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.”
There are lots of days I hear voices, most of the time I can’t understand them, sometimes they say random things but I hear it so clearly. They used to be just in my dreams when I was a kid but they affect my day life nowadays.
I think about it often, yes it could be a good thing. It could be modern, scientific, futuristic. We even could build machines that would make the confersation easier. I think we are the future and in the Bible it is said in revelation that at the end time it seems that the dead comes out of their graves, so perhaps that is with the spirits we experience. It is religion which forbids to talk to the spirits, but then openly discuss and that discussion goes further, why not. Why not let it exist and interact. With your own voices which have something to do with, what you think and the voices of the spirits. That is like mind game, computer game, that is cool and as a voice hearer you are there allready.
Wo could build computergames where we interact with us and the voices and even other people.
you have problems with sleeping, then pray and hold a cross in your hand. Pray several times, that helps as well against nightmares.
I hear voices and then it stoped and I stoped the tablet. Then because I get very emotional, I had to take Abifily again and start hearing voices again. It is disgusting and spooky, why the hell it doesn’t stop and why me??? What is so interesting about me?
I believe the voices are spirits as I was once visited by Jesus who told me that what I see is real and these faces I saw then at the time were men. He called them demons, just think about it.
So I have a peoblem with spirits and demons and did call the angels and then they go away for a while, I pray a bit and sometimes I go to church and that helps as well.
I just talk with a priest about it, but you have to find one first of all, as one said that they get them away and the people feel better but then they knock on the door again, begging for help.
I don’t know what to do, I have studied psy as well and I would punch them in their faces. I mean these psychologists are a gang, overpowering and selfish and ignoring what other people say and so ignoring aggressively religion and religious people. So the general theory on the subject is wrong. If you start dealing with the voices you can stop taking the tablets, if you believe the doctors you take the expensive tablets for ever and are exposed to demons for all your life, so think about it.
any ideas though about sleep?
How do I control the 2 crazy voices?
I’ve always heard voices but there are different ones speaking. Sometimes it’s just the ‘little voice’-you know, the one that tells you to be careful or run. I think this one is insticntive. But there are others, the ‘dad’ voice that is somewhat critical and makes sure I’ve thought out all the options. These two voices don’t worry me or negatively affect my life or relationships. They seem more interested in keeping me safe. But there are two more that are really scaring me because they seem to take over my thinking and I don’t realize it sometimes until after I’ve had a conflict in my life as a result of their actions. They are usually subtle but sometimes I just freak out. Not murdering people freak out, just say and do destructive things in my social/love life like confronting a lover in a very weird, disjointed way. It usually pushes them too far and they break things off. Then I get very depressed and feel out of control. How do I control the 2 crazy voices?
There are lots of days I hear voices, most of the time I can’t understand them, sometimes they say random things but I hear it so clearly. They used to be just in my dreams when I was a kid but they affect my day life nowadays.
This is exactly what I’m experiencing. The voices to me seem more like people around me are talking; sometimes about me, sometimes not. I used to think people in the next room were talking, I could make out the conversation or even the gender or who was speaking, but then when I would walk into that room, noone was there. It confuses me so much that I can understand why people “go insane”. Rarely are they a positive influence. I could easily think that someone is talking or gossiping about me behind my back, yet noone is ever there if I try to “find” where the voice is coming from. The worst is when, like you, everything I hear is random or doesn’t make sense. I would think if it was my own mind, they would at least be able to talk about something I can chime in about. LOL
Sounds like DARPA silent talk program if you ask me. It uses microwave energy from military in cooperation with intelligence communities. Sad but true that the feds do not admit the truth.
a cup of chamomile tea before sleep, eat 3 hrs before bed time, Just try to relax, Breath and concentrate in the muscles of your body and relax them, try to walk every day for 1 hr. get tired, cut every product with caffeine, and eat no too much sugar, It will help a lot.
hi ; ]
any ideas though about sleep? I can’t silence the voices.
So it’s so hard to fall asleep.
try wearing earplugs-sometimes it works to just have one in one ear–so experiment. also try sleeping with a fan or a white-noise machine and maybe some relaxing music and concentrate on that while you drift off. it might also be good to read something positive and inspiring before you go to sleep–make a healthy routine each night and claim that time for just yourself. and always remember–attitude is everything–try and be as positive as possible and learn to love yourself at the deepest of levels–and then noone–even voices cant bring you down. maybe even try and use them to your advantage somehow–make that a goal in life to figure out how to have them work for or with you…its hard so be strong and give yourself a break…:)
~enjoy~
Noise like a fan or airco is more disdurbing and I hear ‘voices more clearly, I’m nt worried or stressed out by them.
It happens mostly when I’m tiered or stressed then when I have had a good nights sleep.
Sometimes I think of something someone has to do and they ‘listen” to me as I was talking to them.
Sometimes especially when I’m really tiered I hear voices but mostly I can think(/speak) to others but not to everyone.
It’s not disturbing but it is weird because their are not that many people that I can connect to.
A couple of drinks (alcoholic) always help!
Sounds like artificial telepathy symtoms if you ask me. That is the DARPA silent talk program. The background white noise make the voice transmission easier to hear.
wow I have read so many I wish I could read them all!
yeah voices they can be very distracting sometimes
When you are trying to read a book or watch a movie
or do something work related
There’s so much noise
wished that I could filter it out
Negative voices
They are pretty scary sometimes.
They tell you to do things
to your self or others.
Things that you definitly don’t want to do.
I guess the best thing to do is to try and ignore theses thoughts
or evil voices and listen only to the good ones.
It just sucks that there’s so many different cases
and not everybody is alike.
But that is why we are here to help
and share our stories with each other.
Even though it’s pretty cool
when you know before hand that something
that is going to happen. ; ]
And sometimes it cool to read some body’s mind
Sometimes.
Just can’t really tell most people about that. =; [
I have been trying to think more positive
about people and my life.
I tell my self that these voices( negative ones)
that they don’t belong to me.
That theses negative voices that they belong to another being.
And that I don’t need to do what they tell me to do.
unless I agree with them.
I may not be able to ever to get
rid of theses voices but I’m trying
to think positive and trying I’m trying
to concentrate on the present and not the past. ; ]
I hear voices but it is not scary or anything, just can be a bit distracting…
My wife has seen things i would say where paranormal.I personally have never saw anything.We where together about 3 years when we had rented a small house about a mile from her grandmother.The house was about 90 years old. I was working late one night and she was sitting at home with our 3 month old son.I must also add that this house had been very secluded before they clear cut the land around it and it had not been lived in for about 12 years,Anyways she had felt strange and turned around and there was a tall man who looked very old and normal except she described him as looking like a hologram from a movie you could see through him the color of this figure was like an old sepia photograph that had been faded by the sun. She completely freaked out and called her grandmother who had lived in the area her entire life.This is a very rural area.She told her grandma that she thought she had seen a ghost. Her grandma asked what he had looked like and my wife told her that he was very tall he was hunched over trying to come through the doorway,he was really thin and wore slacks and a button up shirt.It turns out that a man and woman had built that house and he died there. The man wh0 died there looked very much like the one she had saw.The thing that made her story standout most to her grandmother was that he had died years before my wife was born.They where of no relation there where no pictures of him, since they gave birth to and raised 5 kids in that house also.The last child moved away 12 years prior to the mother of the family dying.
hi!i’m 14 and i have been hearing voices and seeing images since i was 8. i usually hear yelling but not just 1 person it’s usually a big group.the visions are all very random ranging from a dead girl to a dog running down the street.i see them when im at school and home and even when laying in bed.i take 6 pills every morning and night for different problems i have like my asthma etc.but i take none for my visions or the voices i hear.i have told my mom dad and stepmom about this and they all said i was lying to get attention.i’m not.they arent helping any or showing any concern.i dont know who to look to for help.please help. : -bree
Hi Breanna,
Have you tried talking to the school counselor. It’s their job to help their students with all kinds of problems. He/She might be able to get your parents to take you seriously and get you help dealing with this. Good Luck and hang in there.
I think the story of picking up the radio station in your fillings can and must be true. those dentists must have worked the reception and made a few funnies
When I need the essay topic, I will ask buy essay service to help me. But you will make the bright article related to this post by yourself. You have good writing skills, I can tell you, I tell you.
Unfortunately people who lack knowledge and are ignorant of God, those especially whom have been brought up in Western Society, never find a cure. The drugs are there to keep you doped up so you are totally harmless to society. In fact most of them do great damage to the nervous system that is irreparable. Children are being stripped of their religious rights to find what they believe as truth and it is being parched onto them that a big explosion caused miracles to happen. Shame really. I blame those in teaching personally……..
I was SOLD 100% on the whole “psychiatrist+medication” remedy for all types of mental overfunctioning (ADD, schizophrenia, Autism, etc)… but after having met many people with these labels, I have found that many of them would rather learn to live with sounds and sites others didn’t see, rather than to have to live under the haze of anti-psychotics (and the atypicals are NO better, just different) and the demoralization of having “report” every week to a psychiatrist. However, no one has dared to teach that, because leaving a “schizo” unmedicated is risky, and silly, because we have drugs that will help you be normal. I understand that some peoples’ symptoms are so severe that medication is absolutely necessary for safety (ax murdering, etc). But.
What’s the point of being symptom free if you are no longer to conjure your passion or just stay alert everyday? Gain 50 pounds in the first 4 months of medication, woo hoo. For what? A lifetime of being tired, lonely. fat, depression? Blah. There has to be a better way.
I totally agree betty_boo.
Yo, I haven’t heard voices that much but I see really morbid images in my mind’s eye all the time. Be it dead women crying in torn white dresses or small decaying children playing on playgrounds after dark, it seems like something happens almost daily. I talk to my own voice and others’ without any say in what the voice I’m talking to (even if it’s mine) says. But there are only a few times when I have heard something besides conversation. The first time I recall I was three and I just heard a bunch of people mumbling, like maybe I was in a crowded mall (I was in MY OWN bathroom) and there have been many other times like that. Only once was the voice clear that it wasn’t in conversation, it randomly said in an annoying high-pitched whine, “You look like a mosquito in those clothes!”
I am 13 years old and have been hearing voices and noises that were not there at all… It all started when i was 2 or 3… After 3 minutes of hearing that voice or noise i forget about it…But now I see things… When i was over at my grandmother’s house I use to hear a little girl answering my dad’s answering machine but no message came then about 30 seconds later i heard a pig noise i told my dad and he said it was nothing, and once i was 12 i moves out with my dad to live with my step mother and her children but i still heard that once little girl…and another one is: on my 11th birthday i think…i got Guitar Hero 3 for my Nintendo Wii, and while in the middle of a song a little boy started to appear… her had blond hair and he was about 3 foot…He had bluish green eyes….I thought it was my step brother that is now 10 almost 11, my step mother told me he was out there with them watching tv the whole time… So when i yelled at him (thinking that it was my step brother) he disappeared…I have had control over some things i have seen and heard…but not now anymore…I found out my dad only heard a voice once or a few times…so this one was about 1 minute ago. First it was a knocking sound like on a wooden door, then came a female voice telling me something but i couldn’t understand it…i usually meditate every night at 9:30 like i always do but i some how see like 20 people in a group talking and only a dark haired man with brown eyes seems to notice me and asks me where in from every single time i see that sane group…
Marie – that sounds like it must be pretty scary sometimes. There are many people who see things like what you are seeing, so don’t feel alone. It just means that a part of your brain sometimes works a little differently than its supposed to. There is nothing supernatural about it; you don’t have to worry about ghosts or anything, even though that may seem like what’s going on. It’s not. All of these things you see and hear are just a part of your brain acting up. If you father used to hear them, that means you have a family history of this sort of thing.
It’s important that you get help from a professional psychiatrist; this is the only person who can help you deal with these visions and get you feeling normal again. A psychiatrist can help you figure everything out; I repeat, nobody else can do this except a psychiatrist.
who tells a 13 year old that the only help she’s going to get is from a shrink? lol Maybe you should visit one….
i have already been to one and they are freaky to me….
Marie, people can be freaky, you are right about that. I don’t have the answer for you. However, there are people whom you can talk to that are very nice. Just because one of them is a freak, doesn’t mean that they all are. If you wish to talk to someone who is NOT freaky, just keep looking, have your parents bring you for consultations, and don’t stop until you find someone who you feel comfortable with. Not everyone is a freak.
lol i think so 2 must be with age (im 14) and i think you sould talk to them “vocies” gust try it ^^
i hear voices in my head all the time and sometimes i see things like one day i just walked in the house and i saw something run behind the door it looked like a boy or man and when i looked back there was nothing there and usally thats what see usally and one day when i went to bed i woke up for a little while and i thought there was a animal on me or a person on me and i touch there but there was nothin there!!!
and sometimes when i hear the voices in me head and i try to forgot about it i see a picture of it in my head
OMG ITS SCARY ALRIGHT