It's important to remember:
- you don't have to cope on your own, our counsellors are always here for you
- talking about what’s happening for you can really help
- visiting the Calm Zone can help you to feel more calm
- it’s possible to find ways to cope.
Hearing voices
It can be worrying if you’re hearing or sensing things that other people don’t, but you’re not alone in having these experiences. It can sometimes be hard to reach out for help, but there are people who want to help you.
Making sense of things
Lots of young people hear, see, feel, smell or taste things that other people don’t. For some people this can be a positive thing, it can bring them comfort, reassurance or maybe even build up their confidence. For other people it can be a neutral experience that is neither good or bad. For some it can be a distressing or overwhelming experience. Some people have a range of these experiences.
Sometimes it can:
- distract you, or make it difficult to concentrate
- leave you feeling scared or upset
- feel overwhelming
- remind you of painful experiences or people you’ve lost
- make you feel like you have to do things that you don't want to
- make you feel less confident.
Lots of people who have these experiences have been able to find ways to cope with them. If you’re worried about what’s happening, we can support you.
Why is this happening?
It can feel confusing if this is happening to you. You’re not alone, about 1 in 8 young people sense things that other people don’t. Some of the reasons this could be happening to you are:
- not getting enough sleep
- it can be caused by having a fever or an infection
- when someone dies, you may find yourself hearing their voice or sensing that they are still there
- it can be a side effect of taking certain medication or illegal drugs
- being abused, bullied, or hurt by someone
- going through a trauma or difficult time
- hearing voices can represent repressed emotions, for example you may find you hear voices when you feel unsafe, or when you’re feeling angry and don’t have a way of expressing it.
It’s ok if you don’t know the reason you’re hearing voices or sensing things that other people don’t. Talking it through with a Childline counsellor can help you to try and make sense of what’s happening for you.
Finding ways to cope
There are different ways to cope and different things will work for different people. It’s ok if you try something and it doesn’t work for you, you may need to try a few different things to find what works.
One way to figure out ways of coping that are right for you is to think about the following:
- What makes your voices worse and sets them off?
- Is there anything that makes them less bad?
When you have a clear idea of this you can try and find ways to make your voices less bad. For example if you find that your voices are worse when you aren’t getting enough sleep you can look at ways to get better sleep. Talking with a Childline counsellor may help you understand your voices better and find ways to make them less bad.
Hearing voices affects people in different ways so another way to come up with coping strategies is to identify what your need is. Examples of this are needing to:
- Feel safety and comfort
- Distract yourself
- Vent and express how you’re feeling.
Once you know what your need is you can find what coping strategies help you meet that need.
How to get help
It might feel difficult to open up about your experiences or to ask for help, but there are people who care and will listen. Here’s some ideas on how you might reach out for help.
Family and friends
It can be hard when you find the courage to tell people close to you what’s happening and they aren’t supportive. People can be afraid of things they don’t understand and they may think that it’s going to really impact your life, when there are many people who have these experiences and are still able to live the lives that they want.
It can take time for people to come to terms with what you’ve told them. It may help for you to show them this webpage and the Voice Collective’s website so they can learn more about hearing voices and other sensory experiences. Please remember that if you’re feeling upset our counsellors are always here to support you. You can also get support from the Voice Collective too.
How to support a friend
If a friend tells you that they are hearing voices or sensing things other people don’t then it’s good that they trust you enough to share that with you. Try not to panic, just know that they are struggling, and being warm and compassionate will help. Being curious about their experiences will also help. You can ask them what it’s like for them and what would be helpful for you to do. You can also show them this webpage and the Voice Collective’s website.
If you feel that you need support with supporting your friend then please also remember that the Childline counsellors are always here for you. You can also encourage your friend to talk to Childline or the Voice Collective.
