Voices

[SnowyMouse]

Hi, I'm really struggling with the voices I hear at the moment, does anyone else have any tips?

Hi SnowyMouse! Im a community mental health nurse so have experience in this area but just need some more information.

Do you have a diagnosis? Are you on any medication?

Are the voices nice or nasty? What sort of things do they say? Do they tell you to do things, e.g. hurt yourself or others? Do you "know" them ie are they family or friends? Are they inside your head, like your thoughts, or outside like someone in the same room talking to you?

Have any techniques worked for you in the past? Using headphones sometimes helps.

There are support networks....i know Mind run Hearing Voices Groups, where you can learn from others.

www.hearing-voices.org/

www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/hearing-voices/about-voices/

Is this a really busy internal monologue or something more?

@Spidey66 I have a diagnosis of non-organic psychotic disorder, and possible autism. I take clozapine, sertraline and mirtazapine. The voices are nasty, they talk about what I'm doing and tell me to kill myself in specific ways. I don't know them, they come from behind me.

Thanks for the links.

It's not internal monologue @MorkandMandy

I assume you're open to a CMHT? Do you have a crisis plan? Can you contact the crisis team or attend A&E? They maybe able to provide you with some pen medication or refer you to the Home Treatment Team or for admission if needed.

The crisis team are seeing me, but the voices stop me ringing them. I've got lorazepam to take the edge off. I really don't want admission.

I think, once out of this crisis, you should consider contacting the Hearing Voices Network to help learn new coping strategies.

Does your Trust have a Recovery College? Many Trusts do, and they're fantastic. They do sessions and courses on how to deal with your illness and symptoms. The sessions are usually taught by mental health professionals and/or service users so people with lived experience.

And please do contact the Crisis Team. It's what they're there for. I know the voices are bad, but I'm sure rationally you know they cant stop you ringing them.

www.cnwl.nhs.uk/services/recovery-and-wellbeing-college

This is the Recovery College of one Trust I worked for. At the moment many of the courses are probably online but as we (hopefully!) come out of covid restrictions they should go back to face to face.

Do you have any other support? Friend, partner, family member? Can you see or speak to them? Maybe they can contact crisis services for you

Good luck x

My local recovery college's understanding psychosis is face to face at the moment, which I wouldn't feel safe doing because of coronavirus. I'll see what they do in future. Thanks for the tips. The crisis team are coming later.

They're thinking about supervising my meds. Not sure how I feel about that.

That's pretty standard under Crisis Teams, I think. They maybe concerned for your safety. Did they explain their rationale?

They want to be sure I'm taking them.