Depression and voices

[bonjour16]

I've been diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety and was wondering if anyone experienced hearing voices (angry ones) with their depression? And if so, did they go away once your depression was lifted. Feeling low and scared and in need of some reassurance. I'm on 20mg citalopram and 5mg olanzipine. Thank you in advance.

Have you just started taking your medicine? I know during the adjustment period symptoms can get a lot worse before they get better but if not then you might be schizophrenic somewhat as voices (as far as i'm aware) isn't a symptom of depression.

If you're not adjusting to a new medication you need to go back to you're gp and tell them that you're hearing voices and tell them what they are saying to you.

I'm seeing a psychiatrist who says I have severe depression. I've been on and off citalopram since 2006 with no probs. Im just wondering if anyone experienced voices with their anxiety and depression. It just started a few weeks ago and making me afraid and low.

Hope someone can help.

I don’t know the answer, OP, i’m sorry - afaik voices are not a symptom associated with depression, but more often with psychotic or manic episodes, maybe associated with a change in medication?

bumping so hopefully someone more knowledgable will be along to help, but i did want to say that i got talking a while ago to a chap who said he heard voices (i believe he said he had schizophrenia controlled by medication). I said something about how scary that must be and he said that the good thing about his meds was that he was aware they were not real and just because he could hear them didn’t mean he had to listen to them. I thought that was a calming way of looking at a difficult situation.

for you, and i hope it’s not too scary right now.

@RubaiyatOfAnyone thank you very much for your reply. I'm just really struggling just now with anxiety. I will be seeing my psychiatrist again on Tuesday x

It is entirely possible to have psychotic depression (albeit relatively unusual). 5mg of olanzapine is quite a low dose if it’s bejng used as an antipsychotic, but it can be used at lower doses as an adjunct to antidepressants. Did your pdoc explain why they had prescribed it?

@historyrocks thank you. Olanzipine was prescribed with my antidepressant for severe depression and to help with the noises I was hearing and anxiety. I don't feel the olanzipine is doing much unfortunately.

It may be because it’s a low dose. There are other antipsychotics that can also help with depression if olanzapine doesn’t work. I take Quetiapine, which I’ve found to be very good for low mood and psychosis. I get psychotic depression, although I’m diagnosed as bipolar.

Did your pdoc discuss the possible side effects? These drugs can be a life saver (has been for me), but they can also have bad side effects.

there are other meds they can try if the olanzapine doesn't work. I've tried quetiapine, olanzapine and aripiprazole. I'm now on clozapine for it.

@historyrocks. Thanks for your reply. Yes, I tried quetiapine briefly but had to move to olanzipine as it gave me headaches/migraines. The side effects of olanzipine has mostly been increase in appetite and fatigue for me. May I ask what psychotic symptoms you experience with your depression? Thanks again.

I started by hearing voices, but after a couple of years it progressed to believing I’m possessed by evil and I get olfactory hallucinations where I can smell myself rotting. I believe that the only way to stop this is to kill myself.

I do also sometimes hear voices, but not so much over the last 3-4 years. Things have been a bit better as I’ve got quite good at recognising warning signs and being able to rationalise about what’s happening to me.

You mentioned about anxiety—do the voices make you anxious/fearful? Are you able to rationalise that they’re not real at the time?

@historyrocks I recognise they are not real. And they do make me very anxious and fearful. I'm terrified. I hope it is just anxiety and depression that is causing them and I'm not going psychotic.

Anyone else experienced this? Thank you in advance.

Hi OP. I haven't experienced this myself (though I have suffered from depression, and have also been on citalopram since about 2006) but I have a friend who did with his depression. You know the voices aren't real, which means you have insight into your condition. People with full blown psychosis tend not to have that insight. It must be very unpleasant and frightening for you. But it will pass. Please keep reminding yourself if that.

@peardrops1 thank you for your kind reply. I really appreciate it. I hope it passes soon. It's making me even more anxious but I pray it's just part of my depression and nothing more. Thanks again.

@historyrocks do you take medication to help ease your symptoms? x