Topic Tuesday // Hearing Voices // Tues 15 May, 7pm AEST

[Cathy]

Hey

I do not hear voices myself, but am wonderign the best way to support a friend who comes to me with this experience. I am very cautious of stigma. !

[lanae976]

Hi @BlueBay

I understand how hard it can be to open up to a psychologist, I ended up giving my first psychologist a letter that i had written because i couldn't figure how to bring it up in a session, is something like that possible for you?  There are peer support groups about, it is a good safe environment to open up about hearing voices which may in time make it easier to tell your treating team.

[BlueBay]

Hi @lanae976
I could write s letter to my psychologist. Thst would be easier than saying it.
Thsnks for the suggestion. I think I do need to open up to be able to get the help snd support.

[jbell]

I see things like this as well, it looks like a black pearl with a ring around it, and I also see floaty things that float around in my eye, some of them look like hairs that have clear eggs in them

[Georgie_Paulik]

@Tasharose and @greenpea - yep, stress is a big one, whether its stress around daily living or specific things like being in crowds or eating! It's so important to get balance where you can and take time to have a bath or do soemthing you find helpful, like listening to relaxing music. 

[Tasharose]

Thanks @Gerorgie_Paulik, I will source this book and see if I can find something that helps. At the moment I am in hospital because the voices have been really bad. I used to hear a little girl but I have been overrun by negative voices of late. Why do voices seem to be so negative, what is their negative voice trying to tell me?

[Former-Member]

Hi @Cathy - thanks for joining us tonight - great to see you here to get a better understanding. Stigma is a hard thing and its always good to get more knowledge when you are unsure 

[Georgie_Paulik]

Recent evidence links social isolation and loneliness with an increased tendency to hear voices and have other related perceptual experiences. For many, isolation occurs prior to the experience of voices (perhaps because of other life difficulties occurring at the time), and for others they tend to isolate themselves because of their voices and what they are saying to them. We know that social isolation and loneliness can in turn make the voices worse and therefor is best to try reduce.

 Have you seen a link between your voices and spending more time at home in isolation? What tips do you have to help others to get out of the house more?

[Former-Member]

Hi @jbell welcome! Thanks for sharing with us 

[BlueBay]

That's a good point @Tasharose why are the voices negative ?
@Georgie_Paulik ?