'I learned to live with voices', BBC Online, 18/09/2006
Source: BBC Online, 18/09/2006
Brian, 38 and from Manchester, hears voices in his head.
Sometimes they tell him that he is dirty. At other times they taunt him, calling him worthless and evil.
When he hears them, he knows there is nobody there, but they sound as clear as you or me speaking to him.
As a boy aged six, when the voices first began, he was afraid.
"At first I did not cope at all. I struggled.
"I used to lose my temper a lot. I had a really bad time. I hated myself.
"The voices started when I was six. At first it was just one. It was a man's voice - a man that I knew. It was the man that was abusing me at the time.
"That voice continued all my life. When I was 19, it was joined by another one.
On and on "Again, someone tried to sexually assault me and it was that person's voice.
"The voices would just say whatever. They were really derogative. They would put me down, tell me I was dirty, worthless and evil."
He would mainly hear them at night-time. Sometimes they would keep him awake all night.
"The voices can be going on, and on, and on. It is better when you are busy. They can go away, sometimes for days.
"I did not tell anyone at the time. I was too scared.
"It wasn't until I was 33 that I told my GP."
Brian was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He now takes medication and no longer hears the voices. But he questions whether his voices are a form of mental illness or merely a normal human variation.
"I think it is a variation of normal rather than a mental illness.
"I think a lot more children and adults hear voices than admit it.
"There is not anything abnormal about admitting that you are hearing voices."
Through his work with the Hearing Voices Network, Brian says he has met many other people who hear voices in their head.
He said many viewed the voices as a positive thing.
"Some people have religious voices. Some people say God speaks to them. Some people have voices telling them about music and some have voices and they get really artistic.
"It's not always bad. My voices used to inspire me to write poetry."
Brian said there were ways to cope with the voices. "Keeping yourself occupied and talking about things helps. Getting things out in the open rather than building things up - actually talking about them."
He said stress is a major trigger.
"And tiredness, fatigue, or if you are not sleeping or eating well can cause the voices to get really bad."
Hearing Voices has a confidential helpline - 0845 122 8642.
Comments
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Noted; this article reads in present tense in some parts, but it was communicated back in 2006. Have there been any improvements since this time? Praying for sensible wisdoms re; past, present and future. And for ongoing sensible, beneficial, constructive blessings incl. conclusions & solutions for sensible handling s, sorting s of necessaries to be for honourable goods/rights to be being, to be going to be realities. Thanking Dear 'God' & 'Helpers' (incl. in Heaven & on Earth & IF; The Universe applicables).
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Apoligies for last comment. I wrote before read whole of info. Is Brian still communicating on Intervoice? I agree that voices are not; all bad. My experiences have been vary varied. Came to me after Alpha Course back in 1997 and I was very misled & felt betrayed and landed in Ps hospital under section order. However, male voice had requested I pray to God above spirit contacts and this has worked out well in many, many ways and I still continue to progress - doing my best to pray in sensible, beneficial, constructive ways. The spirit contact apologised to me. He had given me a hard/impossible time back in 1986 after I had attended a Spiritual Church which also landed me in ps hospital for same 3 week duration. I was told I had healing powers and was directed into a medium circle. Whilst in the ps hospital I was made to take medication which zombified me. In my case I was fortunate in getting free from the medication and from 86 to 97 did not get the voices. But I was always aware of contacts. However, I lost faith that there was a God. Fortunately, the same voice came back to me in 1997 when I accepted the Holy Spirit and asked me to pray to God. I endeavour to express appreciation when I receive help and daily I pray for sensible redemptions. I actually feel my life is a purposeful one and stopped resenting the voice contact. In fact I am pleased to have the awareness that there are contacts. And I would rather deal with the truths (incl. undesirable truths - than accept deceptions). I do not think it is coincidence that I was kept in a ps hospital for 3 weeks, and home at weekends both after attending a Spiritual Church in 1986 and after attending a Christian Church and Alpha Court in 1997. This shows me that there have been both good and bad coming from both and we need God to help us handle/sort out necessaries to be for honourable goods/rights to be achieved. It has been directed & proved to me that healings of souls (spirits), minds (incl. sub-conscious & conscious minds) can be achieved by prayers to God. Also I have experienced some natural healing of body conditions. However, it is also considered sensible to co-operate with medical professionals - as many of them do their utmost to help us. Therefore I pray for sensible natural healings to compliment prescribed drug treatments. And for sensible co-operations for persons to get free from should be unnecessary prescribed drugs and for ongoing sensible, beneficial, constructive consequences. Thanking Dear 'God' & 'Helpers' (incl. in Heaven & on Earth & IF; The Universe; applicable s).