Updated 06/02/2010

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INTERVOICE, the international organisation for the advocacy of Hearing voices held a highly successful congress on the 17th and 18th September, 2009 in the MECC in Maastricht. You can read accounts by people who attended here and the results of the formal evaluation here

At this congress over 90 voice hearers, researchers and therapists presented key note speeeches, ran master classes and themed presentations focusing on important aspects of the recovery process. The Congress also included discussion around difficult issues such as the disease concept of schizophrenia and the use of medication. The themes and stories heard at the Congress went beyond theory and engaged participants in the everyday lives of voice hearers and the possibility of recovery.

Over 350 psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, managers, people hearing voices, families and policymakers from 20 countries were present at the largest event of its kind in the world.

You can view and download the presentations and other material presented to the meeting here

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You can download a hard copy of the full programme here

You can read the Abstract booklet which includes details of the presentations and presenters biographies, available online here for presenters A -L and here for presenters M -V
A hard copy of the abstract book was issued at the congress.

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INTERVOICE meeting, 14th - 16th September 2009

The INTERVOICE premeeting was attended by over 120 voice hearers and INTERVOICE members from Monday 14 till Wednesday to the 16 September 2009 in Valkenburg (near Maastricht), Netherlands.
You can view and download the presentations and other material presented to the meeting here

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Updated 20/10/2009

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The voice inside: A practical guide for and about people who hear voices
Written and edited by Paul Baker
with contributions from Marius Romme, Sandra Escher and Ron Coleman

You can order your copy here

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ISBN: 978-0-9563048-1-0

Published by P&P Press 2009

This handbook is an updated and combined version of two previously published booklets I wrote over ten years ago introducing the subject of hearing voices, they were called, Can You Hear me and The Voice Inside. Inside you will find lots of new information about the experience of hearing voices; with advice about how to cope and make sense of the experience and descriptions for voice hearers and workers of new ways of helping to cope better with troubling voices.

The information in this guide is based on research and practical work carried out in 19 countries over the last seventeen years, which for the first time comes directly from the real experts, the voice hearers themselves. In this guide we seek to answer three fundamental questions:
• what is it like to hear voices?
• why does it start and what does it mean?
• and how can people cope better - and – be helped to cope with this experience if it is troubling them?

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Updated 20/09/2009

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Thank you very much for participating in the 1st World Hearing Voices Congress - and - the INTERVOICE meeting too, if you went to both events.

It was great to share your company and to be alongside you in experiencing an extraordinary event. For me the core messages coming from the congress and INTERVOICE meeting is that collectively and individually the supporters of hearing voices movement are courageous, determined, creative and optimistic. Courageous in the way we are taking on the negative social and medical perceptions of the voice hearing experience and showing recovery is real; determined to bring about change in own lives and for all people who hear voices by challenging services to change; creative and optimistic in finding new ways to assist people who hear voices live their own lives and sharing them with the world.

We hope you found the presentations and workshops stimulating and informative. We would like you to tell us what you thought about both of the events, so we can share our experiences with each other (and of course those people who were unable to attend) and also to use the feedback in planning next years Congress (to be held in England).

If you took photographs, videos which you would like to share please send them to me - or - if you are a Facebook member you can subscribe to our brand new Facebook INTERVIOICE Group and add your thoughts, photos and videos there. Go here

I´ll end with an extract from the Labi Siffre song that was played at the beginning of the congress "Something inside so strong"

Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Tho' you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone
Oh no, something inside so strong
Oh oh oh oh oh something inside so strong

The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly
It will blind you

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
When we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
I'm gonna do it anyway
I'm gonna do it anyway

Hoping to see you in England next year and please keep in touch.

Best wishes

Paul Baker On behalf of INTERVOICE





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Last updated 10/08/2009

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This is part one of the list of speakers and abstracts. Click on the name of the speaker to read their biography and abstract. The speakers are listed in alphabetical order. Please note that some abstracts have yet to be received.

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Johanna Turner Baker (UK): Meaning of voices in a student population
A. Bartels (NL): Psychosomatic characteristics of the HV rating scale
Prof. Dr. Richard Bentall (UK): Why relationships matter: The crucial role of the therapeutic alliance in helping people with psychosis
Wiktor Berg (N): What helps people to recover; the recovery journey
Dr. Lisa Blackman (UK): Voices and the concept of the 'double-brain
W. Boevink (NL): The TREE program; Towards Recovery, Empowerment and Experimental Expertise
F. Brummans (NL) :17 benefits of a hearing voices group
Prof. R. Buccheri (USA) and Prof. Louise Trygstad (USA): 10 session course teaching behaviour strategy
Peter Bullimore (UK): The importance of the 3 stages of voice hearing and paranoia

M. Chawla (UK): Voice hearing due to childhood issues and getting over-diagnosed as schizophrenia
Jim Chapman (UK), Mervyn Morris (UK): Recovery based working with voices
Ron Coleman (UK): Owning our experience; taking back power
Dr. Dirk Corstens (NL): Making sense: a systematic method to exploring the function of the voices

Jacqui Dillon (UK): The experienced trauma treatment according to J. Herman’s book ’Trauma and recovery’

Dr .Sandra Escher (NL): A training model in interviewing voice hearers about their experience
Dr. Sandra Escher (NL): Preventive changes with children hearing voices

Brendan Georgeson (UK): A Case Study; successfully working with a woman hearing voices in a residential drug/alcohol rehab
Tilly Gerritsma (NL), Titus Rivas (NL): Voices and inspiration, voices and emotions
Dr. J. Gerritsma (NL): An introduction course in accepting voices
L. v.d. Giessen (NL), W. v. Staalen (NL): Hearing voices related to severe abuse
Heather Glancy (UK): The Benefits of Women-only Hearing Voices Groups
Lia Govers (I): Achieving full recovery through becoming aware of meaning

Wilton Hall (USA): Coming off medication; a harm reduction approach
Paul Hammersley (UK): Campaign for the abolition of the schizophrenia label
B. Hartnett (IR): The Irish solution
Jacqueline Hayes (UK): Hearing voices in bereavement
M. Haywood (UK): Understanding voices in a relational framework
Douglas Holmes (Australia): Understanding voices in a relational framework

Mike Jackson, Katie Thornton (UK): Comparing benign and pathological voices
Marlene Janssen (Australia) Hearing voices and self-care
Dr. J. Jenner (NL): Illustration and amplification of the HIT-programme
Dr. Simon Jones (UK): Emanuel Swedenborg and his experiences

B. Kårkvik (N), A. Kalhoven (N), F. Leroi (N), K. Hugdahl (N), E. Vedul-Kjelsås (N): Prevalence of hearing voices in the normal population
Dr. Julie Kirby (UK): The experience of voice-hearing

F. Laroi (B): Emotion regulation trauma and hallucination proneness
Prof. Ivan Leudar (UK): The sources of meaning in voice hearing
Eleanor Longden (UK): Adopting a non-judgemental and tolerant acceptance to voice hearing
Prof. Dr. A. Loonen (NL): Do neurolepetics work?
S. Luckwell (AU): Developing awareness in relations to one’s voices

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Biographies and Abstracts (2) here

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Johanna Turner Baker

Johanna Turner Baker (UK) currently working as a part time research assistant at the University of Manchester and as a therapeutic horticulturist in schools around Manchester.

Abstract: Meaning of voices in a student population In this talk I will be presenting three cases chosen from ongoing research on hearing voices in a student population. During the study I have been interviewing in depth students who reported hearing voices. In this talk I will focus on instances where the interviewees simply hear their own name called. This experience is fairly common and seems too simple for comment. Yet, the meaning voice hearers ascribe to such voices can vary and be quite complex and personally significant. The talk focuses on and documents the methods that voice hearers use to endow these experiences with meaning. The main source of meaning is contextualisation of the experience in a variety of contexts, that include the physical here-and-now, the extended present and person’s biography. These experiences happen as part of people’s day to day lives, so I will look at how hearing one’s name called might alter their experience at the time. I will also report on social resources that people use to explain these ‘unusual experiences’. These include medical, psychological and spiritual representations of hearing voices. The point of the research is to normalise the experience – none of the informants had any diagnosable psychological problems.

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A. Bartels

A. Bartels (NL):

Abstract: Psychosomatic characteristics of the HV rating scale

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Richard Bentall (UK)

Prof. Dr. Richard Bentall (UK): holds a Chair in Clinical psychology at the University of Bangor, Wales, UK. He is particularly well known for his work on psychosis, delusions and hallucinations and has published extensively in this area. He also has an interest in differences between human and animal pedagogy and the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. In 1989 he was awarded the British Psychological Society's 'May Davidson Award' for contributions to the field of clinical psychology. He has edited and authored several books, most notably the recent Madness Explained, which was winner of the British Psychological Society Book Award 2004.

Abstract: Why relationships matter: The crucial role of the therapeutic alliance in helping people with psychosis

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Wiktor Berg

Wiktor Berg (N): Wiktor Berg is a clinical social worker and therapist, Northern Norway, Clinical social worker. Master degree in social work in 2007. For the last seven years working as a therapist in a sub- acute department at a psychiatrich hospital in the north of Norway. More precisly at Nordlandssykehuset HF in Bodø in the county of Nordland.

Abstract: What helps people to recover; the recovery journey What has been important factors for these people who have recovered from a serious mental illness, with a special focus on their daily living, which personal characteristics have been useful and which coping strategies have they developed. Other topics have been to which degree and in which way other people have been important. And what do the interviewees think themselves regarding the period they were ill.

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Dr. Lisa Blackman (UK)

Dr. Lisa Blackman (UK) Senior Lecturer in Communications, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, she works at the intersection of critical psychology and cultural theory and is particularly interested in subjectivity, affect, the body and embodiment. She has published two books in this area, Hearing Voices: Embodiment and Experience (Free Association Books) and Mass Hysteria: Critical Psychology and Media Studies (with Valerie Walkerdine; Palgrave).

Abstract: Voices and the concept of the 'double-brain What has been left out or silenced in psychiatry's engagement with this issue? I will focus on Julian Jayne's book, The Bicameral Mind, and explore how this concept has re-emerged in contemporary psychiatric discourse, albeit, silencing the important aspects of Jayne's work which allow an engagement with voices as potential sources of inspiration/creativity and trauma/abuse. This is part of my current book which is exploring how the hearing of voices can be both containing and yet also disturbing and how these embodied experiences can be approached more relationally through techniques which work through more non-cognitive registers.

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W. Boevink (NL)

W. Boevink (NL):

Abstract: The TREE program; Towards Recovery, Empowerment and Experimental Expertise The HIT model has integrated specific motivation strategies for non-compliance, medication, CBT, family treatment and social rehabilitation. The model offers accessibility of outreach treatment all days around the clock.

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F. Brummans (NL)

F. Brummans (NL):

Abstract: 17 benefits of a hearing voices group

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Prof. R. Buccheri (USA) and Prof. Louise Trygstad (USA):

Prof. R. Buccheri (USA) and Prof. Louise Trygstad (USA): Prof. R. Buccheri (USA), DNSc., ARNP, Professor, USF School of Nursing, San Francisco, USA, San Francisco, Louise Trygstad, DNSc, RN, CNS, Professor Emerita, USF School of Nursing

Abstract: 10 session course teaching behaviour strategy Two nurses who have been working with people who hear voices for 15 years. They are the experts and have taught us what we know about voices including what helps and what does not help. We have led a “Managing Voices and Negative Thoughts” support group for 11 years. The purpose of our 15-year research program has been to empower people to better cope with their distressing voices. Our theory based 10-session course teaches people behavioral strategies (e.g., talking to others, relaxation techniques) to manage their distressing voices including commands to harm. Participants practice a strategy twice a day for a week and then the following week learn and practice a new strategy. Attendance at the course was found to be associated with a reduction in negative characteristics of voices (i.e., frequency, self-control, clarity, tone, distractibility, distress), intensity of voices, and levels of anxiety and depression. Immediately after attendance at the course, the prevalence of commands to harm self decreased from 44% to 24% and remained at 24% for one year after completion of the course. The prevalence of commands to harm others decreased from 21% to 16% immediately after the course and was 17% one year after completion of the course. We are currently testing a revised 12-session version of the course that includes more anxiety reduction and peer providers.

Hearing voices, especially those that command harm to self and others can be extremely distressing. Some people feel powerless to resist acting on those commands. So it is not surprising that hearing commands to harm can increase anxiety, depression, suicide, and violence towards others. The purpose of this research project was to empower people to better cope with and manage their distressing voices and harm commands. Our 15 year research program has developed a 10-session Behavioral Management of Persistent Auditory Hallucinations Course by learning from clients who experience auditory hallucinations, building on existing research and theory, and using a multidisciplinary team of expert clinicians and scholars to develop and test the course. Each of the 10 classes teaches a different behavioral strategy (e.g., talking with others, relaxation techniques). Participants practice the strategy twice a day for a week and then the following week learn and practice a new strategy. Statistically significant improvements in negative characteristics of auditory hallucinations (i.e., frequency, self-control, clarity, tone, distractibility, distress), anxiety, and depression were found. Some improvements were maintained for one-year (i.e., frequency, self-control, clarity, distractibility), a reduction in anxiety was maintained for 9 months. Immediately after the course, command hallucinations to harm self decreased from 44% of participants to 24% and remained at 24% for one year. Commands to harm others decreased from 21% of participants to 16% immediately after the course, and were 17% after one year. Persons with lower levels of anxiety prior to starting the course improved more than those with higher anxiety levels. We have published our experience and findings and taught many nurses to teach the course. Both patients and nurses report the course is helpful. Our current study offers the course worldwide. We are working on incorporating more anxiety reduction strategies and using peer providers.

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Peter Bullimore (UK)

Peter Bullimore (UK) Founder of Paranoia Network, England, "I spent over ten years in the psychiatric system in England often forcibly detained under the mental health act. I was given a diagnosis of chronic schizophrenia and was told I would never work again I spent years experiencing violent voices and extreme paranoia and would spend years in a drug induced state the medication never worked so with the help of a very good worker and the hearing voices network I was able to come of my drugs and learn more about my experiences and use more holistic approaches. I still hear voices daily but understand them more, I am now run the Sheffield Hearing Voices network I am chair of a training and consultancy agency called Asylum Associates and recently founded the International Paranoia Network, I spend 70-80 hours per week travelling the world delivering training on hearing voices and paranoia."

Abstract: The importance of the 3 stages of voice hearing and paranoiaThe presentation will look at how hearing voices and paranoia is often seen as an illness when it is a common human experience and how psychiatrist’s views are very subjective and based on no evidence. I will look at the 3 stages of paranoia and how it is different from the 3 stages of hearing voices I will also look at working with unusual beliefs and paranoia from a common sense and holistic approach. The presentation will look at positive interventions that can be used during the three stages of hearing voices and paranoia and ways of coping with each experience’s. If the 3 stages are implemented during the onset of person’s experiences of hearing voices and paranoia they are positive tools that should be used by early intervention. How we can find a person’s dominant voice buy using protection strategies and the importance of protection strategies to help an individual deal with an increase in their voices and paranoia while finding and challenging the dominant voice.

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M. Chawla (UK)

M. Chawla (UK): Consultant psychiatrist from India living and working in the UK.

Abstract: Voice hearing due to childhood issues and getting over-diagnosed as schizophrenia People hear voices due to mostly childhood issues and get overdiagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia and given unnecessary tablets which are doing long term harm to their brains.

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Jim Chapman (UK), Mervyn Morris (UK)

Jim Chapman (UK), Mervyn Morris (UK): Jim Chapman, RMN, MA, PGCert. Senior Lecturer, Clinical Skills Division, Birmingham City University, UK and Professor Mervyn Morris, Centre for Community Mental Health. Jim Chapman is senior lecturer at Birmingham City University and co-ordinates a module entitled ‘Recovery Based working with Voice Hearers’. He is interested in how students acquire new skills and begin to make use of them in their routine clinical practice. Through the module, Jim has encouraged students in Birmingham to challenge their existing beliefs about ‘schizophrenia’ and helped them to begin to work with voice hearers in the way advocated by Marius Romme and Sandra Escher, and others. Jim is currently extending this work to other parts of the UK. He continues to work clinically with voice hearers within the local mental health trust. Mervyn Morris is Professor of Community Mental Health and Director of the Centre for Community Mental Health at Birmingham City University, focussing on service redesign and developing alternative approaches through user expertise, particularly in the area of psychosis. He has worked extensively with European project partners, and for the World Health Organisation, and is Professor II at UC Buskerud, Norway. Mervyn is also Chief Executive of a mental health NGO. Mervyn has been an advocate of research and user experience around voice hearing for many years and has worked with Marius Romme and Sandra Escher for many of those years. With their collaboration a module at Birmingham City University was created, ‘Recovery-based Working with Voice Hearers’, which is based on the pioneering work of Romme and Escher. Mervyn has also collaborated on papers related to voice hearing, including “Determinants of outcome in the pathways through care for children hearing voices” with Sandra Escher, and ‘The harmful concept of schizophrenia’ with Marius Romme.

Abstract: Recovery based working with voices Evaluation of module for qualified mental health nurses and other mental health workers, which introduces and equip students with the skills to work with voice hearers in a recovery focused way, qualitative research into how well they had embedded this approach into their everyday practice. Students at Birmingham City University have been taking a module entitled Recovery Based working with Voice Hearers as part of their BSc Honours degree in Mental Health Studies. Over the last 8 years, approximately 147 students have completed the module, which is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to work constructively with voice hearers, closely following the model as advocated by Romme & Escher. It is believed that this is the only university-based credit bearing module in existence in the UK, if not the world. Traditionally there has been a problem in the UK with the transfer of knowledge and skills in post-qualifying courses into mainstream practice. The reasons for this are complex, but include staff not feeling fully competent to use their new found skills in practice, staff not being offered enough time to use and develop these skills, and staff not feeling totally faithful to the new approaches they have been exposed to. We were curious to see how students undertaking this module had attempted to implement the work into their routine practice, and if they had encountered similar difficulties, so we invited all previous participants to take part in this research project. All 147 previous students were invited to take part in the research, and 48 agreed to this. The project comprised of four focus groups of around 12 people in each group. They were asked a series of open ended questions that established how well they thought they had implemented the work of R&E into their everyday practice. The data from the focus groups was tape recorded, and is in the process of being analysed and put into themes. It is envisaged that this process will have been completed for the conference in September, and the authors hope also to publish the findings in relevant mental health journals.

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Ron Coleman (UK)

Ron Coleman (UK) Ron Coleman has been active in the field of mental health since 1991, when affecting his own recovery from mental illness, he used his experiences to develop his ideas for recovery centered treatment of others. Since then he has went on to write numerous books and papers on the subject and was influential in the development of the Hearing Voices Network in the UK. He is a founder member of INTERVOICE and has been instrumental in nurturing and supporting the development of our organisation. Ron and his partner Karen are particularly well known for their work on Recovery and Psychosis and also specialise in ‘Self harm, Personality disorder, Risk training, Person Centred Planning’ and mental well being. Ron has set up Working to Recovery Ltd, a training and consultancy organisation.

Abstract: Owning our experience; taking back power To be received

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Dirk Corstens (NL)

Dr. Dirk Corstens (NL) Dirk is a Social psychiatrist and psychotherapist working at the RIAGG (mental health service) Maastricht. Since 1992 he has been a collaborator of Romme and Escher participating in research, treatment and education on voice hearing. Leads a treatment facility for voice hearers in Maastricht. Currently preparing a PhD on courses for voice hearers and professionals and the voice dialogue method for voice hearing. Speaker at several international conferences and workshops about hearing voices.

Abstract: Making sense: a systematic method to exploring the function of the voices The so-called 'construct' is a means to restore the relationship between life history and voices. Often this relationship is lost because emotions that gave rise to the voices are difficult to bear. Voices represent situations that were too threatening to the person. To voice hearers their voices seem to speak in a strange code of which the original meaning became unclear. Making the construct helps to break this code. Several items from the Maastricht Hearing Voices Interview are used to elucidate the persons from the past and problems that the voices are representing. The way how to work with the construct is explained, several examples will be presented and how it can help to establish a more productive relationship with the voices.

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Jacqui Dillon (UK)

Jacqui Dillon (UK): Jacqui is the Chair of the National Hearing Voices Network, England, a user led charity which works to promote acceptance and understanding of the experiences of hearing voices, seeing visions, tactile sensations and other sensory experiences. She is an international speaker and trainer specialising in hearing voices, ‘psychosis’ and trauma. Jacqui is a member of the campaign co-ordinating committee for CASL – the Campaign to Abolish the Schizophrenia Label. She is a published writer.

Abstract: The experienced trauma treatment according to J. Herman’s book ’Trauma and recovery’

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Dr .Sandra Escher (NL)

Dr. Sandra Escher (NL): For the last 20 years she has organised the hearing voices congresses in Holland, which are held every two year, as well as the four congresses she organised for INTERVOICE in Maastricht. She also has taekn responsibility for the P.R. for the voice hearing research studies. In 1996 she started her own research with children hearing voices. A follow up study over three years interviewing, (with one colleque, she trained) 80 children, on four seperate occasions. From this study she published enough articles to form the basis of her Ph.D in 2005 she got in 2005 with Prof, Jim van Os as her promotor. Before that she had finished her M.phil on this same study. guided by Prof, Mervin Morris at the university of Central England in Birmingham.

Abstract: A training model in interviewing voice hearers about their experience

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Dr .Sandra Escher (NL)

Dr. Sandra Escher (NL): For the last 20 years she has organised the hearing voices congresses in Holland, which are held every two year, as well as the four congresses she organised for INTERVOICE in Maastricht. She also has taekn responsibility for the P.R. for the voice hearing research studies. In 1996 she started her own research with children hearing voices. A follow up study over three years interviewing, (with one colleque, she trained) 80 children, on four seperate occasions. From this study she published enough articles to form the basis of her Ph.D in 2005 she got in 2005 with Prof, Jim van Os as her promotor. Before that she had finished her M.phil on this same study. guided by Prof, Mervin Morris at the university of Central England in Birmingham.

Abstract: Preventive changes with children hearing voices

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Brendan Georgeson (UK)

Abstract: Recontextualising to accept and make sense of voices

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Tilly Gerritsma (NL), Titus Rivas (NL)

Tilly Gerritsma (NL), Titus Rivas (NL):

Abstract: Voices and inspiration, voices and emotions In 2007 Tilly Gerritsma, a 'highly sensitive person' from the Netherlands, wrote an autobiographical book about hearing voices, Gek genoeg gewoon, together with psychologist, philosopher and psychical researcher Titus Rivas, MA, who included a comprehensive overview of the relevant literature. Tilly's own experiences with the phenomenon of hearing voices began when she heard a voice that said “Faith” and “Trust” to her - in English - which made her realise that she was not alone any longer. She felt supported by the voice and assumed that it came from the 'other side'. This particular belief was reinforced by the convictions of a sympathetic psychic healer. Tilly decided to accept the phenomenon and did not consult a psychologist about it. She opened herself completely to the experience, but, after a while, she found out that it also had a chaotic influence on her life. It was as if her sensitivity was increased to such an extent that there was an overkill of information. Therefore, she decided to take charge of her own mind again. Thirteen years later, Tilly's thinking about this event has become broader in that she believes the voice might also have been produced by her own subconscious mind. By then, she had read a lot of books about psychology, psychiatry and spirituality. Tilly actually had been in need of emotional support when she started hearing the voice. Tilly went through a difficult period in her life with major problems with her sons and she felt desolate. The voice healed her emotional trust. However, she believes her 'emotional balance' had not been completely restored yet, and that's why other voices tried to flood her with unwanted information. Independently, she took several important steps to improve her inner balance and she's grateful that her voices made her more aware of her emotional problems. Tilly wishes to stress that voices can be positive as well as negative. In the positive sense, voices can often be wise counsellors and helpers. Even persons who suffer from negative voices can sometimes be helped by positive ones. In her own life, the influence of her positive voice was transformed into inspiration which helped her take a different look at all kinds of issues. Since then, she has also had many experiences with telepathy which made her realise that everyone is connected. Based on the available literature, Titus Rivas endorses a the legitimacy of a psychogenic and spiritual interpretation of Tilly's experiences, and those of others with a similar story.

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Dr. J. Gerritsma (NL)

Dr. J. Gerritsma (NL):

Abstract: An introduction course in accepting voices

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L. v.d. Giessen (NL), W. v. Staalen (NL)

L. v.d. Giessen (NL), W. v. Staalen (NL):

Abstract: Hearing voices related to severe abuse Together with my foster daughter we should like to present her recovery to the congress. Her mental disfunctioning was caused by severe abuse of all kinds during the first half of her life. It took about thirteen years to overcome dissociation, psychosis etc, etc. We want to emphasize that hearing voices and psychotic episodes should not automatically lead to the diagnosis schizophrenia. That medication sometimes is necessary during a certain period of time and that the buddies should work together with the experts. We also want to talk about physical examination of the client. Many of the so called psychiatric clients suffer from neurological or other physical defects, but they are treated in the psychiatric department. Last but not least we want to focus on the idea that it becomes time to research what the effects are if a patient want to get rid of the medication.

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Heather Glancy (UK)

Heather Glancy (UK): voice hearer, facilitator and a member of both a mixed Hearing Voices group and a women-only Hearing Voices group

Abstract: The Benefits of Women-only Hearing Voices Groups I have been a facilitator and a member of both a mixed Hearing Voices group and a women-only Hearing Voices group. Our women-only group has been running for 7 years. In this presentation I shall share with you some of my experiences being involved in a women-only group and how our group has developed over the years. I will explore and highlight the benefits that I believe women-only groups can offer. Finally, I shall provide some quotes from the women themselves about why they value women-only groups.

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Lia Govers (I)

Lia Govers (I):

Abstract: Achieving full recovery through becoming aware of meaning

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Wilton Hall (USA)

Wilton Hall (USA): was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent a year in San Francisco's public mental health system. After discovering his own pathway to recovery, Will became co-founder of the support community Freedom Center in Massachusettts. Today Will is internationally recognized for his advocacy and educational work. He is a co-coordinator of The Icarus Project, host of the FM radio show Madness Radio (www.madnessradio.net), and has been a consultant with Mental Disability Rights International. He recently started a new group in Oregon, Portland Hearing Voices (www.portlandhearingvoices.net). More information at www.willhall.org.

Abstract: Coming off medication; a harm reduction approach What is the most effective approach to reducing and coming off psychiatric medications? The Icarus Project and Freedom Center are US peer-run support communities that recently published the 40-page Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs. The Guide gathers the best information we've come across and the most valuable lessons we've learned in 8 years of helping each other explore coming off.
A 'harm reduction' approach doesn't mean being pro- or anti- medication. It means supporting people to make their own decisions balancing the risks and benefits involved. Adverse effects and other dangers of psychiatric medications are examined alongside circumstances where medications have great usefulness.

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Paul Hammersley (UK)

Paul Hammersley (UK): is a psychologist based at the Spectrum Centre, University of Lancaster.

Abstract: Campaign for the abolition of the schizophrenia label In 2005 after a Hearing Voices Network conference in Manchester UK, a group of individuals consisting of Peter Bullimore, Jacqui Dillon, Paul Hammersley and the late Terry McLaughlin decided to form a Campaign to have the diagnosis / label of schizophrenia removed from psychiatry. The campaign was motivated by two main reasons, firstly the very poor science that underlies the diagnosis of schizophrenia, secondly the appalling stigma associated with this label and the unfair association it has with hopelessness and dangerousness. The campaign was joined by Marius Romme and Sandra Escher along with other academics and individuals from within the users movement, the campaign was formally launched at The Science Media Centre in London in 2005, and the first CASL conference which was a sell out was held at Thornton Hall in Merseyside in October 2006. CASL now has supporters all over the world and is actively campaigning to have the diagnosis of schizophrenia removed or at least significantly modified in the new diagnostic manuals which are to be published in 2011. This presentation will comprise of the reasons behind the forming of CASL, the progress to date and advice on how you can help

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Brian Hartnett (IR)

Brian Hartnett (IR): is a voice hearer and founder of HVN Ireland, Ireland, A Peer Advocate with The Irish Advocacy Network (IAN). He has also started an organisation called Hearing Voices Ireland (HVI). He facilitates the Friends group for Schizophrenia Ireland (SI) {soon to be known as Shine}. This is a self help group for people with mental health difficulties not just Schizophrenia. I am also helping Shane Maher who set up Campaign Against Suicide (CAS) to open up a drop in centre in Limerick for people who are suicidal. I am also a member of The National Service User Executive (NSUE). NSUE is like a union for service users. They also support carers and have produced an information booklet for carers called 'The Journey Together' in conjunction with the HSE, IAN and Shine.

Abstract: The Irish solution Lessons learnt from developing hearing voices work in Ireland.

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Jacqueline Hayes (UK)

Jacqueline Hayes (UK): I'm currently working on a PhD at the University of Manchester and training as a therapist. Has had personal experiences of hearing voices and worked closely with people who hear voices in therapy work and in supported housing.

Abstract: Hearing voices in bereavement In this talk I will present some recent research concerning hearing voices in bereavement. This is based on an ongoing study of detailed narrative interviews with a variety of bereaved participants. First I will look briefly at how these experiences have been traditionally understood in psychiatry and psychology. There is little research on the subject to-date but what is there shows that these are relatively common experiences in a bereavement, rich with emotion and meaning, but often kept private due to significant stigma. I will then show through the use of case studies drawn from the current study how the bereaved make meaning and sense of their experiences – by reference to their former everyday life with the deceased, and their loss. Further I will show that these voices often are embedded in a family of related experiences denoting the continued presence of the deceased including visions, smells, touch and dreams. I will ask the questions – what functions do these experiences have in the bereavement? And, what role do they have in coping with the loss? And finally I will show that in making sense of these experiences, participants draw on a variety of sources of meaning – from personal biography, to psychology, psychiatry, religion and spirituality. The result is that by studying hearing voices through such illuminating personal accounts, rather than within a medical framework, the experiences are normalised.

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Mark Haywood (UK)

Mark Haywood (UK): Clinical Psychology at the University of Surrey, UK, Mark Hayward works as a Clinical Psychologist. His academic remit includes lecturing on the Doctoral Programme. Within the NHS he works as Director of Research within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Specialist interests and publications span three areas: the experience of hearing voices; the involvement of service users and carers within training and research; and training in psychological understandings of psychosis and psychotic experiences. Work with people who hear voices has spanned several years and has recently focussed on the exploration of voices within a relational framework – acknowledging the voice as an interpersonal ‘other’ and researching differing aspects of the relationships that people develop with the voices they hear. These relationships are currently the subject of therapeutic scrutiny as a new form of individual therapy (‘Relating Therapy’) seeks to assertively engage the voice and transform distressing relationships into those that are experienced as more balanced and less intrusive. In collaboration with Professor Paul Chadwick (University of Southampton), a contrasting form of group therapy is being developed that draws upon relational and mindfulness frameworks to enable the hearer to disengage from distressing voices.

Abstract: Understanding voices in a relational framework The experience of hearing voices has been construed as that of relating to an interpersonal other. Attempts to understand the relationships that people may develop with their voices have drawn upon three interpersonal theories: Benjamin’s (1989) Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour; Gilbert’s Social Rank Theory (Birchwood et al (2004): and Birtchnell’s Relating Theory (Hayward, 2003; Vaughan & Fowler, 2004). Findings suggest that relationships with voices may influence the emotional response of the hearer. Similarities with patterns of social relating have also been found. Many related questions are currently being explored. What does the use of a relational framework mean to people who hear voices? Are we merely socialising people to an interpersonal understanding, or do relationships with voices make intuitive sense (Chin, Hayward & Drinnan, 2009)? What of the experiences of people who hear voices and do not require support from mental health services? Do such individuals relate differently to their voices (Sorrell, Hayward & Meddings, 2009)? What about the amenability to change of relationships with voices? Can change be facilitated through a therapeutic process (Hayward & May, 2007; Hayward et al, in press)? This presentation will address these questions with reference to qualitative and quantitative findings from recent studies. The value of a relational framework to enhancing understandings and facilitating recovery will be explored by sharing lessons learnt from a case series of individual therapy and an ongoing trial of group therapy.

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Mike Jackson, Katie Thornton (UK)

Mike Jackson, Katie Thornton (UK):

Abstract: Comparing benign and pathological voices

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Marlene Janssen (Australia)

Marlene Janssen (Australia): is coordinator of the Hearing Voices Network Australia.

Abstract: Hearing voices and self-care Hearing Voices and Self Care, Key Words: A meaningful life: self care, sustainability How often does it happen to you that you see someone loitering along the shop-front footpaths, muttering to themselves under their breath, wearing dirty clothes and sporting an unkempt appearance? How often do we take a wide berth around such people? Because of the “restraints” on talking about Hearing Voices and other like experiences, consumers tend to hide these experiences from mental health professionals. As a result, they are neglecting to care for themselves in a holistic way and maintain good health. The ideas surrounding Voices are still in the dark, and most see them as negative and bad, making consumers “mad”, because they are experiencing something out of the ordinary. Traditional psychiatry would rather consumers take medications to suppress Voices, rather than working with them. The lack of self-care impacts on how mental health workers interpret consumer attitudes and the common perception is that those who look unkempt and don’t take care of themselves do not want to work on their recovery. What consumers need is encouragement, support and education in how to look after themselves. This paper will discuss the importance of self-care when hearing voices or other like experiences, and how mental health workers can support consumers in taking care of their basic human needs. Learning Objective One: What will people in the audience gain or learn from attending this presentation? The aim is that consumers will learn the importance of looking after themselves even if they hear voices, and that mental health workers will understand why consumers tend to neglect themselves and not take proper care of themselves and their own health. A number of tips will be provided that the audience can take home with them and try, so that their self-care enhances. Learning Objective Two: How is this topic/issue relevant to mental health services and mental health issues? Oftentimes consumers are misunderstood if they appear to be self-neglected, and mental health workers interpret unkempt appearances and bad nutritional intake as a sign of refusal to work on their recovery and to help themselves get back on their feet and their life on track again. This myth needs to be dispelled, as many consumers are giving it their full 100%, but need assistance to meet up to the expected of them standards to gain mental health workers’ approval. Workers within mental health services need to understand fully the concept of hearing voices and the difficulty associated with this in relation to self-care.

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Douglas Holmes (Australia)

Douglas Holmes (Australia): Douglas Holmes, voice hearer from NSW, Australia

Abstract: Using the media to improve our profile will examine how Douglas Holmes, voice hearer from NSW, Australia has used different media including Journalism, Public relations, Films, Internet, Mobile, Publishing, Magazines, Newspapers, Mass wire media and "Personal" Media to promote hearing voices in NSW & Australia. The example I particularly want to focus on at the conference is how through the above technique I was involved in a major television promotion about Hearing Voices in Australia co-hosted by Andrew Denton in 2007 titled: Angels and Demons1 over 1,000,000 people were reported to have seen this show on the Australian Broadcasting Commission in May 2008 then similar numbers when it was repeated again in Oct 2009. The show also received a 2009 TheMHS Gold Award for broadcast media at the 2008 TheMHS Auckland conference www.themhs.org.

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Dr. J. Jenner (NL)

Dr. J. Jenner (NL):

Abstract: Illustration and amplification of the HIT-programme The treatment model will be presented and discussed together with two new instruments that have been developed as part of HIT.

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Dr. Simon Jones (UK)

Dr. Simon Jones (UK):UK I am a researcher interested in the history of hearing voices, the causes of hearing voices, and strategies that help people cope with voices. I received his Doctorate from Durham University in the UK.

Abstract: Emanuel Swedenborg and his experiences Considering the extraordinary voices and visions of Emanuel Swedenborg: psychospiritual crises and the meaning of hallucinations.Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) initial career was that of a man of science, and he spent the first half of his life working in the fields of chemistry, biology, and geology, as well as physiology and mathematics. However, at the age of 50, after a series of vivid dreams, and night-time hallucinations, he developed day-time hallucinations which he experienced for over 30 years, until his death. These experiences and their theological meaning became Swedenborg’s focus for the rest of his life. Swedenborg wrote down many of his experiences, and left us detailed reports of his hallucinations. He reported how he saw and talked with angels and spirits, experienced visions of Heaven and Hell, and also underwent a range of other hallucinatory experiences. I firstly examine what exactly Swedenborg experienced, and how this compares to hallucinations experienced by people today. I then go onto examine how Swedenborg’s experiences were understood by his contemporaries, and people of subsequent generations. I then show that attempts by 19th- and 20th-century psychiatrists to explain Swedenborg’s experiences as being due to either schizophrenia or epilepsy are likely to be misplaced. Instead, I argue that although Swedenborg experienced extensive hallucinations, he wasn’t mentally ill. I also note similarities between Swedenborg’s experiences and near-death experiences. Finally, I address what might have caused his hallucinations. I suggest that the combination of a psychospiritual crisis which he underwent, his nutritional intake, as well as his habit of undertaking slow meditative breathing, may all have contributed to the formation of his experiences. I conclude that the example of Swedenborg who, after the onset of his hallucinations, was able to learn Hebrew and make presentations to the Swedish parliament, illustrates that it is quite possible to experience hallucinations without the need to consider them a medical or mental illness.

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B. Kårkvik (N), A. Kalhoven (N), F. Leroi (N), K. Hugdahl (N), E. Vedul-Kjelsås (N)

B. Kårkvik (N), A. Kalhoven (N), F. Leroi (N), K. Hugdahl (N), E. Vedul-Kjelsås (N): Bodil Kråkvik works as a leader of a research department at Nidaros DPS, St.Olavs Hospital in Trondheim (Norway). She is a reg. mental health nurse and is engaged as a leader of a randomised, controlled trial of cognitive therapy for persons suffering from delusions and auditory hallucinations.
Anne Martha Kalhovde is a reg. mental health nurse and PhD student at the University hospital in Nothern-Norway, Tromsø. She been engaged in interview studies on experiences with voices, establishing selfhelp groups for voicehearers in the region and a norwegian hearing voices website www.romforstemmer.no".
Frank Larøi works as a lecturer and researcher in the Cognitive Psychopathology Unit, University of Liège (Belgium). His research interests include examining cognitive and emotional mechanisms involved in hearing voices in nonclinical participants.
Kenneth Hugdahl is professor of Biological Psychology and Adjunct professor of Psychiatry at the University of Bergen. He has experience with neuropsychological and fMRI studies of auditory laterality, including patients who report "hearing voices".

Abstract: Prevalence of hearing voices in the normal population Traditionally, hearing voices has been related to mental disorders and abnormal behaviour. Several studies in the US, and Europe have shown that people in the general population hear voices. These studies give reason to believe that the majority of individuals in the general population who hear voices are not in need of mental health care. Decreasing prejudice and taboos related to hearing voices seems to be important for both those in need of mental health care and those who manage without. There has been little focus on this in Norway.
Aim: We aim to give prevalence figures from the general population in Norway in the first community-based prevalence study in Scandinavia. Furthermore, we want to increase the knowledge about hearing voices among health workers, and to decrease prejudice in the population.
Method: A total of 8000 women and men aged 18-90 years, randomly recruited in a two-step design with postal questionnaires and subsequent interviews. The Launay-Slade Hallucinations Scale (LSHS, Launay and Slade, 1981; modified version Larøi et al., 2004) were used.
Results: Preliminary results will be available in September.

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Dr. Julie Kirby (UK)

Dr. Julie Kirby (UK):

Abstract: The experience of voice-hearing Findings of a study undertaken with the assistance of HVN England.  The voice-hearers (62 in total) who particpated in the study include mental health service users, ex- mental health service users and people who have never been mental health service users.

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F. Laroi (B)

F. Laroi (B):

Abstract: Emotion regulation trauma and hallucination proneness

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Prof. Ivan Leudar (UK)

Prof. Ivan Leudar (UK): is basede at the School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Ivan Leudar was born in Czechoslovakia but lived most of his life in the U.K.  He is now a professor of analytical and historical psychology at the University of Manchester.  His recent publications include Voices of Reason, Voices of Insanity (2000, Routledge, with Phil Thomas), Conversation Analysis and Psychotherapy (2008, CUP, with Annsi Perakyla et al) and Against Theory of Mind (2009, Palgrave/MacMillan, with Alan Costall).  His work on hearing voices aims to document voice hearers’ own understanding of their experiences and it focuses on methods they use to endow these experiences with meaning.  His current projects investigate voices in everyday life and especially in bereavement.  One aim is to normalise these experiences by documenting their variety in both contemporary world and through studies of historical cases.  He is currently working on a book that might be entitled Historical Psychology.

Abstract: The sources of meaning in voice hearing Psychiatry and cognitive clinical Psychology attempt to provide explanations for voices in a natural science paradigm, for example as results of faulty reality testing, which are caused by specific brain dysfunctions.  In doing this, however, both lose the essential aspect of these experiences, that they are meaningful.  On the rare occasions that they note what the voices mean to the hearer they see the meanings as pathogenic - there is for instance, a long tradition in Psychiatry to consider voices as a source of delusions. The result is that such approaches, despite much research effort, throw very little light on the experiences of hearing voices. In all of my research I treat the experiences of hearing voices as meaningful and enquire into the sources of their meaning. In this respect my work is of course not unique – one influential contemporary approach for instance sees voices as representing abuse in the person’s past, another considers that the experiences serve to retain for a time the deceased person in the world of the bereaved person. Clearly, however, these sorts of meaning are only some of many possible.  The talk will summarise our past research on voices - the principles that guide it and its results.  To anticipate the talk: (i) our historical research documents resources for understanding hearing voices provided by cultures very different from our own. (The ancient Greek poet Hesiod, for instance, was able to think of the voice he heard as that of Muses and make use of it in his poetry). (ii) Our method is to work with as wide a variety of individual voice hearers as possible and to elucidate the meanings of voices for them, and their sources.  (iii) Our findings indicate that voice-talk is typically linguistically simple yet meaningful because the words and sounds of voices are always understood in the settings that are formulated for the voices by the voice hearers.  Such settings usually integrate the concrete occasion, somewhat broader field of voice hearer’s ongoing activities as well as his or her biography. The voices are, however, not just understood in the context formulated for them, they can also change the current experience by bringing in and making relevant information from other times and places in the person’s life. Case examples will be provided to document some of the methods voice hearers use to make voices meaningful in this way.

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Eleanor Longden (UK)

Eleanor Longden (UK): is a psychology undergraduate and former trustee of the Hearing Voices Network, currently working in an Early Intervention in Psychosis team. As a past user of psychiatric services, she has a strong interest in promoting tolerance, awareness and positive explanations for mental health issues and for the last four years has worked in both clinical and academic capacities to endorse creative, enabling approaches to experiences such as voice hearing, unusual beliefs and self-injury. Eleanor was part of the group who established the award-winning Bradford Self-Injury Service and has worked closely with Dr. Dirk Corstens in developing and promoting the innovative Voice Dialoguing technique in the UK.

Abstract: Adopting a non-judgemental and tolerant acceptance to voice hearing

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Prof. Dr. A. Loonen (NL)

Prof. Dr. A. Loonen (NL):

Abstract: Do neurolepetics work?

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Sigari Luckwell (AU)

Sigari Luckwell (AU): Sigari Luckwell is a senior clinical psychologist from, Australia, Sigari works currently part-time as a Senior Clinical Psychologist with the Western Australian Mental Health Service. She also has a part-time private practice and teaches meditation courses in the community. Originally trained in Clinical Psychology BA Hons at theUniversity of WA, (1969-1972) and M. Clin Psych. (1976-1977), Sigari’s background has included years of work in prisons (1972-1976), mental hospitals (1977-1981), student counselling (1976) working with both adults and children in all fields. In 1982 she qualified as an Analytical Psychologist (Jungian) and also undertook training and subsequent work in Art-Therapy, Dance-Therapy, Rebirthing and Meditation. In 1996 she qualified as a Cranio-Sacral Practitioner.

Abstract: Developing awareness in relations to one’s voices Coming from Beyond. Are voice-hearers nuts? Are they receiving information or guidance? Are they like the alcoholic who temporarily hears messages when going through the process of withdrawl. And then, what about those many, ordinary instances in half sleep when some of us hear something said? Are voice-hearers nuts? Are they receiving information or guidance? Are they like the alcoholic who temporarily hears messages when going through the process of withdrawl. And then, what about those many, ordinary instances in half sleep when some of us hear something said? We have moved along from the days when hearing voices was considered the prerogative of the psychotic mad man. I mean, what do we make of St. Paul on the road to Damascus? Did he have a psychotic episode, or was he inspired by the word of God? What makes the difference? What makes the difference is the groundedness of the voice-hearer. Many people have or profess a psychic capacity (is their third eye more open in the sixth chakra?) but if you look at their present-moment awareness, they are not necessarily grounded in their bodies. Do some psychics tend to be overweight because they are out of their bodies much of the time? It takes an openness of the entire being to have our feet rooted on the ground and our arms outstretched to heaven; it takes awareness: an awareness that encompasses the physical body , the emotional, astral, mental and spiritual. Western pioneers like Freud and Jung mapped out the unconscious at the beginning of the twentieth century. From the east we more have maps of the superconscious that reveal more meditative states. Let’s look at these together so that voice-hearing as pathology or guidance or just ‘one of those things’ becomes clearer. Even so-called pathology is largely conceptual and can be explored for the feeling tone and physical dynamics that ask for expression from within. The other question to ask is, ‘Has the ego gotten hold of the voice for its own ends?’ Or, is the voice- hearer so egoless, that the phenomenon is no big deal because it is a natural facility of being at one with existence. All voice-hearing is of the mind whether of the unconscious or of the superconscious: the next step is beyond the mind into meditation.

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Page updated 04/07/2008

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You can download the print version here

Information about Children and Young People who Hear Voices for Parents and Carers

by Sandra Escher

Dr. Sandra Escher is from the Netherlands, she is an expert on the issue of children who hear voices and has spent the last fifteen years talking to children who hear voices and to their parents and carers. Sandra has carried out the most detailed and thorough research into the phenomenon in the world to date. In this article she offers a new perspective on what the voices may represent and how you can help your child cope if they are hearing voices.

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Why we have written this information leaflet
Introduction
How do most parents react when their child talks about hearing voices?
“Normal” children and adults hear voices
Hearing voices and traumatic experiences
Voices as messengers
For many children voices disappear over time
The voices may stay but children can cope with them
Supporting your child
More information
A 10 point check-list
Further reading

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Why we have written this information leaflet
We have written this information leaflet for parents and carers in the hope that it will enable you to develop a new and more empowering way of thinking about the your child's experiences and that it will help you in finding ways to assist your child in their emotional development and recovery from hearing overwhelming voices.

Unfortunately, there is very little practical advice available about children who hear voices that addresses your needs as parents and family members, this is a shame because you are the most important form of support to your child. So, we wanted you to know that there are some simple common sense things that you can do to help your child. We hope you will find the information helpful.

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Introduction
First things first, From the research that we have carried out into the experience of adults and children who hear voices it has became apparent that:

To hear voices is in itself is a normal though unusual experience

However, it is possible that you can become ill as a result of hearing voices when you cannot cope with them

For most children (60%) the voices will disappear over time as the child develops and as they learn to cope with the life's problems (and the emotions and feelings involved with these problems) that led to the voices starting in the first place

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How do most parents react when their child talks about hearing voices?
When you find out that your child hears voices it can be devastating. Some parents have said it “felt like my whole world had collapsed." This reaction is understandable, for as parents we are naturally very protective of our children and do not want to see them distressed, hurt or confused. However, there is a crucial question that needs to be asked about why we react in this way when we discover a child is hearing voices.

Our reactions are based on information we have picked up about the meaning of hearing voices. Mostly these are based on assumptions held by society, especially the widely held belief that to hear voices is the same as the mental illness “schizophrenia”.

The good news is that this belief is not correct. Whilst it is the case that hearing voices is apparent in about 60% of the persons who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia. It is not the other way around! If you hear voices that does not mean you have schizophrenia.

There is an even more important issue that you may not be aware of: hearing voices in itself is normal - but – it is possible to become ill from hearing voices if you cannot cope with them. This means that it is coping with hearing voices that is the problem and not the voices in themselves.

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Normal” children and adults hear voices
This little known fact is based on a lot of research. Several large scale population (epidemiological) studies have shown that about 4 % of the population hears voices. Of these 4% of the people who hear voices about 30% seek assistance from mental health services. Amongst children however, even more of the “normal” population hears voices (8%) and as with adults about 30% are referred to mental health services.

What this means is that there are apparently many more people who hear voices who do not require the support of mental health services then those that do. This is because they can cope with the voices and function well in in their everyday lives.

Unfortunately, most of the information that we have about the experience of hearing voices comes exclusively from research with patients; people who obviously cannot cope with the voices and needed help. These are people who feel that the voices made them feel powerless and who were overwhelmed by them. This is the case for research for adults and children who are hearing voices. However, in other articles on this site you can find out more about people who can cope with their voices or even have positive experiences.

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Hearing voices and traumatic experiences
In our research we found that a common theme in both groups (adults and children) is the high percentage of traumatic experiences that have been found to have been the trigger for hearing voices. In adults around 75% began to hear voices in relationship to a trauma or situation that made them feel powerless.

Examples of the kinds of traumas that trigger voices include the death of a loved one, divorce, losing a job, failing an exam, but also longer lasting situations like being physically, emotionally or sexually abused. With children the percentage was even higher at 85%, with some traumas specifically related to childhood. These traumas might include being bullied by peers or teachers, or being unable to perform at a certain level at school, another commonly reported traumatic incident related to hearing voices is being admitted to a hospital for long periods because of a physical illness.

I would say that hearing voices is mostly a reaction to a situation or a problem the child or young person cannot cope with.

It is a signal.

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Voices as messengers
Another striking finding is that what the voices say often gives an indication of the problem that the child has.
An example:
The voices told an 8-year-old boy to blind himself. This frightened his mother. But when we discussed whether there was something in the life of the boy he could not face, she understood the voices message. The boy could not cope with the problematic marriage of his parents. He did not want to see it.

What we saw in our research is that if attention was given to the problems the child was facing, they will be able to establish a more constructive kind of relationship with the voices. As a result children become less afraid of their voices. When a child is able to consider the problems that are at the root of their distress and with the emotions and feelings involved, the voices stop being the child's only focus of attention.

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For many children voices disappear over time
Recently I conducted a 3-year follow up study on 80 children who heard voices who were aged between 8 and 19 years of age. Half of this group of children were receiving mental health care because of their voices, however, the other half were not in care at all. I interviewed the children 4 times at yearly intervals. At the end of the research period 60% of the children I interviewed reported that the voices had disappeared.

Of course figures and statistics like this do not directly relate to you. But the overall message is that the chance that the voice might disappear is quite high.

We saw that the children's problems often stopped their development through the voice experience. However, if the problems were handled or their situation changed; for example because the child changed schools, the voices disappeared.

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The voices may stay but children can cope with them
It is important that we appreciate that the the desire to make the voices disappear is a goal of the mental health care services and not necessarily that of the children themselves. There are some children who did not want to lose their voices. This is OK, for the most important thing is that the voices no longer remain at the centre of their attention. This is because as the relationship with the voices changed and became more positive, instead of hindering the child the voices start to take on an advisory role. If children find within themselves the resources to cope with their voices and the emotions involved with hearing them then they can lead happy and balanced lives.

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Supporting your child
The most important element in the process of positively changing your child's relationship with their voice is the support they got from the family. Unfortunately, our research has shown that being in the mental health care system had no positive effect on the voices, although we did find that being referred to a psychotherapist who accepted the reality of the voices and were prepared to discuss their meaning with the child did have a positive influence on how the child coped with their voices.

We also saw that “normalising” the experience can help parents to deal with the voices – try not to think of it as a terrible disaster, but as a signal for something that is troubling your child and that can be resolved. On the other hand, if parents cannot accept that voice hearing in itself is normal, but believe the voices to be an illness and are afraid of the voices, then the child naturally picks up this feeling. Imagine for a moment if you were the child and were afraid of the voices and when you looked for support from your Mum and Dad you found that they were even even more afraid of the voices then you were. This would obviously put you under great pressure and probably mean that you would become reluctant about talking about your experiences at all.

There is a second problem,at if you are afraid of the voices then you can become obsessed with the fear of the voices alone and not what the voices mean. When you are distressed and anxious you cannot listen very well to the story your child tells about their experiences and may fail to pick up on the related problems and emotions that the voices represent.

In our experience what helps children the most is a systematic approach to understanding the voices. So to help we have developed an interview to help map the experience. This can be used as a way to understand the stress the child is under and then to work together to find solutions for the problems raised by the voice hearing experience..

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More information
This information is just a brief introduction to a new way of thinking about children who hear voices that might help you to face the problems you have. If you want more information about the research, about the elements of the therapy that helped the children or you want a copy of the interview form we used to in our research to help you with your child please let us know.

Sandra Escher, MPhil, PhD.

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"What you can do if your child tells you they are hearing voices“
A 10 point check-list

1. Try not to over react, although you will be understandably worried, work hard not to communicate your anxiety to your child.

2. Accept the reality of the voice experience for your child: Ask them about their voices, how long they have been hearing them, who or what they are, do they have names, what they say etc.

3. Let your child know that lots of children hear voices and mostly they go away after a while.

4. Even if the voices do not disappear your child can learn to live in harmony with his/her voices

5. It is important to breakdown your child's sense of isolation and differentness from other children. Your child is special, unusual perhaps, but normal.

6. Find out if your child has any difficulties or problems that they are finding very hard to cope with and work on trying to fix these problems. Think back to when the voices first started, what was happening to your child when they first heard voices? When did the voices arise for the first time? Was there anything unusual or stressful that might have occurred?

7. If you think you need outside help, find a therapist who is prepared to accept your child's experience and work with your child in a systematic way to understanding and cope with their voices better.

8. Be ready to listen to your child if they want to talk about their voices and use drawing, painting, acting and other creative ways to help them describe what is happening to them.

9. Get on with your lives and try not to let the voice experience become the centre of your child's life or your own.

10. Most children who live well with their voices have supportive families living around them who accept the experience as part of who their child is. You can do this too!

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More articles about children and young people who hear voices here.

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Further reading about children who hear voices from Sandra and other researchers
Sandra Escher , Marius Romme, Alex Buiks, Philippe Delespaul, Jim van Os (2002)., Formation of delusional ideation in adolescents hearing voices: A prospective study. American Journal of Medical Genetics, Neuropsychiatric Genetics, Volume 114, Issue 8 , Pages 913 - 920

S. Escher, M. Romme, A. Bunks & P. Delespaul, J Van Os; Independent course of childhood auditory hallucinations: a sequential 3-year follow-up study (2004), The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 181: s10-s18

Kotsopoulos, S., Kanigsberg, J., Cote, A., Fiedorowicz, C., Hallucinatory Experiences in Non psychotic Children, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, May 1987, 26 (3), 375–380

McGee, R., Williams, S. & Poulton, R. (2000) Hallucinations in non psychotic children (letter). Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 12-13

Mertin P., Hartwig, S (2004) Auditory Hallucinations in Nonpsychotic Children: Diagnostic Considerations Child and Adolescent Mental Health, February 2004, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 9-14(6)

Pearson, D., Burrow, A., FitzGerald, C., Green, K., Lee, G., Wise, N. (2007) Auditory Hallucinations in Normal Child Populations Personality & Individual Differences, Aug. 2001, Special Issue, 31(3), 401 -407

Schreier, H. A., Hallucinations in Non psychotic Children: More Common Than We Think? Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, May 1999, 38 (5), 623–625

Vickers, B., Garralda, E. (2000) Hallucinations in Nonpsychotic Children Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Sept. 2000, 39 (9), 1073

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Normal people and hearing voices
Barret T.R and Etheridge J.B (1992) Verbal hallucinations in Normals I: People who hear voices Applied Cognitive Psychology, Vol. 6, pp. 379-387

Vanessa Beavan, John Read and Claire Cartwright (2006)Angels at our tables: A summary of the findings from a 3-year research project into New Zealanders’ Experiences of Hearing Voices, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Eaton W.W., Romanoski A., Anthony J.C., Nestadt G. (1991), Screening for psychosis in the general population with a self report interview, Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, No. 179, pp 689 693

Feelgood, S. R. and Rantzen, A. J. Auditory and Visual Hallucinations in University Students Personality and Individual Differences, 1994, Vol. 17 (2): 293-296

Honig, A.; Romme. M.; Ensink, B.; Escher, S.; Pennings, M.; Devries, M.W. (1998): Auditory Hallucinations: A Comparison between Patients and Nonpatients. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 186 (10), 646-651 Posey T.B. and Losch M.E. (1984), Auditory hallucinations of hearing voices in 375 normal subjects Imagination, Cognition and Personality, vol 3, no.2, pp. 99 113

Tien A.Y. (1991) Distributions of hallucinations in the population Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, No.26, pp. 287 292

John Watkins: Hearing voices - A Common Human Experience: published in 1998 by Hill of Content Publishing, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN 0-85572-288-6

J. Watkins; M. Romme; S. Escher (2003). Hearing voices: A common human experience. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 57, Issue 2 March 2003 , pages 157 - 159

Copyright 2008 Sandra Escher

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As well as leaving a comment on this page, you may wish to discuss your experiences and get feedback and responses from other INTERVOICE supporters, if so you can join our the online discussion forum home pageclick on Register, follow the instructions and you will be joined up straight away.

Anyone interested in the experience of hearing voices is welcome to join.

This forum is a place where:

you can ask questions, find answers, and share experiences and ideas with other voice hearers and other interested people (friends, family members, researchers, workers etc) from around the world;

you can find out the latest news about the Hearing Voices movement;

you can find information about training events and conferences;

you can find out about some of the other forums and websites on issues about hearing voices;

you can find out more about INTERVOICE, its aims and objectives and plans for the future.

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Paged updated 09/05/2008

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Hearing Voices from the Television:

Reflections on the making of "The Doctor Who Hears Voices"

by Rufus May

 

When Leo Regan became interested in filming my work as a psychologist he warned me I would soon sick be of him, I didn’t know what he meant. Eighteen months later I now have a clearer idea! Leo always wanted to get underneath the skin of help-giving and often it was quite exhausting for everyone involved! It took over a year for Leo Regan to make the film about my work called The Doctor who hears voices. Leo has tried to show the humanity of working in alternative ways with voice hearing. The result is a film that is both challenging and realistic in its presentation of the dilemmas of giving people real choices about how to manage an episode of intense distress.

Over a million people watched it when it was broadcast in April in the U.K. on channel 4. Thousands of people are now down loading form several Internet sites. It has provoked a strong response from viewers. Many people have been inspired by the film, others more attached to a medical approach to distress have been outraged. I think the film is unusual in that it successfully managed to be a documentary about mental health that avoided the usual traps of being a freak show. Partly because the story shows that mental health problems are understandable and meaningful and also shows my vulnerability it crosses the typical boundaries between professional and ‘patient’. A few journalists were quite uncomfortable with this blurring of boundaries. The principle that there is an expertise of experience that can be as valuable as academic or professional expertise is quite new and a bit threatening to mainstream commentators. Never mind! Hopefully they will get use to the idea.

I am a psychologist in the NHS working with adults with mental health problems. I believe people are capable of recovering from all mental health problems if they get the right support. I myself had a psychotic episode when I was eighteen and recovered despite doctors telling me I had a lifelong condition called schizophrenia and that I would always need medication. I think originally Leo was interested in how my role as a ‘wounded healer’ might affect how I tried to help people.

With his camera in tow, Leo steadily shadowed me at both work and in my independent role giving talks and campaigning. Leo wanted his footage to be ‘real’ and not contrived. He went to a lot of effort to film me when I was worried and anxious as well as when I was confident and self-assured. On one occasion he even turned up at my house at three in the morning! The final film focuses on my relationship with Ruth who I decided to try and help outside of my NHS work. Ruth was a junior doctor who was suspended from her practice for having suicidal ideas. After the suspension she started to hear an aggressive voice for he first time telling her to kill herself. Coincidentally, she had approached me for advice just before she started to hear voices. She had stopped taking medication some time before. She could not approach her doctors for help with her voice hearing because she feared that she would definitely lose her medical career.

I set about supporting Ruth non medically. My approach is strongly influenced both by my own recovery journey, holistic health approaches and the ideas of the hearing voices movement. It was important to give her lots of psychological and physical techniques to cope with her sleep problems, her voice hearing and her moods. I became the only person she could trust with what was really going on. Leo was very interested in her story and tried to film us working together on these issues but it was impossible because of her need for confidentiality and secrecy. As she put it “you cannot be a doctor and hear voices”. So instead we began to carefully document our meetings so that we could re-enact them with an actor.

Even documenting the work added pressure to Ruth. For example, often after Leo had interviewed Ruth about how she was doing, I would find that she was extremely distressed the next day. On one occasion I banned Leo from meeting with Ruth for over a month. At that point I felt that we would have to keep Ruth out of the film entirely. In the end Ruth and I decided the pain of the film making was worth the gain of telling her story.

I was working totally against the grain of conventional wisdom. Most health professionals believe that when someone starts to hear voices or get paranoid, both of which Ruth was going through, you have to intervene with medication. If you don’t, conventional thinking argues, the person’s brain will deteriorate irreversibly. I firmly did not believe this but, at times, supporting Ruth through her crisis as she struggled with suicidal ideas and intense paranoia, I did question my rationale. I wondered whether my approach was making her worse not better. I knew if she did kill herself I could be held responsible. At the same time I saw an intelligent dedicated person who had been let down by a judgmental employment system, who I believed could recover and make a valuable contribution to society as a Doctor.

Ruth had been told she had a lifelong condition called Bipolar Disorder, that her brain was fundamentally different to other people, in other words she would always be inferior to others. I gave her a different model; firstly, that she could recover a good life. Secondly, that her distressing experiences were not the product of a faulty brain but meaningful communications. I suggested it might not be useful to see herself as having a medical condition called bipolar disorder or any other psychiatric label. I believed that all of her experiences including mood swings, critical thoughts, paranoia and voice hearing were understandable reactions to difficult life events. For example, a lot of her paranoia and voice hearing reflected the way her employers were treating her, as if she was a liability, by suspending her and refusing to trust in her ability to be a good doctor. I was suggesting that these so-called ‘symptoms’ were actually ‘messengers’ about past and present hostile environments and that it was fundamental not to blame herself and give up. Importantly Ruth needed to become confident in resisting the prejudice of her employers by lying to them about her mental health. She could not afford to tell them she was hearing voices. This was hard for Ruth as she is an honest person and she felt her integrity was being ripped apart. As we worked on deeper issues I encouraged her to express her emotions and address buried wounds in order to be released from demons of her past. At times she slipped deeper into paranoia and it was on these occasions that both of us had our faith tested in my approach.

The film charts Ruth’s journey though these experiences and also gives us some insight into the more conventional psychiatric approach. Psychiatrist Trevor Turner, former Vice Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatry, outlines the importance of giving people in Ruth’s situation medication whether they want it or not because “miracles do occur”. If they don’t want to take medication most psychiatrists and nurses will choose to force people to take medication against their will. In the film Trevor gives a reassuring description of how nurses are trained to pateinets and forcibly inject them with medication “in the most comfortable and supportive way”.

I hope the film triggers a debate not just about the rights of health professionals to hear voices but also about the rights of people in crisis to a force free mental health service. Every week thousands of people are coerced into taking medication that they don’t want and this frequently does more harm than good. Without giving away the outcome of the film, Ruth and I attempted to work on her recovery in a force free way that honoured her right to have a drug free approach. We had to do this in an underground way. This is surely wrong. It is surely wrong that many psychiatrists do not see their patient’s ‘mad’ experiences as meaningful. It is surely wrong that they do not promote optimism and a belief in recovery. It is surely wrong that psychotropic drugs that impair functioning are seen as the first port of call and that patients have little choice over what goes in their bodies. It is surely wrong that many people who stop taking their medication feel they have to lie about this to their psychiatrists. We are supposed to live in a democracy but if you are being treated for a mental health problem in our society you are very often living in a totalitarian regime.

The ‘real Ruth’ bravely decided to speak out about these kind of injustices by agreeing to have her story documented, hopefully the number of people speaking out about our society’s approach to mental health will continue to grow.

 

For more information see The Rufus May website

Article last updated 07/02/2007

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 This article appeared in the UK based mass circulation newspaper, THE DAILY MAIL. It concerns a woman called Eleanor Longden who hears voices and it is a fantastic endorsment of our work and especially the work of Pat Bracken, a psychiatrist from Bradford in England who is great supporter of the hearing voices approach. 

The terrifying ordeal of a brilliant student who started hearing voices and then fell into the abyss of insanity

By CLAIRE CAMPBELL
 
Source: Daily Mail, (UK) 7th February 2008
 
Eleanor Longden was 17 and in her first term studying for a psychology degree when she began to hear a voice talking to her.

Within weeks, she found herself diagnosed as a schizophrenic and forcibly confined to a secure psychiatric ward. Here she talks to CLARE CAMPBELL about this terrifying experience, and how with the help of a supportive psychiatrist, she has been able to reclaim her life.

Eleanor, now 25, lives with her sister Livia, a 27-year-old nurse, and parents John, 61, a retired research chemist, and Shirley, 58, a teacher, in Bradford.

"She's so pretty - and from a good home, too ... Such a shame!"

Through a drugged haze I heard the doctor's words as he gazed down at me, lying in bed on a locked psychiatric ward, far away from my family and friends, and feeling more lost, lonely and terrified than I had ever done in my life.

Eleanor Longden, aged 17, before she was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia

I felt ashamed, too, as though it was my fault that I'd been diagnosed as mentally ill.

Getting out of bed, I stumbled to the bathroom, walking awkwardly and, to my immense embarrassment, drooling from the mouth as a result of the side-effects of the medication I had been given. I felt dazed, my thoughts confused, unable even to remember exactly how long I had been in hospital.

I looked at myself in the mirror and got a shock. I was scarcely able to recognise the person I saw there from the shy, 17-year-old who had left home for the first time only a few weeks before, full of excitement about her first term at university.

I wondered: "Why am I here?" I still didn't really understand. It was true that those first few weeks at college had been stressful for me. Like many of my fellow freshers, I had felt homesick and uncertain of myself. At school I had been diligent and conscientious.

Arriving at college, I felt torn between continuing to work hard or re-inventing myself as a "cooler", more popular, party girl. All around me I saw other students pretending to be someone they weren't, and the pressure of sustaining this seemed enormous.

But I had managed slowly to make friends, and find my way around the campus, as well as start speaking up for myself in tutorials.

Then one morning, out of the blue, I heard a quiet voice in my head, commenting: "Now she's going to the library."

After that I occasionally heard the voice again. It never said anything dramatic, and I didn't find it threatening at all.

I remembered having listened to a radio programme which described this experience as one that sometimes occurred to lone yachtsmen, or prisoners in solitary confinement, and put it down to loneliness.

Sometimes the voice was also a useful indicator to me of how I was really feeling - such as the day it sounded angry following a tutorial in which another student had unfairly criticised me.

After I returned to class the next day and put my point of view across more forcefully, the voice in my head once more resumed its usual calm tone. This reassured me that far from being some sinister psychiatric symptom, the phenomenon was probably no more than my own externalised thoughts.

But then I made the fatal mistake of confiding in a friend. I will never forget the horror in her expression as she backed away, repeating: "You're hearing what?" when I mentioned the voice.

She looked really scared, and told me I needed to see the college doctor as soon as possible.

Her reaction frightened me. I made an appointment immediately.

The doctor's face became very serious at the mention of the voice, and he insisted on referring me to what he called a hospital "specialist", but who turned out to be a consultant psychiatrist.

What I wanted and needed was to talk to someone about my feelings of anxiety and low self-esteem since I had arrived at college. But the psychiatrist kept emphasising the significance of the voice - as though we were discussing a mathematical formula in which having this experience automatically meant I must be insane.

Even when I talked about my work for the student television station, I could tell from her face that she thought this was fantasy.

I felt I walked into that room as a normal, if slightly stressed and vulnerable young girl, but left it labelled with a diagnosis of a paranoid schizophrenic, my interest in broadcasting dismissed as "delusional".

Even at that first meeting, the consultant was already discussing with me the possibility of in-patient treatment at a psychiatric hospital.

She also put me straight onto a course of Risperidone, a strong antipsychotic drug whose side-effects include weight gain, involuntary tremors and difficulty in walking.

From that moment on, I felt cut off, alienated not only from my university friends and teachers, but from my family and upbringing. Suddenly I was no longer a middle-class, educated young woman with a bright future ahead of me, but a potentially dangerous mental patient.

Feeling the stigma of this, I did not tell anyone that I had been referred for weekly sessions with a psychiatric nurse, as well as further monthly appointments to see the consultant.

During these meetings I tried again to talk about my search for identity since leaving home. But these very ordinary feelings of adolescent insecurity were immediately interpreted as symptoms of a diseased mind. Although I didn't believe I was mad, I trusted - as most people would - the medical view of the psychiatrist over my own instincts.

At my second meeting with the consultant two months later, she suggested I admit myself to hospital "only for three days" to undergo tests.

Not wanting to worry my parents, I confided in my personal tutor, who assured me that details of the nature of my illness would be kept private.

I was shocked when I arrived at the psychiatric hospital, which had once been a Victorian asylum. It was very old-fashioned, with bars on the windows, double-locked doors and, to my horror, mixed wards. I was by far the youngest female patient there and I felt very vulnerable.

I knew straightaway this was not somewhere I would get well. Four hours after I was admitted, I tried to leave, but was coaxed into remaining by a nurse on the ward who told me: "Everyone feels like this at first".

Over the course of the next few days, I underwent a routine brain scan, which found no evidence of abnormality, but had no therapy of any kind. I was simply given medication and left alone.

At the end of four days, I felt I'd had more than enough of the hospital and asked to be discharged - only to find myself under the threat of being forcibly restrained if I tried to leave.

I was absolutely terrified, and contacted my parents at the end of that first week to let them know where I was and ask them to come to see me.

But by the time my mother arrived, the effects of the drugs had started to kick in, making me confused and sleepy. I felt unable to explain properly to her why I was there or what was wrong.

In the meantime, the one calm voice in my head had been joined by another more strident and critical voice. Over the course of the next few weeks, the number of voices, some now male as well as female, and far more frightening, gradually increased until finally there were 12.

Of these, by far the most dominant - and demonic - was the threatening tone of a man. At first, it was only his voice I heard. But one night during my second month in hospital, I awoke to a hallucination of him standing by my bed, hugely tall and swathed in black, a hook where his hand should have been - like a character from a horror film.

I thought this was the result of the drugs I had been taking and of my distress at being confined in hospital. But the consultant convinced me this was a further symptom of paranoid schizophrenia. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, wondering if it might be true that I was mad.

I felt as if I was trapped in a nightmare. Having needed nothing more than reassurance about my normal feelings of insecurity after having left home, I was now labelled as a schizophrenic, drugged and confined to a locked ward.

Yet inside I still felt sane. I knew I had to get out of hospital before I started to see myself as a mental patient. Each time a nurse asked me if I thought there was anything wrong with me, I had answered "No". This was clearly not what they wanted to hear.

Now I decided to try answering "Yes" and see what happened. As soon as I began acquiescing to treatment, taking all my medication and agreeing to do what I was told, I was finally allowed to return to college.

After three months in hospital, I went back to university - a very different and far more disturbed student than when I had left. As a result of the side-effects of my drug treatment, my weight had ballooned from 9st to 15st.

I also suffered from constant trembling and a stumbling walk.

I still don't know how the other students found out where I'd been, but they obviously had. Within a week of my return, my door in the halls of residence had been defaced with graffiti and I had been spat at on my way to a lecture.

Worst of all was the tutorial where, after I'd had an essay criticised by a tutor, another student leant across to me and whispered: "That's finished you off, psycho!"

I ran back to my room in tears, staying there for the next few days and feeling I wanted to hide from the world.

In the meantime, the dominant demonic voice became even more horrific, telling me the only way I would ever get better was if I agreed to follow his instructions.

These included not only self-harming but also cutting off my hair. He threatened terrible punishments, such as burning my room down, if I refused.

Desperate for some peace, I started to obey his bizarre instructions. Word now got round the university that I was behaving oddly, talking to imaginary people and cutting my arms.

Walking through the student bar one night, a group of students mockingly suggested I stub a cigarette out on my forearm. When I did it, they cheered.

I felt defeated and demoralised, no longer caring whether I lived or died.

At my next appointment with the consultant, I said I thought my medication was making the voices worse, and asked if I could stop taking it. But she insisted I had to continue.

When I admitted that I felt suicidal as a result of the way I was being bullied at college, she sent me back to hospital for a further seven week.

For the next four months I struggled on at university, as well as having another two brief psychiatric admissions. By the time the summer vacation arrived, I knew I could not carry on battling both against the voices and the cruelty of the students.

I returned home to my parents, my self-confidence totally destroyed.

My parents were wonderful - really supportive - but confused, because there was no history of mental illness in my family.

Over the course of the next few months, I was referred to the local psychiatric services in Bradford. My first appointment was with a male psychiatrist called Pat Bracken, who I later found out had worked with men and women tortured and raped in Uganda, and with child soldiers in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

He asked me why I had come to see him and I replied obediently: "I am 18 and I am a paranoid schizophrenic"."

Later on in my treatment, Pat told me he thought my answer was the saddest statement he had ever heard from a young girl - but at the time all he said was: "Tell me what you think would help you".

I asked him to reduce my medication. To my amazement, he agreed immediately.

We talked about the voices and he suggested I stop seeing them as a symptom of mental illness and start looking on them as a way of finding out about myself. This encouraged me to tell him about my first experience of the female voice.

Up until now everyone had treated me as if I was completely passive, but Pat showed me a way of helping myself to get better.

Over the course of the next seven months I saw Pat for regular weekly sessions, gradually reducing my medication until I stopped the drugs completely.

During this time, I discovered that if I engaged with the voices, they became less frequent. I also learnt to challenge the more threatening voice, refusing to do what it told me and telling myself it was no more than a symbol of my own externalised anger.

One by one the voices gradually disappeared, until I was only occasionally hearing one.

Three years on, I am healthy, happy and perfectly stable. Schizophrenia is a frightening and misleading label which stigmatises people. While the doctors insist I was schizophrenic, I don't know if the label really applied to me.

I think, like many young people leaving home for the very first time, I was stressed and unhappy. Going to university, and the lack of support there, tipped me over the edge. All I ever did was hear voices.

Now I have learned how to deal with them.

I am now studying for a doctorate in clinical psychology, as well as working on a medical team that helps teenagers suffering from the sudden onset of psychosis.

I often wonder what would have happened to me if I hadn't found a psychiatrist who understood how to treat me.

If I do hear a voice now, I am no longer frightened because I understand why it's happening. My mother's signal for knowing she's stressed is an attack of migraine. Mine is the voices.

Article last updated 08/08/2009

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Many of our site visitors leave messages, here are some examples of what people have told us about their hearing voices experiences:

I have been hearing voices for most of my life. I am currently 51 years old and a trauma survivor. As far as I can recall, I first became aware of the voices when I was in my late teens to early twenties, which coincides with the first instances of abuse. As a child I was extremely shy and lived in my own world of imagination.... When I began to hear voices, I made up my mind that I would never tell anyone, because I was afraid that I would also be diagnosed as schizophrenic. From the very beginning I was very curious as to why I heard these voices, and as time went by I went back and fourth between my own different theories. Some of my theories were: hearing voices of people who were deceased, mental telepathy, angels or spirits, stray radio signals which my brain was somehow able to pick up, and mental illness. About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed as having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and was also diagnosed as DDNOS(dissociative disorder not otherwise specified). I have been taking SSRI's for 10 years as treatment for depression and anxiety disorder, which has not had any effect that I am aware of on the frequency or duration of hearing voices. Although I still don't make it widely known that I experience internal voices, I feel that I have come to terms with it very well. I no longer worry about the cause, and tend to simply view it as part of who I am as an individual and as most likely just part of how my brain functions and organizes external stimuli. I am hopeful that some day there will be much less social stigma attached to the phenomena and that more people will be able to feel comfortable in disclosing their own experiences. I believe that the fear, shame and secrecy only create more trauma and fear, which can become a vicious circle of self-loathing. "

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My voice is friendly and helpful. When I was born, I heard three voices, my mother,father and the friendly voice. I thought everyone was like me. Until I was nineteen years old, then I heard a doctor on TV say that hearing voices is a sign of mental illness. I have never believed that I am crazy. But always afraid, others would think I was crazy. I never lose contact with common reality. The friendly voice feel like a natural part of me. Always been there; always will be Would enjoy learning about other people's positive experiences of hearing voices.

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"I spent about 5 months in a state hospital after being in and out short term. I've been hospital free for over a year but I am so afraid of telling anyone about my voices being back."

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"Its nice to see people communicating freely. I was hospitalised 7 times. Once in Dunedin, NZ which is close to you. I was there visiting my brother. Its great to see people finally discussing the voices and people that they hear. The more I read the more I realise how similar peoples experiences are. Which makes me realise that we are all seeing the same thing which is interesting."

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"I have been hearing a single voice, for the past three years, the voice is coming from a living Indian guru, she is very demonic, but she does not scare me. "

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"I appreciate everyones honesty. I have been hearing these same voices. I take meds that dull the voices, but every morning and throughout the day until evening is an agonizing harassment. Every thought i think I recieve comments from voices that claim they are fallen angels."

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"I have heard voices claiming to be demons for 8 years. I can even blast music and I will still hear them but if I listen to talk radio even at a low volume I do not seem to hear them. I hope this might help someone else"

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" I am a mental health prof. However, after several stays in hospital i too learned the horrible 'rules' you described. Seeing it all wrote down moved me to tears, i'm so angry and sad that that is the reality of our care. Then the b******s wonder why we wont talk!."

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"I agree that it is best to be able to discuss the experiences of hearing voices and all , but only with other people who hear voices. In my experience, I have found that there is such a stigma related to hearing voices that people, including doctors, treat you differently when you discuss them. I have very little use for the mental health system in my area."

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"Hello, I've heard voices for almost four years now. It happened when I was nineteen, much like one of the other posters here, I was a psychology major at a very good science college and studying pre-med. My experience came after using ouiji boards "

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"I just started hearing this voice ... ,the last time I heard the voice it ask me if I was all right,I am alone most of the time it has happened, it's a male voice and when it happens I don't feel any fear of the voice".

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"I have heard voices since I was 41 years old (10 years ago). Sometimes they were clear, sometimes faint. They have given me very helpful guidance and although I have been reluctant to 'connect' (afraid I had a mental illness), I cope much better when I am in contact with the voices. Your website has been reassuring and I would like to thank you for the information."

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I have been hearing music since May 2006 until now. I am 56 yrs. old. The music I hear changes from time to time from a soft mellow one to somewhat nerve breaking. The music keeps on during my waking hours. I get a few hours sleep due to this disturbances and keep on waking every 2 or 3 hours.

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"I started to hear negative voices, have nightmares, and see things that were not so good. Where in the past it was always good experiences. When I look back, I see it was a spiritual crisis .... Everyones journey is different, but there are many similarities within those journeys. Try looking at each voice, and see if it can relate in anyway to the way you feel about something. Are they playing on your insecurities and fears about yourself, if so then set about overcoming them alittle at a time. Or accept them and move on. often when you realise what it is the energy seems to dissipate. If you see them as something evil and scary, that is the effect they will have on you. Change the way you see them, imagine them as children who are lost and surviving in the wilderness. I used to do that, imagine the voice as a child, and often it would diminish. I know it is a difficult journey,. Remember to be good to yourself. Always acknowledge your victories, know they cannot hurt you, and the only thing to Fear is fear itself. "

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"Right at this moment, as I’m writing this, the voices are blaming me for not following their instructions months ago. Typical of them, they want me to fault myself for supposedly aborting an initiation I supposedly was going through. At other times they’ve told me that they hate me because I’m unattractive. This is but one example of their, mostly unsubstantiated, attempts at damaging my sense of self worth. There are several voices which I hear often that seem to belong to distinct personalities, but there’s one that is most predominant, a young female voice, talking to me almost all the time. Thankfully, both harshness and volume of the assaults have been gradually decreasing in the past weeks. I attribute this to my realizing the nature of the voices and learning to be unaffected by whatever they throw at me."

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" ... I hear voices that tell me to take care of myself, reminding me to take medication that I take daily. My daughter, sister and her daughter hear and experience such things as glass breaking before it happens doorbells and phone ringing before they actually ring. I am also pre-cognative and will hear some things break, water running, such as this before it happens. I don't know how common that it is. My experiences do not frighten me anymore me as they have in the very beginning, they have actually helped me."

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" ... I hear voices, more than one voice actually. I have always felt them to be benefecial to me throughout my life since early childhood, guides along life's pathway. I have never been directed to do anything harmful to myself or others, yet I have received a psychiatric diagnosis ."

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As well as leaving a comment on this page, you may wish to discuss your experiences and get feedback and responses from other INTERVOICE supporters, if so you can join our the online discussion forum home page click on Register, follow the instructions and you will be joined up straight away.

Anyone interested in the experience of hearing voices is welcome to join.

This forum is a place where:

you can ask questions, find answers, and share experiences and ideas with other voice hearers and other interested people (friends, family members, researchers, workers etc) from around the world;

you can find out the latest news about the Hearing Voices movement;

you can find information about training events and conferences;

you can find out about some of the other forums and websites on issues about hearing voices;

you can find out more about INTERVOICE, its aims and objectives and plans for the future.

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