Dopers that have heard "voices" in your head - What is it like?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I was reading the back and forth in TVAA’s mental illness discussion thread in GD and wondered what the whole “hearing voices in your head” thing is really all about. This is not meant to be a dis-respectful question. I know that mental illnesses or situations where you “hear voices” are among the most debilitating and frightening out there.

I ask the question out of genuine curiosity. I can hear myself “think” verbally if I have to slow and really think about something, like talking to yourself when trying to remember where you left the car keys, or working on a difficult analytical or behavioral problem (like dieting). Most of the time, however, the majority of the process of going about my daily life is largely automatic, with few complex interior monologues or ongoing complex verbal commentary except for some short interior mental commands, cues, reminders or comments on the next task to be done. One exception is when I am writing emails or memos and I verbalize the text mentally as I write, or if I am thinking about what I am going to say to someone where I have to be careful about what I am going to say.

A few questions for people that hear voices, or heard them, if you don’t hear them anymore.

1: Are the voices you hear mainly your voice or do they belong to someone else entirely? If they aren’t your voice are they a recognizable voice of someone else in your life, or they a stranger’s voice?

2: When you hear voices do you typically hear lots of voices or just one or two? Can you hold a discussion with the voices, or is it a monologue by the voices, or is it a speech or command to you? How do these voices typically manifest themselves, do they just burst forth or can you command them to come and go?

3: Sometimes when mentally ill people do terrible things, they say (assumedly sincerely) that the “voices” told them to do it. Why is is so difficult to say “no” to the voices?

4: Do people that hear the voices know on some level they aren’t real or the effect so powerful that there is no question the voices are “real”?

5: Is there any upside to these interior voices? Can you carry on a conversation with yourself (literally) or is it terrifying? Why are these voices always so debilitating to normal functioning. Why can’t someone hear compelling voices that tell them to do the right thing or be a better person?

2

Well, since nobody else has responded in 12 hours, I’ll give it a try. But let me start out by saying that I have never been diagnosed with a mental illness, because I have never sought an evaluation. I do hear voices, but only on occasion (once every couple months at the most) and they do not interfere with my life.

1: Are the voices you hear mainly your voice or do they belong to someone else entirely? If they aren’t your voice are they a recognizable voice of someone else in your life, or they a stranger’s voice? The voices I hear are not my voice. They are a complete stranger’s. There are only two distinct voices in my head besides my own.

**2: When you hear voices do you typically hear lots of voices or just one or two? Can you hold a discussion with the voices, or is it a monologue by the voices, or is it a speech or command to you? How do these voices typically manifest themselves, do they just burst forth or can you command them to come and go? ** The only times I have ever heard the voices is when my brain is “off”- I am not thinking anything at all. On almost all occasions this has happened during some monotonous manual labor- sanding, painting, etc. One voice says random semi-violent things, but not commands. Most are not complete sentences. The other voice I have only heard once. He was telling a story, but since my brain was “off” I wasn’t really listening. It was only when I started thinking again that I realized I had just been hearing a story that came from someone else inside my head. These voices never appear simultaneously.

**3: Sometimes when mentally ill people do terrible things, they say (assumedly sincerely) that the “voices” told them to do it. Why is is so difficult to say “no” to the voices? ** My voices have never told me to do anything.

4: Do people that hear the voices know on some level they aren’t real or the effect so powerful that there is no question the voices are “real”? I know for sure that my voices are not real, and that’s why their presence doesn’t worry me. If they start commanding me or interfering with my life, then I will seek professional help.

**5: Is there any upside to these interior voices? Can you carry on a conversation with yourself (literally) or is it terrifying? Why are these voices always so debilitating to normal functioning. Why can’t someone hear compelling voices that tell them to do the right thing or be a better person? ** I can’t carry on a conversation with my voices, because by the time I realize they were there, then they are gone. I do wish I could have listened to that one guy’s story though. It might have been interesting.

I don’t know if this helped you at all. Hopefully someone else will come along and give you more information about people with voices that interfere with their lives. I am interested to hear what they have to say as well.

3

Hm, this shows as having zero replies, probably because my post submit timed out but the post appeared anyway. Hopefully this post will change things in case astro is keeping a close eye out for responses.

4

[Like beegirl, it’s only happened to me a couple times, and the only thing psychologically wrong with me according the MMPI is chemical depression. But nonetheless, I have heard voices a between a dozen and two-dozen times in my life].

1: Are the voices you hear mainly your voice or do they belong to someone else entirely? Someone else entirely.

2: When you hear voices do you typically hear lots of voices or just one or two? Lots, with one talking right after another, or even right on top of each other. I’ve never been able to identify one of them as one I’ve heard before because there are so many, and also because each one has never said more than a sentence or two at a given time before switching over to somebody else.

3: Sometimes when mentally ill people do terrible things, they say (assumedly sincerely) that the “voices” told them to do it. Why is is so difficult to say “no” to the voices? Mine have never said to “do” anything. The best way to discribe it is that it sounds like the Beatles’ Revolution 9. That is, it’s not like any of the dialoge is directed at me, it’s just there. Likewise, I can’t remember any of the instances having the voices “talk” to each other, either. They seem completely random and unconnected from one to the next.

4: Do people that hear the voices know on some level they aren’t real or the effect so powerful that there is no question the voices are “real”? I’ve never had any problem worrying about whether they were real or not. Generally, I only hear them when I’m zoned off, with the majority of the instances occuring right before I fall asleep. (And I’m certain I’m not yet asleep, so no, it’s not like I’m dreaming; just tired and not thinking about anything in particular).

5: Is there any upside to these interior voices? Can you carry on a conversation with yourself (literally) or is it terrifying? I find it kind of relaxing, actually, or at least entertaining. If it happened with more frequency than it does, then I might start to get frightened.

5

I appreciate the responses! I thought this thread would sink into obvilion. Dopers are normally wonderfully talkative about all matter of physical and psychological challenges they have faced and are facing, but this “voices” question really seems to be a tender spot, and I imagine they fear being stigmatized.

I appreciate your bravery and forthright honesty. You are the best and bravest beegirl of all, no matter that the other dozen say!

6

PIMF “what” the other dozen say.

Thanks also Orange Skinner! Both your and beegirl13’s responses are quite illuminating and make the phenomenon sound a lot more benign than I imagined.

7

My brother is schizophrenic and hears voices on a regular basis. We had a fascinating conversation about what it means to hear voices in your head. The problem on my end is that I, never having experienced the phenomenon, have trouble understanding.

He describes it has having the TV on low volume almost constantly. Sometimes the voice give intructions or suggestions, but most of the time they are chatter. Much of the chatter doesn’t make sense, for instance politics is a central theme but it devolves into nonsense pretty quickly.

My brother is lonely much of the time and the voices are a form of companionship. I get the feeling he follows their suggestion, because it can be all too easy to lose yourself when the only voices you hear are in your head.

It is important to understand that to him the voices are as real as his tactile environment. He cannot distinguish between the radio and what is in his head. Thus he will often refer (during a lucid period) to something he heard on the radio. I can tell most of the time by context whether it is likely a delusion or something he actually heard.

Drugs can help, but the side effects are tough to deal with. On the meds he sleeps most of the day and paces much of the night. The voices subside, but he feels little motivation to do anything. His mannerisms are zombie like and flat. Off the meds he has the voices to keep him company.

I know I have rambled a bit, but I struggle with what this is like for him too.

8

Not my voice, per se, more an independent voice. It doesn’t sound like anyone in particular, and doesn’t match anyone in particular in any significant way.

It’s usually one voice and then I respond to it. On more than a few occasions I’ve heard two, though. I can hold discussions with it, though it’s usually not very long. It encourages me to do stuff I oughtn’t do.

It usually comes out at random times. Not so much anymore, but when I was up in the DC area it was rather frequent for the last year or so. More than once a day usually, and probably a dozen times a day if it happened at all that day. At that time it didn’t usually say more than one or two things per manifestation.

Very, very complicated question to answer, since there is a lot more at work for some than just the voices. Lemme try to explain it for me, though … and bear in mind that in my case, the voices also came with psychosis that was severe enough that I went on Risperdal for a time.

You’ve got someone (me) who was fairly lonely and wanted someone to be pleased with what he did. That pleasing feeling wasn’t easy for me to get from much of anyone … at least, not to a meaningful degree. So when the opportunity came to do stuff that voice wanted done, it was damn hard to say no to it.

In my case, the stuff the voice wanted done was really, really evil stuff. We’re talking years spent in jail evil. That made it easier to say no. But if I didn’t have the intense desire not to be a bad person, or if I had less to lose or less resolve, then I might be there now … or, more likely, in a mental hospital. Still, probably.

Before and after it happened I knew it wasn’t an actual person or outside agent causing it, but during the manifestation you couldn’t have convinced me it wasn’t being caused by a non-myself entity.

It’s like playing with fire. It’s exhilarating, it makes you feel special (the extent to which that happened did vary quite a bit), etc. But it can be really, really dangerous (as I explained above). I was able to carry on conversations in my head, though not for very long. I also sometimes would vocalize the voice (and respond to it vocally). Fortunately that never happened in class to an audible degree (probably lower than a whisper). If you were around me every second of every day paying attention to everything I said you’d catch some of it. But it is normally so quiet that nobody hears, which is rather fortunate.

I dunno that people can’t hear those voices. Perhaps they do, but because they aren’t encouraging the person in question to, say, push someone into a bonfire (been there), the voice isn’t perceived as anything bad.

The biggest upside for me is knowing enough about what happens (though my experiences aren’t necessarily true for everyone or even anyone else) to be able to explain it to people.

Re: fruitbat’s post, I should note that the auditory hallucinations I had weren’t all voices as they’re commonly considered. If I was in a friend’s room at a specific time I’d hear the radio playing Top 40. That was all nice and fine and I enjoyed it and had no idea, since it went on so long (half hour), that it was only in my head. It was when one of my friends happened to be awake at that time and I asked about the radio that went off ever morning that I found out it was only in my head.

I don’t get that radio anymore. I rather enjoyed it. But if it means no more voices telling me to throw people against pine trees, I’m satisfied.

9

Never my voice, usually a stranger’s. For a while, the voices were imitating the people around me and telling me to do inappropriate things. Fortunately, I always managed to figure out what was real and what wasn’t.

**

It was either one voice with a monologue (usually commentary on what was going on), and never more than two voices talking to each other. I never tried talking to them.

**

It wasn’t for me, but I’m not too far gone. For other people who are in a worse situation, it might not be so easy.

**

Again, I never had much trouble, but some people can’t differentiate.

**

No upside that I know of. That last question is a doozy, and I’m not going to touch it right now.

10

Apparently, I have fallen into great disfavor with the hamsters today. I thought I posted this an hour ago, but here’s my second attempt:

Thanks, astro! blushes However, it’s much easier posting about my situation (I won’t even call it a “condition”) when it is so mild and doesn’t affect my everyday life. I admire the other posters who have posted from more difficult standpoints. Thanks, guys. I wish you wellness.

P.S. Can I use your above quote as a sig, no matter how unworthy I am? :slight_smile:

11

When I was stationed in GTMO in the 50’s, we’d go on Liberty via Liberty Boats - from the base to the little town of Caimenera.

Whether we stayed there or caught a cab or train to Guantanamo City, when liberty was over, we’d catch a boat at Caimenera to get back to the base.

So, after one of my newbie liberties, I’m sitting in the back-to-the-base boat and we’re churning along, when I hear a Cuban song playing. Someone on board, obviously had a portable radio, tuned into CMKC or some other Cuban station. The volume was low, but I could hear it distinctly.

Well, to make a long story short, I was hearing things. But the point of this is, that lots of other guys had the very same damned experience. We’d call it “the boats talking to you.”

You didn’t have to be drunk or even have a buzz on. You’d hear the music nontheless. It was exactly as if you were in a bar and the juke box was playing, except much, much softer. The lyrics would be so plain you could pick out the words - just as on the record - and in the parts where the words on the 45rpm-er were muddied, well, they were precisely that way when the boat talked to you.

I suspect it was an auditory trick in the brain which somehow was triggered by the sound frequency of the liberty boat’s motor.

I’m pretty sure I nailed it down to the fact that we were all hearing different songs - e.g., I’m listening to “Yo Tengo Una Muneca,” and my buddy’s tuned in to “Nosotros,” etc.

After I got used to the phenomenon (and was secure I wasn’t nuts), when the music came on, I just kinda snuggled into myslef and enjoyed.

Oh yeah - here’s another cutesy item. Again at night, coming back to base as a GTMO newbie

I look to port (honest, I remember looking leftward), and here comes a friggin torpedo, moving very very fast on a collision course with the boat. Of course I didn’t see the torpedo but its wake. I froze speechless and scared to death, until at the last moment, that damned torpedo veered ajavascript:smilie(’:smack:’)way

It was a porpoise. Of course. Happened all the time. :smack:

12

I have a friend with MPD. Or rather, I have several friends in one body. The main person has alternate degrees of co-conciiousness with the others depending on her stress level. When she’s very stressed she won’t remember the whole MPD thing, but she can hear the others talking and it scares her that she’s hearing “voices”. Oddly enough, I was talking to one of the others a few nights ago and she said that Nina (the main alter) and Marie had combined last week. Apparently Nina was hearing voices. I asked Jilly if she’d reverted back to not remembering and she said no - these weren’t “real” voices (it wasn’t the other alters). Anyway, it was bothering Nina, so she and Marie joined together. So I guess voices can be different things for different people.

StG

13

When I was a loner in beginning of high school, I had always a clear, monotone, monologue, my own voice talking non-stop.

It was thoughts: one leading to another, like a conversation you have with someone. Ex: Ice cream into milk then calcium.
I actually miss that, because those train of thoughts: really thinking about details of every life events, made me more mature than other girls at my age.

But it stopped once I got friends (like other dopers said: it kind of companionship). Since then (now I’m 22) I think and act like an idiot kid. Insert loopy emoticon.

I have the ability though (the whole radio thing) if there’s a lot of noise around me, or complete silence, I could ‘turn on’ a song in my head. Not actual thinking (I’d stop after the first few lines) then I could hear it clearly from either sides of me, like a low volume record.

14

I’m clinically depressed. I don’t hear voices, per se, more like auditory hallucinations.

The first time I heard them was when I was in the psych ward of the hospital (perfect timing, huh?). I think the heavy doses of medicine triggered it. They kept me high as a kite the whole time I was in there.

The best way I can explain it is it’s like having a TV or radio on in the next room. I might not notice it’s there for a while. Just when I zone out do I realize it’s been on for a good bit. Lots of times it’s music that I can’t quite make out. Sort of fuzzy or blurry. Once it was a football game. Another time it was nothing but commercials. I can’t usually make out actual words, only tone.

The first few times it was terrifying simply because I was hearing stuff that I knew wasn’t real. I was afraid I was going crazy. But now it doesn’t bother me when it happens. Sometimes it can be frustrating if I try to understand what’s being said, because it’s always muffled just enough to make it a mystery. It can also be annoying because often I mistake it for a real TV or radio and search the house for one to turn off. Only after I’ve made the rounds do I realize what’s going on. It’s that real. Most of the time I just sit back and enjoy the music.

15

Whenever I hear the voices, I pass out and wake up hours later in a strange town covered in blood. So I’m not much help. Sorry.

16

I hope the people here won’t mind me adding a new batch of questions to this thread:

How loud do the voices sound? Does it sound like someone is talking in your ear, do they sound like they are just standing there in front of you, or is it a faint, almost subliminal sound?

Are the voices usually of the same sex as the person hearing them, the opposite sex, or does it vary? Do any of you detect any significant age discrepancies between you and the voices you hear?

If you are multi-lingual, do the languages of the voices vary, or do the messages usually come to you in your own native language?

Are you ever awakened by hearing voices during sleep? Do these voices continue once you are awake? Do they prevent you from falling to sleep?

17

It only happened once. I was about fourteen and I was staying awake to read a book. It must have been about five-thirty in the morning, and I was so deeply tired that I couldn’t make sense of any of the words in the page.

I would read a sentence and the last word of the sentence would be shouted back at me.

The “voice” sounded like a young boy who was VERY angry about something. When he shouted the last word back at me, it was very mocking and sneering. It sounded like he was standing behind me, yelling at me, even though I was laying down at the time.

It kind of freaked me out, not just that I was hearing this voice, but that he was so angry. I read for a while afterward, trying to figure the whole thing out, before I eventually turned off the light and went to bed.

I’ve never heard anything like it since. I’m sure it was extreme tiredness that did it. I knew it was my mind playing tricks on me, and I was mainly curious as to why it would play a trick like that on me, which didn’t have much of a point. Maybe I was just angry at myself for staying up too late like an idiot.

18

I’ve experienced the same thing on a boat that Antiochus has. I realised that it was just the sound of the engine getting screwed around by my brain, but I couldn’t make it go away. I could, however, “change channel” and make it turn into different styles of music.

Another time, I was walking though an airport and became convinced I heard a friend of mine talking behind me. I’d just spent a week with her, and she has a very strong Welsh accent. For about the next 10 hours, every time there was someone talking indistinctly, I heard my friend’s Welsh voice instead. The moment I could hear the words they were saying, it would resolved into their real voice. When my friend’s voice suddenly emanated from an elderly Pakistani woman, it scared me half to death. It wore off by the next day. This has happened very occasionally since, if I’m extremely tired.

19

When I was young, I heard voices several times.
I thought that it was ghosts. Honest. Thinking about it now, I realize that it was just my own head. Scared little 12 year old me out of my socks at the time, though. I never mentioned it to anyone because they wouldn’t have belived that I had ghosts talking to me, I was sure.

There were two voices, stranger’s voices, both male - I’m female. One was older, one was about my age. The older voice sounded like someone maybe 30-40 years old or so, he sounded kind. They never happened at the same time.
Neither of them ever asked or told me to do anything. The older one would just talk about things in general, definately rambling, and often not making sense. The younger one would ask questions.
The shock of “holy crap, a ghost just talked to me!” would snap me out of the dazey sort of drift that I was in, so I wouldn’t hear the voices any more. I never carried on any sort of conversation with them.

I only heard them over the span of about two years. Around the time they stopped, I started to hear music when I was in the drifty state.
For years I lulled myself to sleep by listening to piano music in my head. It was clear enough that I could have written it down if I knew anything about music. There were some beautiful pieces that I half-remember even now, about 15 years later.

20

I remember during the Boston Strangler’s case, one of the defendants claimed he heard voices inside his head. One of the ways in which the interrogators decided he was lying was that he claimed the voices came from within his head rather than outside his head. Apparently schizophrenics typically hear voices coming from the outside and they aren’t “internal voices.” Anyone who has been through it want to comment?