I have been hearing voices for quite a long time now and my care co-ordinator and psychiatrist say I am NOT suffering from psychosis and that the voices are stress related, which seems to be true as they get worse when I am stressed but they are also bad at night. I was wondering whether anyone else experiences voices when they are stressed and what their coping strategies are for the voices but as importantly the stress.
I have these types of voices. They aren't in my head, I hear them as if people are talking to me but more so at times of stress or when I haven't been sleeping properly. They are called pseudo-hallucinations and apparently a common cognitive symptom of emotion dsyregulation in bpd. I hate them though because unlike conventional voices, there is no medication to make them go away. I hope with dbt I will hear them less often.
Coping is usually music - ipod, radio or whatever. Always have some kind of background noise so that there is less focus on the voices.
"Everything is possible through Christ, who gives me strength". Phillipians 4:13
Glad im not alone with it and its 'normal' as far as bpd is concerned. Least im on the dbt programme next year. I used my ipod too but it doesnt help when im trying to sleep.
This used to happen to me alot when I was 'really crazy' (I'm pretty much recovered now) so I just made a 'Sleepy Time' playlist on my iPod of relaxing music. It dosen't effect me anymore but I've been listening to the same playlist since 2008 now. To begin with I used to subconciously sing along which I found helped but now I know all the lyrics inside out it just helps me to relax. I've also got myself into a routine and can't fall asleep with no music/story tapes apart from sometimes when I'm really tired but oh well.
I have Borderline. (I think, I was never actually told anything beyond Personality Disorder.)
The world is just illusion always trying to change me.
You will find wonder wherever you can, and spread joy whenever you are able.
I felt emotions of gentleness and pleasure, that had long appeared dead, divide within me. - Frankenstein.
What is the difference between your voices and psychosis voices if you dont mind me asking?
I dunno if my voices are the same, but yeah, music, and sometimes just accepting what they say but not necessarily acting on it or being bothered helps because i am not conciously trying to 'not listen' (because telling yourself not to do something just means you think about it more ), then i end up not listening anyways. xx
I think the difference between my voices (non-psychotic voices) and psychotic voices is that I'm aware that my voices aren't real although last Christmas I was convinced what I was hearing was real and I had to be admitted so I suppose that was psychosis... I don't know. I think the main thing is though that I am aware that they are voices and I call them voices. I suppose if it was psychosis I wouldn't call them voices as I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between real voices and these voices. Sorry I'm probably not explaining that very well!
It has made me feel a lot better knowing that these types of voices are related to BPD. I have an inital assessment for DBT next Wednesday so maybe I will ask them about it.
Distracting is hard I find and I tend to carry out what the voices are telling me e.g. self-harming (this makes me think there is a fine line between these voices and psychotic voices...) But I am addicted to my iPOD and that's the only thing that helps really, although that is no good when I am trying to get to sleep!
Like you Auror, it tends to happen when I'm really stressed or not sleeping well... At least we know there are others out there with the same problem now.
Oh okay, thanks for explaining. I call them voices too but sometimes they are actual researchers or deamons, or sometimes they are the creatures. Sometimes I hear familiar voices too.
You dont need to act on anything they say. If i told you to jump off a cliff, you wouldnt, so please dont feel like you have to 'do' anything they tell you x
I guess it depends how much they affect you. Lots of people hearing voices at one point in their life but they are not bothered by it, so it isnt a 'problem'.
Howevs, if you are finding it hard to deal with them or they tell you to do things that you act one, then yeh, it might be a good idea to talk about it with someone. x
1T2E3L - I agree with Ami that it depends on how much they affect you but I definitely think it's worth seeking help anyway as it must concern you. Also like Ami said if you're doing things they tell you definitely seek help.
Ami - thanks, I'll try not to act on what the voices tell me. I know what you mean, I wouldn't jump off a cliff if you told me too so why should this be any different but somehow it is. I think because some of the voices come from the Devil and I see him as powerful and that I must do what he says or he will kill me...
It just shows really that non-psychotic hallucinations can be just as 'bad' or affect a person's life just as much as psychotic ones so they should be taken seriously by professionals.
To cut the voices out, I generally use music, or, if I'm at home, try to focus on a video game or on a movie. Since I have to focus on something, it quiets them for a while.
-- English is not my mother-tongue, so I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistake --
I hear voices due to schizophrenia, but from what I've heard, hearing voices is fairly common in BPD.
There are some good resources on the internet about hearing voices and how to cope. Personally I find listening to music and going for a long walk or a run around my area helps.
PM me if you want a PDF copy of the ICD-10or the Mental Health Act 1983/2007. I ALSO HAVE THE DSM-V BOOK and am a pharmacology student.
I have a visual impairment / neurological problems so I need people to type in clear text and no funny fonts. Also excuse any typos, my vision blocks things out.
I have autism and have problems communicating, PMs included.
Just becasue I type well doesn't mean I speak well. I am only part time verbal.
i had been diagnosed with schitzophrenia before the bpd diagnoses, and them not being too fussed about changing it, im assuming that its not unusual to experience psychosis in bpd.
listening to music is definatley a good coping strategy.
walking, personally doesnt help me, it just makes me worse, more paranoid etc, but what works for some doesnt work for others, so its worth trying everything!
I'm fine! Totally fine. I don't know why it's coming out all loud and squeaky, 'cause really, I'm fine!
I am diagnosed with BPD and am told I experience psychosis too, but generally not transiently. I don't tend to hear voices, though, which makes me feel like I must not really have psychosis, I guess. So I can't really help you on the voices front, other people have good advice, though.
), then i end up not listening anyways. xx
x
