Hearing voices/whispers

[dailydoos]

Over the last few weeks I have experienced whisperings in my ear, specifically the left (not sure if it's relevant). It starts with a strange tingling sensation and almost a similar warmth as if someone was actually whispering right into my ear and breathing on me.

I wasn't able to make out the words being whispered, but it's always been a masculine voice and occasionally sounded like my ex, who was abusive (again, not sure if it's relevant).

As the voice wasn't directing me, and just a jumble of sounds rather than words I haven't told anyone about it and tried to ignore it. However, the jumbled whispering has become very clearly my name, over and over again.

My family are not believers of mental health issues, so it would never be something I discuss with them, so I'm very much alone in this situation. However, I'm also worried about making an appointment with the doctors.

Previously, I made an appointment with them due to my mood changes and how they flip quickly and without warning, and I was referred to mental health team, but three times the referral has been bounced back to my doctors because they are incapable of sending off the adequate information the mental health team needs.

Is there anyone who could offer advice on how to deal with this? Maybe without going through the GP.

Also, anyone who has experienced this, what did they do for you? Has it stopped?

Hello
Just wanted to say that you are not alone and please don't worry about seeing your GP. I don't have any advice but wanted you to know someone is here to listen

Well done for seeking advice OP.

You really need to go back to your GP asap and explain the changes. Point out the difficulties with the original referral and ask them to update your symptoms and re-submit it.

Best of luck.

I don't want to scare you, but, with your mental health history, this may be psychosis.

Definitely go to the GP and they will probably refer you to EIP (early intervention in psychosis). EIP are excellent and will open the doors to all sorts of treatments.

I was diagnosed with psychosis three years ago, am just at the end of my EIP journey (they look after you for 3yrs) and I'll probably be taking anti psychotic medication for life. But, with their support, I got an ADHD diagnosis along with 40 hours of DBT/CBT. I still hear/see things, but it's so well managed and I understand so much more now.

Please go and seek a referral. It honestly will change your life.

Not sure if you’ve come across this organisation? http://www.hearing-voices.org/resources/free-downloads/#content

it could be something other than mental health but I do understand your reluctance to speak to the GP.

Do you have any visual difficulties?

Thank you for your replies.

I think my main worries is the doctors incompetence when I've come to them before. I have absolutely no support from family and when I say I don't have friends, I literally don't have a single friend, just work colleagues.

I've had no visual changes.

I was previously told (around 8 years ago) I have depression and was on sertraline and then fluoxetine, both of which didn't work.

My only other "symptoms?" Is the changes in mood. I'm never aggressive, but I switch from a very hyper, overly cheery mood, to having almost a static vision in my mind and staring into space. I've had to input a gambling stop on my phone and change my withdraw limit and disable my use of Apple ID due to being very "tap happy" when I'm in a very cheery hyper mood. My moods can change very rapidly, sometimes multiple times a day.

Having typed that out, I realise that my problems appear to be a lot deeper than some anxiety and depression and I clearly need to work on trusting that health professionals will help me.

I will call the doctors tomorrow and push harder for the completion of my referral.

Could you have bi polar?

This was suggested as a possible diagnosis when I first spoke to the doctor about my what was happening, before the whispers, but he told me I would need to see the mental health team, but every time he resends the referral he misses off information they need and I kind of gave up searching for answers

I'm sorry you're going through this op.

You might find it helpful to talk to Mind before your appointment, maybe they'll have some advice about how to push your GP to provide the right information/help you in the right way

https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/

It must be very scary but you're far from the only one who has experienced voices and help js out there x

Hearing voices is much more common than people think and could also be due to anxiety for instance. Do you think the voices are coming from the outside or are they your thoughts that just sound like voices?

Have you tried contacting the mental health team yourself? Sometimes that helps. Do you know which information is missing? Could you write an email with descriptions of your symtpoms that the GP could use as the basis for their referral?