Coping with voices in head?!
Question: I was diagnosed with schizophrenia 2005 and its been vaguely under control, but not quite. I relapsed recently when I went off my meds, but I'm on new ones now (Abilify).
The voices are still there, because there's a 2-3 week period before I reach teh therapeutic dose.
The voices generally talk to each other about me in a derogatory manner, or they tell me to do things that I would really not want to do, or they talk inanely about very random things. I also see things move that shouldn't be moving, and I see people appear and disappear where they shouldn't etc.
How do I deal with these things? I'm hoping that they will die down (they never, ever go away completely, even when on meds) in 2-3 weeks' time. I'm 18 and I will be going back to school on the 8th of Jan, so I need to keep my stress from the voices, and the paranoia from the things that I see at bay. I can't have people knowing more than they do.
Anything that I could do to keep myself calm when this happens?
Thanks.
Answers: I was diagnosed with schizophrenia 2005 and its been vaguely under control, but not quite. I relapsed recently when I went off my meds, but I'm on new ones now (Abilify).
The voices are still there, because there's a 2-3 week period before I reach teh therapeutic dose.
The voices generally talk to each other about me in a derogatory manner, or they tell me to do things that I would really not want to do, or they talk inanely about very random things. I also see things move that shouldn't be moving, and I see people appear and disappear where they shouldn't etc.
How do I deal with these things? I'm hoping that they will die down (they never, ever go away completely, even when on meds) in 2-3 weeks' time. I'm 18 and I will be going back to school on the 8th of Jan, so I need to keep my stress from the voices, and the paranoia from the things that I see at bay. I can't have people knowing more than they do.
Anything that I could do to keep myself calm when this happens?
Thanks.
Hmm...Id say use mind-over-matter?
I mean, if you see, like, a dragon or something coming right for you (right now I see a dragon made out of trees in my neighbors backyard...Im not a druggie or schizo or anything, just sleep deprived :3 ), then you KNOW that it isnt real. Id say you should try fighting the voices and the appiritions (well, more like stand up to them, I guess). What you have to try to do is convince yourself and the voices that they are ALL just one person (commonly used for multiple personality syndrome, but no harm in giving it a shot, right?), and then see PAST whatever it is you see (such as people disapearing and whatnot).
I dont see why youre so worried about people knowing. I mean, your friends will stick by you if theyre true friends, and others...well, dont give a f uck about them. I bet most wont even bother you cause youre 'different' (to ME thats an appealing idear, as Im misanthropic, but if youre more of a people-person, maybe this isnt a good idear). And if they DO bug you, just say that the voices are plotting to murder them and then they should fly away :)
I'm not schizophrenic but I get voices in my head - I've been diagnosed with psychosis. I'm on 30 mg of olanzapine a day and 50 mg of chlorpromazine (both antipsychotics) - it doesn't get rid of the voices, it does reduce how often I get them. Maybe you could start on a new medication - an antipsychotic maybe?
oh God...
i wanted to cry when i read that
please, pray to jesus even if you don't believe in him, ask him for help and to heal you
if you sincerely cry and ask for mercy, he wouldn't leave you alone and let you continue to suffer this way
really all i can say is you should tell your friends about this i found it works best.I'm bipolar and i went off my meds for 6 months and was a totally different person and in turn they weren't to nice to me. i was doing a lot of risky things once i explained to things that were going on i felt better and was able to control some things and i had people to talk to about it. your case is different and talking to your friends wont make the voices go away, but its hard being lonely. you need somebody to have some assurance in somebody that will help you with whats real and whats not. somebody that can sense the sings that you are slipping away and can help snap you back.
just simple reminders of things that move and some inspirational quotes for the things that aren't so nice. remember your dealing with an illness but your making the best of it. it doesn't make you any different or any less and if you open up you may find more people at your school that are just like you. stick to the meds. maybe ask for an increase past the point where they already decided. it takes a while to find the right pill but its worth it.
Yes, just keep telling your self its you, its you, its all you every last voice is yourself attacking yourself. This is a mad world and many people grew up to be in conflict with their selves, some more than other. Don't worry, about a thing cause every little thing, is gonna be alright.
Hello, 1st of all i want you to know your not alone in this matter, i suffered breifly with hearing voices after my dad died and i was wondering if you had some sort of trauma that might be a source of the reasoning, i was very heavyily medicated during that time...and i knew nothing...i made a decision to stop all meds and try to help myself because the meds were not helping...so examine yourself and your current conditions and just tell yourself you can get thru this. i hope everything goes well for you. this is just my personal opinion
Try Risperdal or an anti-psychotic
I am not sure I can help because I do not have enough understanding of your condition. I used to suffer a depressive condition where I heard derrogatory voices in my head and I found that by just telling myself they weren't real(cause they weren't) helped. You have to try and ignore them and tell yourself they are not real. If you believe what they say and what you see to be real then you will lose yourself in an unreal world. Focus on what is real and ignore what is not. I hope this helps :-)
Check out the local NAMI group. Sometimes it helps to hook up with people that are struggling with similar circumstances.
Our brain is such a mystery in some ways.
I'm bipolar and I had some weird delusions when I was at the outer manic edge. I never succumb totally to my delusions but some were quite overpowering in their intensity.
I had to fight or resist the incorrect thought processes. With meds and me "resisting" I was able to finally stabilize.
It sounds like you have a real heavy burden to bear. I hope you eventually find a med that will greatly help you turn down or even tune out those unwanted special effects.
Until then, just try to resist by ignoring the peanut gallery.
The stigma of bipolar and schiz guarantees that we have to deal with alot of it alone. People are quick to judge and slow to comprehend the torment we sometimes go through.
I hope your torment will fade away until its nothing but an annoying buzzing sound.
Take care.
Hi, this is new to me - I only get them when I don't drink, cuase I'm an alcoholic and it screwed up my brain chemistry.
I try to go places I feel safe, I make sure that I
I try to say: anybody who wants me to do things, anybody who wants to be mean to me or hurt me or embarrass me,
The worst for me is the paranoia and the jumping. The tiniest noise is like a heart attack. I see my hoodie shift and I think it's someone appearing I didn't realise was there.
I trust my friends and for them to have my back. I guess only my best friend knows. But I'm very open on here.
I try to be safe. I realize that I'm really in control of them and I make things they wouldn't normally say. Sort of like meditating. My biggest fear is usually that they're conspiring to kick me out of the house... or laughing at some secret embarrassment.
"So instead of 'he's down there drunk again, probably drinking..." I'd say "I'm down here breathing. Why would anyone talk about me, I'm just breathing." No matter what I am actually doing.
I also find a lot of repetition in voices, that say the same things over and over again. So I don't get too repetitie in focusing on my breathing... looping things can be a sign that you're falling into a mental trap. Eventually I realise I'm non longer listening to anything but my breathing and I'm not trying to drown them out by saying "breathe" over everything that makes me upset.
But focusing on breathing is a positive feedback mechanism. You change your breath and keep doing it.
I realise that I can't possibly by hearing through the walls and I'm just interpreting some ambient noise wrong.
Going back to school can be stressful. Don't be afraid to leave if things get bad. Have friends take care of you. It's not bad to admit that you're scared, and you don't have to say of what.
And I just don't listen that hard. If I don't fear, they have no hold on me and it's just the general anxiety/paranoia I have to watch out for - make sure it doesn't get so strong I fear and fall into that trap.
Going to read a bit more and come back. Get lots of sleep! For me it's worse when I'm not sleeping.
Hmm. I guess one more thing, just trying to write down stuff that upsets you (I used a locked computer file) try to have insight over how the voices talk about things that are stressing you out, seee if the same ones come out see if it's often similar things.
I get a man and a woman arguing about me all the time, plotting against me. When I listen, they just say the same things over and over again. So I'm like. Okay, then. Stop paaying attention to them! And that works for a bit, and lets me work on something else. I put on music and do some reading.
I wish my voices would tell me I need to be studying! Right now it's a murmur from the ceiling, but I've been up again all night typing with some manic sort of thing. And I've been lighter on the booze after a heavier nenw year. he theory is I'm just getting into my own personal DTs, but it's been 2.5 months and it's getting very real that I may have this for life. Haven't been able to get intot de-tox. I'm sure the longer I have it the more likely it stays and the more damage I do.
But if it stays, I will fight it and I will beat it and I will get the support I need as best as I can.
Take care, best of luck!
Rob
PS disclaimer: don't get into alc thinking it'll help. It will very quickly make things worse. I've just fried my brain and without alc it can't regulate itself. If I stay off and just wait to see if this passes, they're afraid I'll seizure. :P