‘Hearing voices’ means hearing a voice (or many different voices) when no one is present with you, or voices that other people with you can’t hear.
People have many different experiences of hearing voices. You might not mind your voices, or even find them comforting and helpful. You might find them irritating or distracting. Or they might feel frightening and intrusive.
Your feelings about your voices may be different at different times. This could depend on how you’re feeling, what’s going on in your life or what types of voices you hear.
It’s common to think that if you hear voices, you must have a mental health problem. But research shows that many people hear voices and don’t have a mental health problem. It’s quite a common human experience.
Why do I hear voices?
There are lots of reasons why you might hear voices. Here are some of them:
Voices as you fall asleep or wake up – these might happen when you’re half-asleep, because your brain is still partly in a dreaming state. The voice might call your name or say something brief. You might also see strange things. These experiences usually stop when you’re fully awake
Poor sleep – sleep problems may cause you to hear voices
Hunger – you may hear voices if you’re extremely hungry
Physical illness – if you have a very high temperature you may hear voices or see things that other people can’t. Hearing voices can sometimes be a sign of other illnesses. If you’re concerned about this, it’s important to speak to your doctor
Drugs – you may hear or see things after taking recreational drugs or as a side effect of some prescribed drugs. You might also have these experiences when you’re coming off drugs
Stress or worry – you may hear voices while feeling very stressed, anxious or worried
Bereavement – if you’ve recently lost someone very close, you may hear them talking to you or feel that they are with you. This experience is very common and some people find it comforting
Abuse or bullying – you may start hearing voices after being abused or bullied. This may include hearing the voice of someone who abused you. You may hear them being unkind or threatening, or telling you to harm yourself
Other traumatic experiences – you may hear voices as a result of other traumas, which can be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and with dissociative disorders
Spiritual experiences – some people hear a voice as part of a spiritual experience. This may be a very special experience that you feel helps you make sense of your life. Or you may feel as though you are hearing the voice of an evil spirit
It can be hard to talk about hearing voices. The way other people react can make a big difference to your experience.
You may feel able to cope with your voices but find that other people’s reactions are more of a problem. You might feel that you need to hide what your voices say or how often you hear them.
It may be difficult to be around others if your voices are distracting you. Or you may find your voices harder to manage in some social situations.
You might find that other people:
Give your voices meanings or assume that your voices mean you are seriously ill
Don’t mind about your voices and accept them as part of who you are
Don’t understand what hearing voices is like, which can be frustrating
Get frustrated if you’re distracted by your voices
Talking about your voices with someone you really trust might help you feel more comfortable. If you’re worried about their reaction, you could show them this information.
Facing stigma and misconceptions
Unfortunately, some people have misconceptions about what it means to hear voices. They might think that hearing voices means you’re dangerous or very unwell. This can be upsetting, especially if the people who feel this way are family, friends or colleagues.
Our culture or religion can impact how we experience or describe our voices. Some professionals may not be aware of cultural differences in understanding voices. This may make it more difficult to find support that reflects your own understanding of your experiences. This information on racism and mental health has more details about inequality in the mental health system, including suggestions for overcoming barriers to support.
If your friends, family or wider community hold negative views about what it means to hear voices, you might feel afraid to tell anyone about it or ask for help. This might increase your stress levels and make the voices more distressing.
It’s important to remember that you’re not alone. You don’t have to put up with people treating you badly.
Watch Juno talk about his experience of hearing voices. Our thanks to Mind for allowing us to share this film.
Experiences of hearing voices
Your experience of living with voices is unique to you. But this page explores some situations, questions and feelings you might recognise.
What kinds of voices do people hear?
Your relationship with your voices
Difficult experiences of voices
What kinds of voices do people hear?
We may hear voices in lots of different ways and they may change over time. These are just some of the ways that different people might experience hearing voices.
Where might they come from?
You might:
Experience the voices as coming from inside your head
Feel that voices are coming from outside and heard through your ears like other sounds
Hear the voices as if they’re right next to your ear
Hear the voices coming from an object or animal
Feel as if you are hearing other people’s thoughts, or as if other people can hear your thoughts
When might I hear them?
You might:
Hear your name called when there’s no one with you
Hear or see things as you’re falling asleep
Hear voices when you feel stressed or upset
What might they say?
You might:
Experience nasty or threatening voices that tell you to do dangerous things, or try to control you
Hear a voice that feels friendly but encourages you to do things that might not be good for you
Hear a kind supportive voice or a voice that helps you
Hear many voices talking about you or arguing with each other
Hear a voice describing what you’re doing as you’re doing it
Hear voices talking about scary or upsetting things, like telling you something bad will happen to you or someone you love
Hear voices that make fun of you or criticise you
What might they sound like?
You might:
Hear voices with different speeds or volumes
Hear voices of people you know, like friends, family members or famous people
Hear voices of strangers
You may also:
Hear other sounds, such as animal noises or music
See, hear or smell things that others can’t while you’re hearing voices. These are sometimes called sensory hallucinations
Feel heat, pain, pressure or sensations in your head or other parts of your body while hearing voices
Experience voices by seeing hands signing words or by seeing lip movements. You may be more likely to experience voices in this way if you’re deaf
Your relationship with your voices
You may have different feelings about your voices at different times in your life – or even at different times of the day or week. You might:
Find your voices comforting, helpful or funny
Find your voices frightening, distracting or upsetting
Want your voices to stop
Find you hear some voices that you like and other voices that cause you problems
Worry that you are the only one who hears voices, or that no-one else hears the sorts of voices that you hear
Often voices are a problem because of your relationship with them, rather than just because you hear them. Thinking about your relationship with your voices can help you work out what (if anything) you want to do about them.
See our pages on coping with hearing voices and treatments for more information about the support available.
What if I like my voices?
Some people can find hearing voices a positive experience. Your voices might be friendly and supportive. You may welcome them or miss them if they stopped. They might make you feel better or encourage you during difficult times.
Can I trust my voices?
It might be hard to work out if your voices want the best for you or not. They might feel friendly but tell you to do things that make it hard for you to look after yourself. Or stop you doing what you want to do. If your voice feels comforting, it can be hard to recognise that it’s saying manipulative or harmful things.
Learning to manage my voices
Watch Lilith talk about how hearing voices lead them to commit arson. And how a local paper’s disclosure of their mental health problems made them confront their problems at a very difficult time. Our thanks to Mind for allowing us to share this film.
Difficult experiences of voices
You might find your experience of hearing voices difficult for a few reasons:
My voices are harder to deal with at specific times
You might only hear voices at certain times of the day (for example, at mealtimes). Or even at certain times of year (for example, at the anniversary of a particular event or experience)
You may only hear voices in certain places. For example, you might hear voices when you leave the house or when you go to a place which you associate with stress or trauma
You may find that your voices are louder and more frequent when you feel stressed
This may mean you avoid certain places or experiences – or find them very difficult.
I don’t feel able to control my voices
You may feel that your voices are controlling you or stopping you from doing things that you would really like to do
Your voices might interrupt your thoughts and make it very difficult to concentrate or hold a conversation
Your voices might say things that you find offensive or that go against your values. This can feel shameful or embarrassing, making it harder to tell others about what you’re experiencing
I feel threatened or upset by my voices
Your voices might:
Be unkind to you, and criticise and undermine you
Tell you to do things that are wrong
Demand that you hurt yourself
These experiences are likely to make you upset, scared or angry. You might feel that you deserve to be shouted at, or that it’s hard to stand up to anyone.
Coping with hearing voices
Different things may help you cope with your voices at different times. Some of these ideas may not be helpful or possible for you right now. Try a few different things and see which works best for you.
On this page we cover tips on how to:
Understand your voices
Communicate with your voices
Distract yourself from your voices
Talk to other people who hear voices
Look after yourself
Find spiritual help
Understand your voices
Understanding more about your voices may help you:
Feel more in control
Recognise when your voices are causing problems
Stand up to your voices
Develop or change your relationship with your voices so they don’t interfere with your life, or prevent you from making your own choices
It’s not always easy to work out what your voices mean. Sometimes they might not mean anything. And that’s okay too.
Voices and your past
These questions might help you think about how your voices relate to your past experiences.
What was happening when I first heard voices?
Where was I? How was I feeling?
What did they say?
What did they sound like? What age were they?
Do they represent a person or problem?
Are there any patterns to the voices?
You may recognise voices as people from your past or as your own voice at different ages. They may be related to traumatic or painful experiences.
Voices and your life now
These questions might help you think about voices in your life now.
Do I hear voices at a particular time or place?
What is happening when I hear voices?
How am I feeling before I hear the voices?
What do the voices want me to do?
What do I want to do?
You may start to recognise when your voices are causing problems and what makes them worse.
This could help you identify when you need to look for support or look after yourself. It may help you feel more in control.
Keep a diary
Some people find that keeping track of their voices can help them answer some of these questions. You could write in a diary or make notes or recordings on your phone.
For example, you could note when you hear voices and write down what’s happening when you hear them. You could also note what they say, their tone of voice and how they made you feel.
Looking back over your notes might help you see any patterns to the voices. This might help you understand how they affect you over a longer period of time. You might also notice if certain things seem to trigger your voices.
Communicate with your voices
Changing how you communicate with your voices might help you:
Feel like you have more control over them
Build a more positive relationship with them
Stop them having as much power over your life
It’s not always easy to communicate with your voices, especially if they’re controlling or aggressive. There are different approaches you can try, depending on the type of voice and how you’re feeling.
Challenge your voices
Challenging your voices may help you feel more in control. Here are some things you could try:
Stand up to them. Tell them they have no power over you
Ignore their commands or threats. Tell them you’re not going to listen to them or do what they say
Be assertive. Imagine what you’d say or do if you weren’t afraid of your voices. Practice acting in that way until it feels more natural
Be kind to your voices
Sometimes it’s more helpful to treat your voices with kindness and compassion. Here are some things you could try:
Ask them: ‘What do you need?’ Trying to understand them may help you feel more in control
Remember where the voices come from. For example, angry or frightening voices may be coming from a place of fear, pain or trauma
Thank them for trying to keep you safe by reminding you of your fears. Tell them that you understand, but you’re not going to listen to them right now
Practise treating your voices very kindly. It may feel hard at first, but after time it can become more natural
Be kind to yourself. Try not to judge yourself if your voices are saying things that you find disgusting or offensive. What they’re saying isn’t a reflection of who you are
React neutrally to your voices
Sometimes, reacting neutrally to voices can be the most helpful way to communicate with them. Here are some things you could try:
Acknowledge what the voices say without agreeing or disagreeing with them
Use neutral phrases to reply to them. For example, you could say ‘okay, sure’ or ‘is that right?’
Keep your responses short and simple
Once you’ve responded, try to distract yourself and get on with your day
Negotiate with your voices
It may help to set boundaries with your voices. Here are some things you could try:
Give them times when you pay attention – and when you won’t
Tell them that you would like to wait before you do what they say
Try to gradually spend less time on your voices, building this up each day
Set alarms or timers to limit and track the time you spend on your voices
Communicate in your own way
There’s no right or wrong way to communicate with your voices. Here are some things you could think about:
Try to ignore the voices you don’t like and focus on the ones you find easier to listen to
You might want to speak aloud to your voices. Or you might find it easier to write things down
Start slowly and take your time
Different voices may call for different reactions. Some may be easier to challenge, and some may be better to ignore
It might help to use creative methods to explore your voices, such as journalling. Making art or music might also help you to express your voices in a way that feels separate from yourself
Distract yourself from your voices
Sometimes you may want to ignore or block out your voices. This may be helpful if you don’t want to communicate with them. Or if you don’t have time to listen to them.
Here are some different things you could try:
Focus on what’s around you. Use the 54321 method. Try listing five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste
Focus on your breath. Breathe slowly and deeply. Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Some people find it helpful to count while doing this
Do activities or tasks to distract yourself. For example, you could try exercising, cooking or knitting. You might have to try a few different distractions to find what works for you
Listen to other things. Some people find listening to music, audiobooks or podcasts a helpful way to distract from voices. It might help to use headphones
Use a grounding object. Keep a small object with you to hold and focus on when you feel bothered by your voices. For example, you could use a stone, a fidget toy or a piece of fabric
Talk to other people who hear voices
A safe space to talk to other people who hear voices can help you to feel heard and understood.
Peer support groups for people who hear voices can:
Help you feel less alone – you may be relieved to hear that other people have similar experiences
Help you talk about hearing voices in a safe, non-judgemental place
Help you gain new perspectives on your voices
Give you the chance to support others – helping other people may improve your mood or help to reduce stress
Help you feel accepted and listened to
Be great for your self-esteem
Encourage you to make your own decisions about how you want to deal with your voices
You could also think about looking for online support. This is a good option if you don’t want to attend a support group or if you can’t find one locally. You might like to try Side by Side, a supportive online community run by Mind.
Or you could look on social media for people or groups that have similar experiences to you. See these pages on online support and staying safe online for more information.
Look after yourself
Try to improve your sleep. Sleep can give you the energy to cope with difficult feelings and experiences. Hearing voices may make it difficult for you to get enough sleep. And if you’re not sleeping well, you may find it harder to manage your voices. Our pages on sleep problems have more information
Think about your diet. Eating regularly and keeping your blood sugar stable can make a difference to your mood and energy levels
Learn ways to relax. Learning to relax can help you look after your wellbeing if you’re feeling stressed or anxious
Spend time in nature. Being outside in green space can improve your wellbeing and help you feel more in touch with your surroundings. Mind’s pages on nature and mental health have more information
Try to exercise. Exercise can be really helpful for your mental wellbeing. Mind’s pages on physical activity have more information
Finding spiritual help
If you feel that your voices are a spiritual experience, you might want to talk to someone from your faith. You may be able to find support through places of worship, community centres or local support groups.
Or you may find it helpful to connect with people online or through social media. Mind’s information about online mental health have more information on how to do this safely.
Unfortunately, not everyone will understand your experiences. It may be hard to find someone who understands your spiritual needs as well as your mental health needs.
Some people do stop hearing voices. But many people find that they never go completely. There are lots of things you can try that may help you cope and manage your voices. Finding an approach that works best for you can help you develop a better relationship with them. Many people do this and live happy and fulfilling lives.
Hearing voices and hobbies
James has experienced hearing voices and depression. Watch him talk about how his hobbies have helped him manage his mental health. Content warning: this video includes a brief mention of self-harm methods. Our thanks to Mind for allowing us to share this film.
Treatments for hearing voices
If your voices are causing you distress or affecting your day-to-day life, you might want to seek treatment. This page covers:
How can I access treatment?
Talking therapies
Medication
What treatment could help me in a crisis?
How can I access treatment?
The first place to go is normally your GP. They may refer you to a psychiatrist who may give you a diagnosis and treatment.
Your GP should always check if you could be hearing voices for a physical reason. They should do this before they prescribe any medication or refer you to a psychiatrist. For example, they should check:
That you don’t have a high temperature and you’re not delirious
If it’s a side effect of any medication you’re taking
Different doctors may have different approaches. These pages on seeking help for a mental health problem have information on how to make sure your voice is heard. And what you can do if you’re not happy with your doctor.
You might find getting a diagnosis is a positive experience because:
You find that a diagnosis helps you make sense of your experiences
You feel like you have support in place to help you when things are difficult
However, you may find this kind of support more challenging because:
Seeing your voices as something to be ‘treated’ may make you feel powerless to control or manage your voices yourself
Being diagnosed with a mental health problem may make you feel worried, as though you can never recover
Talking therapies
There are different types of talking therapies. They’re all designed to give you space to explore difficult feelings and experiences with a trained professional.
A therapist may be able to help you:
Explore why the voices say what they say
Think about what might trigger your voices or make them harder to cope with
Find better ways of coping with them
Learn to manage your voices
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
CBT will focus less on why you’re hearing voices. It will focus more on how the voices make you feel or think about yourself, and how they affect your life. CBT may help you:
Reduce your distress about the voices
Reduce the impact the voices have on your daily life
Identify things that might trigger your voices
Help you gain more power or control over your voices
You may be offered a type of CBT for psychosis called CBTp – although this is less likely to be used to treat hearing voices specifically. CBTp may help you think about the beliefs you have about your voices and how these beliefs affect your experience of hearing voices.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT)
ACT is a type of therapy that uses mindfulness and acceptance skills to help you deal with difficult experiences. It may help you find more helpful ways to react to your voices.
CFT is a type of therapy that combines mindfulness and self-compassion skills to improve wellbeing. It may help you understand your voices and how they are linked to things that have happened to you.
ACT and CFT are both available on the NHS. But they’re only available in some parts of the country and can be hard to access. They’re also both available privately, but this can be expensive.
MBCT is a type of therapy that combines mindfulness and CBT. It may help you:
Move your focus onto other things instead of your voices
Separate yourself from your voices
Take notice of and name your voices
Manage how you feel about your voices
Accept your voices
Spend less time worrying about what your voices mean
Some mindfulness-based therapies may be available on the NHS, but this varies across the country and waiting lists can be long.
Other therapies
You may also be offered other treatments, including arts and creative therapies.
There is ongoing research into new types of therapy for hearing voices. Understanding Voices have more information on new therapies, such as avatar therapy.
If your voices are very troubling and you have been referred to a psychiatrist, they may prescribe an antipsychotic drug. These drugs may:
Stop the voices or reduce how often you hear them
Make the voices less frightening and more manageable
Make you feel less bothered by the voices, even though you can still hear them
Make the voices quieter and less intrusive so you feel calmer and less distracted by them
Medication may only be something you need in the short term, while you learn other ways of coping with the voices.
See these pages on antipsychotics for general information about this type of medication, and details about specific drugs.
Before deciding to take any drug, it’s important to make sure you have all the facts you need to make an informed choice. Your doctor should explain the possible benefits and risks. They should also talk to you about possible side effects and how to stop taking them safely
This information should be in a format that you can access and understand. If you’re unsure about anything to do with your medication, speak to your doctor.
Your voices become very distressing and hard to cope with
Your regular treatment isn’t helping
If you feel unable to keep yourself safe, it’s important that you seek help quickly.
Crisis services may include:
Emergency support, such as going to A&E
Support from a crisis resolution and home treatment (CRHT) team
Hospital admission
For more information about your options in a crisis, see our pages on crisis services.
Helping someone who hears voices
This page is for the family or friends of someone who is hearing voices. If someone you care about hears voices you might find it hard to understand what they’re experiencing. You might not know how to help. But there are lots of positive things you can do to support them.
Accept that their experience of the voices is real. Everyone will have a unique experience of hearing voices. You can help by accepting their experience as real – even if you find it hard to understand
Try not to make judgements about what hearing voices means for them. Some people don’t talk about their voices because they’re worried their friends and family won’t understand, or will assume they’re seriously ill
Learn their triggers. Ask if there are certain situations or experiences that trigger their voices
Remember that they’re still the same person. Hearing voices doesn’t change who they are
Ask them what would help. Try not to make assumptions about what they find difficult. People may want different support at different times. Sometimes it’s just best to ask how you can help
Reassure them that they’re not alone. Lots of people who hear voices don’t realise that other people do too. It may also help to remind them that hearing voices does not always mean that they’re ill. There are lots of reasons why people hear voices
Encourage them to talk about their experience. This might mean talking with you. Or they may want to talk to a doctor, support worker or other people who hear voices
Focus on feelings. Ask them how their voices make them feel, rather than what they’re saying. The content of voices can be very personal, so try to reassure them that they only need to share what they’re comfortable with
Try not to take things personally. It can be hard to focus on conversations if you’re hearing voices. Try to be patient if they seem distracted or say that they need some time alone
Help to distract them. Try suggesting activities or tasks, such as watching a film, going for a walk or cooking a meal
Learn more about the experience of hearing voices and help challenge stigma. Start with our pages about hearing voices and experiences of hearing voices
Help them seek treatment or support if they want it. See this page on how to support someone to seek help for more information. But remember that not everyone who hears voices will want, or need, treatment or support
BAATN (The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network)
baatn.org.uk
Provides a list of therapists from Black, African and Asian backgrounds, and signposts to local mental health and advocacy services.
Hearing Voices Network
hearing-voices.org
Information and support for people who hear voices or have other unshared perceptions, including local support groups.
Hub of Hope
hubofhope.co.uk
UK-wide mental health service database. Lets you search for local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support. You can filter results to find specific kinds of support.
If you or someone you know needs urgent mental health help, please call 111 – the NHS
non-emergency
number. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is free from any phone. They have
specialist
mental health nurses who can support adults and young people.
