Hearing Voices?

This mechanical aspect of hearing brings up another interesting concept to ponder.

When people are hearing other voices in their heads, is their a mechanical aspect to it that is yet unknown to scientists?

If as you say all hearing is in your brain how can you say anyone hears or doesn't hear. All hearing of all voices real or unreal are equal?

I was not aware this was a philosophical discussion. I leave it with you.

That's not exactly fair:
You told me: "they literally hear".
Then you told me: "all hearing is in the brain".
In what why do they "literally hear"? It's not intended to be a trick question.

In my past I've had psychosis beacause lack of sleep, from working too late and starting to early, and that resulted in too much stress. The DSM would lump every psychotic attack into a treatment of anti-psychotics until a sense of reality was established. Unluckily for me during that phase, I was diagnosed with a mood disorder (Bi-Polar); the type where I would get severly depressed and my energy would fade. During those episodes of deep depression I would experience my own "thoughts" and "voices" as neagtive and uncontrollable. The voices would tell me all manner of vile and wicked things. I use the metaphor of a punch in the face. You can't ignore it as much as you try. Stephen Fry also comments on this simillar voice that tells him he is worthless. But I'm not schizophrenic. The difference is schizophrenic's have an eloborate delusion with their voices. I'm rational about what I hear, but it's just hard to ignore and to be clear, they're not auditory hallucinations. They're the internal kind. The best diagnosis comes from oneself to understand ones own thinking patterns. A "voice" can tell you to choose to watch that new movie in the cinema, but in terms of disruption of everday functionality, then there are certain '"voices" that might be considered disorderly to a point where being in a clinic might be of help.

Procrustes, thanks for your input into the conversation. Very informative.

I quite often hear voices just as I'm going to sleep. I think it's just my brain firing off. The only thing that makes sense is hearing my own name, other that that it's just odd words. The other night I distincly heard 'gardencentre.' Just that one word, I doubt it means anything.

Geeez, I did n't know!!

I ofen hear Dean Martin 's voice soon after beginning
to operate my record player.

Sometimes, its Perry Como.

Thay 've never recommended violence.





David

I'm really skeptical about all of this and feel that voices that tell you to harm others or yourself are really not "voices" at all but psychotic thoughts.

I also believe we "think" to ourselves all the time and during those times, my thoughts sometimes mimics other people's actual voices, as I remember them. I often "hear" my mother say a particular phrase or sentence and I can "hear" one of my children say, 'Mom" and I know I should call him/her.

So - about 3 months after my husband died, I was sitting at the kitchen table thinking about him and I KNOW I heard his distinct voice telling me that he loved me. At first, I was scared, but then I thought, "this is just what I have wanted to hear" and I enjoyed hearing it over and over. It was very nice to hear and is one of my best memories, since he rarely told me he loved me, but showed it in so many ways.

Overtired? brain misfire? stress? delusion? internal thoughts? outside voice? I don't know. Don't care. I know what I heard.

I have never heard it again.

Psychotic is such a stigmatized word and not all negative "voices" are psychotic. Sometimes a repressed trauma or traumatic event can trigger such "voices".

As long as Dino and Pierino don't start telling you to go out and tourture and kill people and animals, you're A-ok.

I would be even better if they started telling you to get over your Muslim-paranoia.