Struggling with voices

[inblack]

I'm diagnosed with BPD and sometimes when I'm very unwell I begin to hear voices. Since breaking my arm a month ago I have been hearing voices a lot more often, and lately almost continously.

They tell me there is a chip in my head and there is a bump there that has been there for most of my life. I'm really worried that there is a chip in my head and thats why I'm hearing these voices. I don't know what to do. I want to try and cut it out. I can't deal with the voices any longer.

Does anyone have any coping strategies they could share?

[crazykat]

Do your supports know your struggling at the moment? In terms of some coping strategies have a look at this link and scroll down near the bottom of the page to read some coping strategies. Hope this helps. Take care
Kat xx

[inblack]

Thanks that was an awesome link

[inblack]

Only my husband knows right now. I have a psychiatrist appointment on Monday and I think I will tell her. I'm just afraid of being put in the hospital if I tell someone, but its gotten to the point where I need some kind of professional help with it.

[Evie May]

I sometimes hear voices, it only happens when I'm incredibly distressed but a few things I found that helped, as simple as they may sound is listening to music through headphones to try and drown them out. Challenging them (depending on what they are saying) can sometimes work. You gotta think.. it is all 'in your head' so you will be able to control them to some extent.. though I know how difficult it can be.
I used to take haloperidol to help with the voices, I'd seriously consider asking your GP about it. I mean it may not work for you, but it worked wonders for me.
PM me if you need :) xx

[Evie May]

Also, you won't be put in hospital just because you hear voices. (not that I mean it's something to be taken lightly).. they will only admit you to hospital if you are a danger to yourself or others. If you are, then be honest with your doctor. If not then he'll probably refer you for some type of therapy and start you on some medication to help dull them down. xx

[rara avis]

I have schizophrenia, and hear voices amost constantly.
The things I'm being taught are trying to catch it early. As soon as you begin to hear them press your thumb nail into your pointer finger, just so you feel a tiny bit of pain and say 'I am aware I'm hearing voices, they are not real and a part of my distress/illness'
When it escalates, challenging them with logic, and when that seems not to help, music really loud can help drown them out as someone else suggested.
You won't be put into a psychiatric unit just because you hear voices, that will only happen if you are a real danger to yourself or others and is used as a last resort.
I hope you can talk to your dr about this.
Be safe

[not_so_insig]

(I posted a really good reply then it lost it, grrr.)

Like rara avis, I have schizophrenia and hear voices. I agree finding solutions/strategies is the best thing to do other than taking medication (if you are on any, I must admit I dont know much about BPD).

Challenging them with logic does not work for me, or anyone else challenging them, as it makes them more and more angrier, which in turn gets me more and more angry/frustrated. For example when the voices were really bad a couple of months ago and my CPN was challenging them, they were telling me (really strongly) to hit her. (I didnt, thankfully!)

Listening to music and other coping strategies. My ex-social worker gave a printed off copy of this link below, and told me to circle the strategies which were appropriate. Some arent relevant (especially as this is an Aussie link!) but some will be. If you find your own which are not listed, you could write on the back. For example this year I have found that baking cakes/biscuits is a good one (I give them away so I dont eat them all!). Other things I have found (again not listed!) is that getting your mobile phone out (especially good if you are stuck in a queue and are being bothered) and "pretend" to have a conversation with someone on your phone. Only you are talking to your voices, not someone else. (Only make sure you have it on silent or something, because otherwise it may happen what happened to me once!! I was in the post office, only my phone went off whilst I was having a conversation with the "voices", and because it wasnt on silent the ring tone went!! The whole of the Post Office queue looked at me like I was crazy and OMG I died of embarrassment. I can laugh about it now but it was highly embarrassing at the time) Another distraction I have found (and I dont care how babyish this sounds because it works for me) is doing in colouring books with coloured pencils, which is a decent task and been as you are unlikely to show anyone people dont care if you have a purple elephant for example. The point is that it is focussing your mind onto something else than the voices.

http://hvna.net.au/upfile/Coping_Stratigies_Poster.pdf

Listening to music is one of the best suggestions I have found. I use my ipod every single day and would be lost without it. You will find your own in time.

One thing I have found is focussing and repeating a sentence in Welsh (though any other language will do), but I only do that when I have time to sit around still for ages, because I find it takes time and energy. Because both the voices (I have two when things are bad) are speaking to me in English, they get confused, and eventually (after time and persistance) the second voice shuts up, after abusing me for a while. I have a "welsh" playlist on my ipod (it's full of songs which are in the Welsh language), and repeating and focussing on the song lyrics helps.

[inblack]

Thank you for the replies and suggestions. I have started listening to a lot more music and it is making the voices more tolerable. I'm having trouble not believing what they say at times.

I told my psychiatrist and have another appointment with her next week.

[Dream Decending]

I have BPD and I hear voices especially when I'm really distressed. More often than not it's the ones that tell me I'm useless/stupid/ugly the list kinda goes on. When the music doesn't work and I can't challenge them I try to imagen all the nice things the people I love have said about me to challenge them.

It was a long time before I told anyone about my voices, but now I'm glad I did. I know it's easy to sit there and say they're lying than it can be to believe them. But don't give up, and we're here for you. x