I suffer psychosis

[HerRoyalRisesAgain]

I have a whole host of mental and physical health problems.
One of the things I suffer with is psychosis I hear voices and I hallucinate.

It's such a taboo subject, which is why I'm starting this thread. To spread awareness.

You sound like you are coping really well and I'm glad you have a support MH team around you, what kind of therapy are you on a waiting list for?

Esse321 CBT. I was also signed up to a trial of a different type of therapy, but was put in the control group so don't recieve the therapy. It sounds promising though. They currently use it for people with PTSD, and hopefully they'll be able to see some results in psychosis with it. I cant remember the name of it right now

@Miljea in research they call it 'psychotic like experiences' and they are hugely common in the general population. Most people will have had some experience that is similar, often when under a lot of stress or very tired (both of which are risk factors for developing a psychosis spectrum condition). Personally, I have experienced visual hallucinations over a period of about a month where I was consistently sleep deprived and stressed.

Thank you for the thread @HerRoyalRisesAgain . I'm glad to hear you are awaiting some therapy (CBT for psychosis has a good evidence base).

I also appreciate that it may sound unusual that the mental health team are helping OP live and cope with the voices she hears, but the evidence base suggests that reducing the distress associated with voices, and treating the voices with understanding and compassion is much more successful in helping people who hear voices than trying to get rid of them.

I found it really interesting when she talks about being kind to the worst voices as those are the parts of you that need more love.

Absolutely, I use it for just my negative or intrusive thoughts.

Absolutely, I use it for just my negative or intrusive thoughts. it's honestly such a good way of approaching things.