Worried in hearing voices and becoming unwell

[worryingsbout]

I have anxiety and ocd, I am medicated for this and medication works well. Sometimes my ocd will start up, instrusive thoughts and constantly checking the cooker etc and I know it's time to increase my dose, so I do have insight.
But lately I'm struggling with a voice in my head, I'm sure it's my voice and nobody else's, and it doesn't come from outside it is definitely in my head. I will be reading the news and for example see an article about someone has died, straight away the voice in my head says "good" or something else just as awful. I would never ever think this way, I am a kind person so it's shocking to hear myself say that.

Or another example I would get very bad anxiety about my babies becoming unwell or something and happening to them, this was very distressing and was more of the post natal anxiety I had. Every now and then I will think something positive about say Christmas coming up and then this voice pops up again saying something like "well they might be dead" etc. it's so hard to explain what I mean.

I'm struggling to sleep lately and when I do start falling asleep I've had scenes play out like a movie where there is a killer who has stabbed someone and then dumping the bodies in the bathroom, just really horrible things that scare the shit out of me. I guess I'm asking, how do you know you're going psychotic ? Does it start slowly with your own voice ?

I don't know enough about psychosis to be able to give you specific advice, but this sounds like it would be very distressing for you, regardless of why it's happening. I think now would be a good time to talk to your doctor about it, so they can give you some informed advice - I think waiting and hoping it goes away on its own might not be a good idea with this kind of thing.

I think the fact you're describing yourself as 'struggling' with this voice in your head is a good reason to book an appointment with your doctor to discuss it and ask for some help on this. It's impacting you and worrying you, you will feel better for talking it through with an hcp who knows your background and if any adjustments need to be made to your meds/ diagnosis/ support/ referrals.

You poor thing! Sounds like you are really struggling.

Your GP will be a good person to talk to. They have heard it all before and wont be shocked by what you say. Their job is to listen and to help, I think it’s really important to get in to see them ASAP. Look after yourself xx

I am not a doctor, so don’t know the symptoms of becoming psychotic, but I do know that you are unwell and anxious at the moment and need to speak to your GP or someone else at the practice to tell them how you are feeling. Please call them today, or pop down to the surgery. Take care, wishing you well.

Well done for talking about this here. Please ring any mental health professionals involved in your care or your GP.

Hey - hearing voices can include a voice that sounds like your own thoughts but doesn’t come from you. I’ve experienced something similar to what you describe and only in response to my thinking about something - ie I’ll be trying to figure something out or just considering something and an internal voice will respond. (Sometimes).

sometimes it makes sense (eg I’ll be thinking about going out and it will say ‘fun’), sometimes not. Occasionally it’s darker. It’s more active when I’m stressed. I do have a mental health condition and it’s related.

There’s some great resources via charities like mind around hearing voices. They might even have a helpline. I think it’s not that uncommon.

do you have ur current medication via GP or psych? I’d def advise speaking to them. I wouldn’t worry that what you describe at the moment means you’re slipping into psychosis but it’s really worth talking it through. It might be they can adjust your medication or give you advise.

Personally I try not to take the voices too seriously or give them energy. For me, it’s a rabbit hole that starts diminishing my confidence.

wish you well op!

Could be part of the OCD/intrusive thoughts.
Definitely have a chat with your GP. No need to struggle on and let it worry you.

I would seek advice from your doctor but to me this seems a bit OCD like,

Mentally voicing a thought you don’t really want to have - bad thought type thing.

No one here can make a diagnosis but it sounds like Pure OCD and intrusive thoughts.

I have schizoaffective disorder. What you are experiencing sounds like 'normal' intrusive thoughts which everyone has to some degree but become more of a problem in people with anxiety/OCD

The hearing voices in psychosis is completely different to what you are describing

It sounds like your inner monologue is louder because you're anxious. Tell it to shut up or correct it (either out loud or mentally) next time it happens.

No personal experience but I'm an RMN.

It does sound like intrusive thoughts and an internal dialogue. Auditory hallucinations are clearly outside your head, as if there is someone in the room with you.

However, as it's a new symptom, it's worth discussing with your GP or care team. They may recommend changes to your medication and/or some therapeutic interventions to help you deal with it. Sometimes a small dose of an antipsychotic can help those with severe anxiety symptoms, even though you're not actually psychotic.

Good luck x

Hi OP, that sounds very similar to how my DD describes her OCD intrusive thoughts, so would definitely recommend talking to your HCP about it and seeing if they can tweak your medication or offer some other form of support. Have you ever had therapy for the OCD? Nice recommendation is meds plus therapy, but the therapy part can be harder to access than the meds. Hope you can get some support.

Thank you so much for the replies. I think I think it is the ocd and instrusive thoughts. It never used to present this way, when I was a child it was counting and checking, then 10 years ago I had my first child and it became all about them and checking the heating, cooker, doors etc. Then I had my two babies really close together in the last two years and it suddenly ramped up into full on instrusive thoughts and paranoia. It's horrible and I thought it was under control.
This voice I hear I do think is my voice but why would I randomly say "good" about somebody dying ?! I don't think that at all!!
A few weeks ago I heard my name being said as I was falling asleep, and then with these horrible nightmares when I'm just falling asleep is freaking me out

Best to just check with the your doctor or mental health contact if you have one.

My intrusive thoughts get louder and more frequent under stress. My brain comes up with some appalling stuff out of nowhere. I quickly swoosh them out of my head and have a kind of “well, that was unnecessary wasn’t it?” disappointed kind of attitude towards them. I wonder if that would help you.

I think it's part of your 'obsessions' of ocd. Like Tourette's but thankfully not out loud at the moment. Talk it though with a professional but try and see it as something your ocd or your brain is doing.
I have had some
Awful intrusive thoughts in the past about 'what if I threw this baby over the balcony' but I rationalize them as 'I know I would never want to harm this precious child and my brain is doing a risk assessment' - that might work well for you or it might now but it's something to try!

OP. I'm sorry you're having a tough time. Voice hearing is extremely common (at least 10% of people). There is a big move to stop pathologising it. What you describe is also extremely common in people with OCD diagnoses. Notice it and let it be. It's mental chatter just like your other thoughts.
Hope you feel better soon.