It's important to remember:
1. you don't have to cope on your own
2. talking about things really helps
3. slow deep breaths can calm you down
4. distracting yourself can help you focus on other things
5. our counsellors are always here for you.
It can be scary if you’re hearing or sensing things that other people don’t. But you don’t have to deal with these things by yourself. Whatever’s happening, there are ways to cope.
Lots of young people hear, see, feel, smell or taste things that other people don’t. Hearing voices and other unusual sensory experiences can sometimes be a symptom of a mental health condition. But lots of people who have these experiences are able to live with them as part of their life.
Sometimes hearing voices can:
If you’re worried about what’s happening, we can support you.
It's important to remember:
1. you don't have to cope on your own
2. talking about things really helps
3. slow deep breaths can calm you down
4. distracting yourself can help you focus on other things
5. our counsellors are always here for you.
It can feel confusing if you're hearing voices or seeing things (hallucinations). You might ask yourself “am I going mad?" or be worried about your mental health.
Experiencing things that other people don’t doesn’t always mean that you’re “going mad” or have a mental health condition. 1 in 10 young people will hear voices. For many, they’ll gradually fade away. And some people find them comforting or supportive.
You might hear voices or see things after:
But you might not always know the reason. Hearing voices can also be part of psychosis. This might make you feel worried about what other people are thinking, or like someone might be trying to hurt you. If you’re ever worried, you should speak to your doctor.
When you’re seeing, hearing or sensing things that other people don’t, it can sometimes be upsetting or scary. And it can be difficult to know how to cope. These things can help:
When you’re scared it can help to understand more about what’s going on. There’s lots of information and ways to cope at the Voice Collective and Mind website.
Grounding yourself means focusing on things right now. It can help you to cope when you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed or upset. If your voices are making it hard to focus you could try asking yourself these questions:
1. Where am I?
2. What is today?
3. What is the date?
4. What is the month?
5. What is the year?
6. How old am I?
7. What season is it?
You could also write down these questions and answer them.
It can be scary telling someone that you hear voices or sense things that other people don’t. But it’s important to remember that you’ve not done anything wrong. Telling someone about what’s happening can help you to feel more in control and find new ways to cope.
If you’re scared about telling someone face to face, you could write a letter or send a message saying what’s happening. Find out more about speaking to an adult you trust.
You can also talk to a Childline counsellor or join a peer support network with the Voice Collective.