more people hear voices and don’t seek psychiatric help than those who do.
“In fact, many of those affected describe their voices as being a positive influence in their lives, comforting or inspiring them as they go about their daily business. We’re now keen to investigate why some people respond in this way while others are distressed and seek outside help.”
Although the voices heard by psychiatric patients and members of the general population seem to be of the same volume and frequency, the former group tend to interpret the voices as more distressing and negative.
The team believes that external factors such as a person’s life experiences and beliefs may be the key to these differences: for example, the presence of childhood trauma or negative beliefs about themselves could have an affect.
“If a person is struggling to overcome a trauma or views themselves as worthless or vulnerable, or other people as aggressive, they may be more likely to interpret their voices as harmful, hostile or powerful,” said Aylish.
“Conversely, a person who has had more positive life experiences and formed more healthy beliefs about themselves and other people might develop a more positive view of their voices.
“People being treated for hearing voices are usually given medication in an attempt to eliminate the problem. By investigating the factors influencing how voices are experienced we hope to contribute to the development of psychological therapies to help people better understand and cope with their voices.”
ermmm i talk to myself, i think im a frog sumtimes andd sumtimess i think i mite hear voices but i dont no if thats just mee talkin to myself agen. oh yeahh and i have a recurring dream wher im falling down a black hole decorated with fairytale borders … very alice in wonderland
i have dreams where i see a certain object its not all the time and then in the next week or so i see that object. i dont know what its called if there is a name and sometimes i have dreams that are not my own its like im in someone elses dream those dreams are rare for me now.im only 11 almost 12 and this has been happening since i was little its really freaky
hey R8 nw I m hearing a voice inside my head saying …. sooooommmmeeebody take these psycho loonies from the society and chain them in the asylum. (Causion:They may bite) :P
No offense please felt like being the show stopper of this nonsense post.
What is the matter with your sense of empathy? Could you NOT see that many people here are distressed by these experiences? Even if you don’t believe the voices are from valid sources, their effect on these people is real, and often unnerving. Just because you have an ego that won’t shut up, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ATTEMPT to control your need to be in the spotlight.
sub to me mother f*cker or i will rape you
Uhhhh, freaky??? Your a freaky person…
i like men now!
i get aloud noise in my head
You can contact me on [email protected], I hear voice as well and think that as well talking to them or understand giving then some credit some form of aqunowledgement to understand what goes on in the world of voices or spirit world. We can find out together what goes on and why they say this.
There is no such thing as insanity.
There is such thing as insanity, but it all depends on your definition of the word…as far as i am concerned, the insane people are the ones that have no tolerance for the new and no sympathy for the different…I hear voices, but i find that i am actually considered the most sane in my house…I find that the ones that call us insane are the ones that get busted by the cops for doing realy…erm…crazy stuff (drugs, drinking underage, suicide ect)…so there is insane, you just dont know the real definition until you are insane yourself because societys standards are to messed up to be able to count them anymore..
Hi my nasme is anthony just a few weeks ago i thought i was going mad.Iv found out that im able to record voices & think that people are turning against me.they get clear on times but most times they wisper.Who can i get in contact with to help me understand more.they where telling me to try & cut my self but I was a bit stronger . Im ABORIGINAL but im afraid its gona get wors .Iv been told is gona get wors befor it gets betta.Is there any 1 able to help me on what im going threw
What do you mean you are able to record voices? Do you mean white noise? Are you able to hear the voices without recording them? And if they are telling you to hurt yourself, ignore them. It is that easy. If you brother or sister kept telling you to cut yourself you wouldn’t would you. Well what is the difference. the voice you are hearing isn’t God. So if a spirit wants you to hurt yourself so you can come over to be with them, they will just have to wait till God wants you.
you tell it sister:P
Although there may be several causes of hearing voices I have family experience that exposure to visual Subliminal Distraction is one source.
This problem was discovered when it caused mental breaks for knowledge workers in the 1960’s. The office cubicle was created to prevent that exposure.
One of the early effects of exposure is hearing voices. HV also appears in many Culture Bound Syndromes. Often the sufferer believes they are possessed.
What I observed in our family case was that the barrier between waking thought and dreaming is broken down. My wife wakes believing that her dreams are real and she continues to act out the episode speaking to the “others.” She usually demands that the “voices” leave her alone.
VisionAndPsychosis.Net is a private psychology project about the phenomenon. The “special circumstances” that allow exposure are so simple they can be created almost anywhere. This phenomena may be causing the disappearances and suicides of college students.
Researcher2 ‘at’
http://VisionAndPsychosis.Net
My aunt has been hearing voices for the greater part of life and because of this she suffers everyday. She is viewed differently by people in our community because of her problem. I can tell these voices pain her. She is no longer able to tell the difference from reality and fiction. I do not beleive that hearing voices is good in any way and she agrees with me!
I agree with the both of you I do BELIEVE that the demons ?do you and your Aunt read the Bible please add me I will be PRAYING for you [email protected] thank you please let me Help you.GOD BLESS and KEEP you and your family Amen.
I just wanted to reply to yours incase mine didn’t get posted. Your story sounds most familar to mine. We should talk and exchange stories. I’ve others too,
Voice, My sister and I started hearing voices the same day. We were just messing around. 8 years ago. She has people she speaks too, and I have my own. Yaza is his name. There are many others but Yaza is only one I am allowed to speak his name. people on the otherside try to communicate but sometimes its difficult for what they want. I have problem when too many are speaking at once. Or when someone is talking to me by myself in my home telling me to come here. That was the old house though. In this new house, Seems like there is a party goin on out in the living. Sometimes when my bf is home he stop what he is doing and say “did you hear that?” “Is somebody here?” and get up real quick and check things out. But nothing. We live in a house with lots of traffic because of our roomate. Its an odd house actaually. A painted black house that we rent that is between two fields of horses on a stretch of main road. The house sits on water wells and the land is slanted. So one end of the house is higher than the back. Walking in is like a fun house. All in all the voices are positive for me though they say other things. Most things come true. They are helpful and yaza is my friend.
THat sounded a bit chryhptic at the end, when you said that they are good, but “they say other things too”. I’ve had many encounters w/ the other side, and just because a being can help you know a few things before thaty occur, does NOT mean thaty are good beings. Often, they use such abilities as parlor tricks to get you to trust them and enjoy their company…. at first. Be careful, because you really do not know them any more than you know a stranger in a chat room. But, they are so much more dangerous, since you give them access to your head!
Also, you said you were “just messing around”? Sounds like you did some conjuring that your not mentioning. My guess would be OUIJA. Betcha I can guess a few of the others’ names. They are often not good company, beware!
No control of transceiver or receiver , but if developed in early childhood the hardware would be in place. Think of teaching illiterare adults to read and write. Math as well. People become frustrated because they can’t control the volume switch while they believe someone is talking to them. Try playing comfortably loud music subject likes with HOOK (industry term) in it. Preferably new music and you know what happens next. The brain keeps playing the hook over and over until you buy it and play it too many weeks. Why do number one hits get old even though we still like the songs? Same reason. Old technology beats the undeveloped newer one in the brain. Medicine may turn down the volume, but that’s a bandaid. Why did men beat drums on ships with oars? Baseline helped change channel(attention) from muscles to music before good pain medicines were available. Bottomline, hearing voices in your head is bad because your eardrums are the equivalant of speakers and someone has to conscously be screwing with you,helping you,or annoying you by accident. Have you ever had a speaker in a radio,telephone,computer start talking? I heard my Stepfather come over everything in the house one day and discovered linear amplifiers amazing!!!!!I did not know what was going on at first. Mom knew immediately and explained it was an accident. National Public Radio has Affinity Hour on Friday nights around 7pm. This may have contributed to my opinions due to sources (doctors,scientists that work on people problems)Problems being bad.
I have been hearing voices all my life.I love it.I am never truely alone.Most of these voices are from other star systems,and they are helping me through the challenges of life.The universe is full of life,and many beings and/or consciousness lives throughtout.When I say many I mean more than you could ever fathom.Some other voices are really just other peoples thoughts that are accidently picked up by telepathy.Do not be afraid.Live life with joy and hope.The voices can also help people be more artistic and creative.They can even help us not be so naive and gullible when people like George Bush and his nazi cabal try to lie to us.God bless all !
It’s okay. We like it here with me.
I am an not very religous 50 yr old male and have heard voices, specifically, female voices, throughout my lifetime. Four times in my life I was foretold of an event concerning a loved one or myself. All of the things I was told came true. These were not life altering events. In my teens, I was at college and awoke early to a desire to skip school and drive 100 miles back to near my old haunts, and to drive down a street I had never traveled, at a specific time. There walking down the street away from her broken down car was an old girl friend of mine. I took her home and we spent the day together. I never told her the truth why I happened to be there. I still think of her more than any other girlfriend I have had. Another time I am pulling into a parking spot to see a movie with a date and While talking I hear a female voice in an urgent whisper say “do not park here.” This is while I am speaking to my date! No, thier was no one else near.I was having so much fun at the moment, I did’nt respond. Afterwards, when we returned to the car, it had obviously been broken into. Like I say , not to life altering, but What am I to think of this? In case you are wondering, yes, I am employable.
I can’t tell you how long I’ve waited to hear that other normal people hear voices, too. Mine have been with me since a summer camp cookout, the first social occasion I experienced without my parents. I was never to feel alone again. Two voices joined me at the cookout, and about 30 others have come along since. We all live happily inside here, as long as the one known as Rowena behaves civilly. She understands that it is her choice and her choice alone whether to fly off the handle. My doctor has expressed concern, but what does he know? He is not from Amsterdam. Needless to say, I have received many second opinions since he began pestering me!
The one known as Jared said it would be OK for me to post to this blog. Rowena is sleeping peacefully. Blessings to all!
It’s just like I’ve been trying to tell you, God wants me to count the french fries before I eat them.
We all hear voices in our dreams while asleep. Hearing voices during waking time is the result of turning on the dreaming mechanism. It is referred as “dreaming while awake”.