I have no idea how old you are so I'll give you a variety of professional websites to look at to find out if you are hearing voices in the way that 1st episode psychosis is explained and you can compare your experiences to others. YOU ARE NOT HEARING DEVILS/DEMONS/SPOOKS/SPIRITS! I do get annoyed when I see answers containing such nonsense (although folk are entitled to their opinions just as I am ) - anyway these are registered mental health websites that are passed by qualified professionals and I hope you take a look around. Don't be scared, you're not alone in what you are feeling and well done for looking for help and support. You'll be ok. All the best,
**here's a taster from psychminded for you**(i think service users may contribute to the running or run this site)
Raising Our Voices - an account of the Hearing Voices movement
by Adam James, journalist and 2001 winner of MIND Journalist of the Year-
180 pages, paperback
Available only from psychminded - for just £5 (+postage)
Order Raising Our Voices now
CONTENTS:
Chap 1: Moses - prophet or schizophrenic?
Was Moses a prophet or voice-hearing psychotic? 'Everyone heard voices before 2,500 BC' wrote US psychologist Julian Jaynes in his seminal book The Bicameral Mind which heralded the Hearing Voices Network. But has this scholar's work been marginalized ever since?
Chap 2: The beginning of the Hearing Voices Network.
Did you know that the first UK hearing voices self-help group was set-up partly because a sociology student needed funding for his Phd...find out other interesting info about the rise of this influential mental health movement. Plus, read about the network's moves to becoming a 'user-led' organization
Chap 3: Self-help - Voice-hearers helping themselves
Read the story of how six hearing voices self-help groups formed. Plus, what are the most effective way to cope with voices? What do members of a self-help group in Salisbury, Wiltshire, think.
Chap 4: Who or what are the voices?
The Hearing Voices Network is marked by its acceptance of a diversity of explanations for what causes voices. This chapter features contributions by three voice-hearers - Maxwell Steer, musician and composer, Mickey de Valda, Hearing Voices Network chair and former patient and Kati Meadow
Chap 5: Psychotic and Proud
The story of Ron Coleman, former national co-ordinator of the Hearing Voices Network, who became a charismatic speaker in the service user-movement. Read about his life; the trauma and grief, his first voice-hearing experience, consultations with psychiatrists, ECT, "escape" from sections, coming off neuroleptics, plus how vital support from Hearing Voices Network members enabled him to 'recover' and build a career in mental health
Chap 6: Cognitive psychology and hearing voices
Read how clinical psychology developed cognitive treatments for voice-hearing, plus an appraisal of clinical psychology. Should clinical psychology ally itself with psychiatry or service users? Read what leading psychologists, such as Richard Bentall, think
Chap 7: Who's a monkey? Patient or psychiatrist?
Read how those in the hearing voices movement also endeavoured to rethink self-harm as a coping mechanism to deal with distress. This is compared to orthodox theorising - derived from experimenting on rhesus monkeys.
Chap 8: Grooming maverick psychiatrists.
Never before has such a revealing informal discussion between trainee psychiatrists been put to print. Read what 20 trainees psychiatrists at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital think about diagnosing patients, pressures from seniors, and working conditions. Some remarkable insights. Plus, why did psychiatrist Phil Thomas feign cutting his wrists with a razor blade?
Chap 9: Advocacy at the deep end
The true story of Hearing Voices Network advocacy work for a young mother detained in hospital
Chap 10: The genetics of schizophrenia - science or hocus pocus?
Are the geneticists really on to something? Or is there, in all honesty, as much hope of finding a schizophrenia gene as there is finding the Loch Ness monster? A unique examination of the scientific research into the schizophrenia diagnosis
Many people hear voices, with or without a "mental disorder." If they're not causing problems in your life, and you can tell which voices are real and which aren't, then don't worry about it. Consider yourself special. If you have other "thought" or mood problems that bother you, see a psychiatrist or psychologist and find out what can be done. There's a Yahoo group for voice hearers -- some members consider themselves mentally ill and others don't.
As far as asking what mentally ill people "are like," that's like asking what American people "are like" or what people with diabetes "are like." There are as many answers as there are people in the category. In most ways, they're like anybody else, but with a higher burden of suffering than most. You probably know many people with mental illness and don't know it, considering that over 15% of people have a diagnosable mental illness, although only a minority ever get treated.
What do the voices tell you? To look both ways before you cross the street or to hurt others? Do you have psychic experiences? You may be clearaudiant* (as opposed to clairvoyant).
There are several hundred mental illnesses: senility, cretinism, retardation, schizophrenia, etc... etc....
The fact that you are questioning your own sanity is an indication to me that you are in fact sane. Most mentally ill people don't realize there is anything to wrong/different about them. I'd be careful about talking to doctors simply because - in the USA, at least - they put people on very strong mind altering medication. Unfortunately MD-s aren't as knowledgeable as they think they are. If you go to a doctor who is very limited she may label you with one mental illness or another. Having said that, I am NOT a doctor so i am legally prohibited to give you any diagnoses whatsoever.
*it could be a different spelling.
PS. Talk to a psychologist (Ph.D) if you are really worried.
Most mentally ill people are every day people you encounter in your daily life. If you are concerned about your experiences, though, you would be best off talking to your doctor who can reassure you or tell you a method of treating any real problem.
Comments
I have no idea how old you are so I'll give you a variety of professional websites to look at to find out if you are hearing voices in the way that 1st episode psychosis is explained and you can compare your experiences to others. YOU ARE NOT HEARING DEVILS/DEMONS/SPOOKS/SPIRITS! I do get annoyed when I see answers containing such nonsense (although folk are entitled to their opinions just as I am ) - anyway these are registered mental health websites that are passed by qualified professionals and I hope you take a look around. Don't be scared, you're not alone in what you are feeling and well done for looking for help and support. You'll be ok. All the best,
*http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/mental-...
*http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/articles/article.aspx?...
*http://www.sane.org.uk/
*http://www.signcharity.org.uk/
*http://www.psychminded.co.uk/critical/hearingvoice...
**here's a taster from psychminded for you**(i think service users may contribute to the running or run this site)
Raising Our Voices - an account of the Hearing Voices movement
by Adam James, journalist and 2001 winner of MIND Journalist of the Year-
180 pages, paperback
Available only from psychminded - for just £5 (+postage)
Order Raising Our Voices now
CONTENTS:
Chap 1: Moses - prophet or schizophrenic?
Was Moses a prophet or voice-hearing psychotic? 'Everyone heard voices before 2,500 BC' wrote US psychologist Julian Jaynes in his seminal book The Bicameral Mind which heralded the Hearing Voices Network. But has this scholar's work been marginalized ever since?
Chap 2: The beginning of the Hearing Voices Network.
Did you know that the first UK hearing voices self-help group was set-up partly because a sociology student needed funding for his Phd...find out other interesting info about the rise of this influential mental health movement. Plus, read about the network's moves to becoming a 'user-led' organization
Chap 3: Self-help - Voice-hearers helping themselves
Read the story of how six hearing voices self-help groups formed. Plus, what are the most effective way to cope with voices? What do members of a self-help group in Salisbury, Wiltshire, think.
Chap 4: Who or what are the voices?
The Hearing Voices Network is marked by its acceptance of a diversity of explanations for what causes voices. This chapter features contributions by three voice-hearers - Maxwell Steer, musician and composer, Mickey de Valda, Hearing Voices Network chair and former patient and Kati Meadow
Chap 5: Psychotic and Proud
The story of Ron Coleman, former national co-ordinator of the Hearing Voices Network, who became a charismatic speaker in the service user-movement. Read about his life; the trauma and grief, his first voice-hearing experience, consultations with psychiatrists, ECT, "escape" from sections, coming off neuroleptics, plus how vital support from Hearing Voices Network members enabled him to 'recover' and build a career in mental health
Chap 6: Cognitive psychology and hearing voices
Read how clinical psychology developed cognitive treatments for voice-hearing, plus an appraisal of clinical psychology. Should clinical psychology ally itself with psychiatry or service users? Read what leading psychologists, such as Richard Bentall, think
Chap 7: Who's a monkey? Patient or psychiatrist?
Read how those in the hearing voices movement also endeavoured to rethink self-harm as a coping mechanism to deal with distress. This is compared to orthodox theorising - derived from experimenting on rhesus monkeys.
Chap 8: Grooming maverick psychiatrists.
Never before has such a revealing informal discussion between trainee psychiatrists been put to print. Read what 20 trainees psychiatrists at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital think about diagnosing patients, pressures from seniors, and working conditions. Some remarkable insights. Plus, why did psychiatrist Phil Thomas feign cutting his wrists with a razor blade?
Chap 9: Advocacy at the deep end
The true story of Hearing Voices Network advocacy work for a young mother detained in hospital
Chap 10: The genetics of schizophrenia - science or hocus pocus?
Are the geneticists really on to something? Or is there, in all honesty, as much hope of finding a schizophrenia gene as there is finding the Loch Ness monster? A unique examination of the scientific research into the schizophrenia diagnosis
Many people hear voices, with or without a "mental disorder." If they're not causing problems in your life, and you can tell which voices are real and which aren't, then don't worry about it. Consider yourself special. If you have other "thought" or mood problems that bother you, see a psychiatrist or psychologist and find out what can be done. There's a Yahoo group for voice hearers -- some members consider themselves mentally ill and others don't.
As far as asking what mentally ill people "are like," that's like asking what American people "are like" or what people with diabetes "are like." There are as many answers as there are people in the category. In most ways, they're like anybody else, but with a higher burden of suffering than most. You probably know many people with mental illness and don't know it, considering that over 15% of people have a diagnosable mental illness, although only a minority ever get treated.
What do the voices tell you? To look both ways before you cross the street or to hurt others? Do you have psychic experiences? You may be clearaudiant* (as opposed to clairvoyant).
There are several hundred mental illnesses: senility, cretinism, retardation, schizophrenia, etc... etc....
The fact that you are questioning your own sanity is an indication to me that you are in fact sane. Most mentally ill people don't realize there is anything to wrong/different about them. I'd be careful about talking to doctors simply because - in the USA, at least - they put people on very strong mind altering medication. Unfortunately MD-s aren't as knowledgeable as they think they are. If you go to a doctor who is very limited she may label you with one mental illness or another. Having said that, I am NOT a doctor so i am legally prohibited to give you any diagnoses whatsoever.
*it could be a different spelling.
PS. Talk to a psychologist (Ph.D) if you are really worried.
Most mentally ill people are every day people you encounter in your daily life. If you are concerned about your experiences, though, you would be best off talking to your doctor who can reassure you or tell you a method of treating any real problem.
No you are no Mental, only Siao.
Maybe it is the devils talking to you.
God Bless You.
If your thinking about whether you are crazy or not, then you aren't. Crazy people don't question their sanity.