[irish_angel]

what exactly are voices....or what is considered to be voices? do they take on a different voice? or is just a bombardation of things over and over again?

[dottie]

My auditory hallucinations involves different voices as well as doors slamming. Things dropping. I am never bombarded by them...rather...they just happen at different intervals. Fortunately my medication seems to cut down the frequency.

Take good care,

~Dottie

[ktp]

For me, it's hard to explain.

Mostly to me, I hear "someone" saying my name over and over and hear something like a conversation going on in my head. Much like a running t.v. program, except in your head. The volume seems to change too. Sometimes it's very low and sometimes it's very high. You know the white screen you get on a t.v. with no station, I call that "interference". It's just different for different people. My brother who is schizophrenic would hear voices yelling at him. So many he couldn't tell me how many there were, but it sounded like a hundred he said. Sometimes you can make out what's being said, and sometimes you can't, and that can be very annoying.

I hope this makes sense, I fear it doesn't.

Take care
Kimberly.

[irish_angel]

It does make sense, to what both of you are saying.

See what happens to me, when I try to rest, my brain wont shut off, over and over and over the same things run thru my mind and I dont know if its just thoughts that wont go away or if its voices? I know i sound crazy, but im confused by all of this.
Some nights...i cant sleep its a pounding in my head of millions of things screaming at me.

[ktp]

Irish_angel:

Have you spoken to your doc about it? It sure sounds like auditory hallucinations to me, but then again, I think maybe you're a bit like me and have a hard time really believing that it's hallucinations. Sometimes I attribute it to stress. I don't know, it is confusing isn't it? I've not spoken to my doc about it but the people that are close to me know about it. I'm not sure that I would be believed and honestly, I'm petrified that someone will find out. Paranoia, as it were. Come back and be confused with me anytime. =) This was a really good question!

Take care,
Kimberly.

[irish_angel]

I wont tell anyone about it because im scared they will label me even more. Some nights tho I want to scream and bang my head off the wall or something to make it stop.

I dont hear anything, its more like insane thoughts that go over and over and over.

I have no idea how to explain it, which fustrates me even more...thats why i dont know if its voices or just intrusive thoughts that wont go away.

Im so glad I have people to talk to here.

Take Care,
Erin

[dottie]

May I ask what, if any, meds you take? There is medicine that can help you get a grip on this.

~Dottie

Erin,

What you describe here: </font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
when I try to rest, my brain wont shut off, over and over and over the same things run thru my mind and I dont know if its just thoughts that wont go away or if its voices?........... Some nights...i cant sleep its a pounding in my head of millions of things screaming at me.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

sounds just like how my husband says he feels. He's NEVER had a good nights sleep-- not even as a child!! ( according to his mother). And says he can't get his mind to shut off. I finally convinced him, two years ago, to see a therapist and he was diagnosed with social and generalized anxiety. I'm wondering if that is what's going on with you?? I've read some of your other posts and what you describe sounds a lot like my husband!
If you were truly delusional-- I'd think the voices would be outside your head-- having them inside and being aware that they are something coming from you--- sounds very " non crazy", to me anyway.

Good luck-- and for what it's worth-- I don't think you are crazy!

mandy

[irish_angel]

dottie... Im on Effexor and Seroquel but just started so they havent kicked in yet

Mandy thanks for your post, sometimes I think Im the craziest person I know

I was diagnosed about a month or so ago as GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and they have been trying different meds so Im just waiting for one to work basically

((((((((((((dottie))))))))))
((((((((((((mandy)))))))))))

thank you both for your posts sometimes just knowing people care can make the world of difference

[Periwinkle]

Hi irish_angel!

I have suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder for years. Mind chatter is one of my symptoms, as well as the brain never shutting down. I tried to describe it to my therapist once but had trouble, so I put the radio on and as I manually switched channels, I recorded commercials, people talking, music and static all at once. Then she understood.

Part of the prob with GAD (or any other diagnosis for that matter) is it mimics so many other things that could be wrong medically. That's why Dr.'s shrug off your complaints once they find out you have a psychiatric disorder.

This list comes from www.anxietycentre.com

Common Anxiety Symptoms

Here are some of the many symptoms associated with anxiety disorder (because each person has a unique chemical make up, the symptoms and their intensity will vary from person to person):

BODY

Burning Sensations throughout the body
Chronic Fatigue
Electric shock feeling
Excess of energy, you feel you can’t relax.
Feel like you are going to pass out or faint
Feeling cold or chilled
Hyperactivity, excess energy
Increased or decreased sex drive
Muscle twitching
Neck, back, shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness
No energy, feeling lethargic, tired
Numbness or tingling in hands, feet, face, head, or any other places on the body
Persistent muscle tension, stiffness
Sore or tight scalp or back of the neck
Startle easily
Sweating, uncontrollable profuse sweating
The floor feels like it is moving either down or up for no reason
Trembling or shaking
Urgency to urinate, frequent urination, sudden urge to go to the washroom
Warm spells
Weak legs, arms, or muscles

CHEST

Chest pain or discomfort
Concern about the heart
Feel like you have to force yourself to breath
Find it hard to breath, feeling smothered, shortness of breath
Frequent yawning to try and catch your breath
Heart – beating hard or too fast, rapid heartbeat, palpitations
Heart - Irregular heart rhythms, flutters or ‘skipped’ beats, tickle in the chest that makes you cough

EMOTIONS

Dramatic mood swings
Emotional blunting
Emotions feel wrong
Frequently feel like crying for no reason
Fears
A heightened fear of what people think of you
Afraid of being trapped in a place with no exits
Constant feeling of being overwhelmed.
Fear of being in public
Fear of dying
Fear of losing control
Fear of impending doom
Fear of making mistakes or making a fool of yourself to others
Fear that you are losing your mind
Fears about irrational things, objects, circumstances, or situations
Fears of going crazy, of dying, of impending doom, of normal things, unusual feelings and emotions, unusually frightening thoughts or feelings
Heightened self awareness, or self-consciousness
Need to find nearest washrooms before you can feel comfortable
Need to seat near exits
Head
Dizziness or light-headedness
Frequent headaches, migraine headaches
Feeling like there is a tight band around your head, pressure, tightness
Head, neck or shoulder pain, tightness/stiffness
Giddiness
Shooting pains in the face
Shooting pains in the scalp or head
When you close your eyes you feel like are beginning to, or will, float upwards
Sore jaw that feels like a tooth ache

HEARING

Frequent or intermittent reduced hearing or deafness in one or both ears
Low rumbling sounds
Ringing in the ears, noises in the ears, noises in the head

MIND

Desensitization, depersonalization
Fear of going crazy
Fear of losing control
Fear of impending doom
Feelings of unreality
Frequent feeling of being overwhelmed, or that there is just too much to handle or do
Having difficulty concentrating
Obsession about sensations or getting better
Repetitive thinking or incessant ‘mind chatter’
Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear
You often feel you are carrying the world on your shoulders

MOOD

Always feeling angry and lack of patience
Depression
Feeling down in the dumps
Feeling like things are unreal or dreamlike
Frequently being on edge or 'grouchy'
Frequently feel like crying for no apparent reason
Have no feelings about things you used to
Underlying anxiety, apprehension, or fear
You feel like you are under pressure all the time

MOUTH/STOMACH

A ‘tinny’, ‘metallic’ or ‘ammonia’, or unusual smell or taste
Choking
Constant craving for sugar or sweets
Constipation
Diarrhea
Difficulty swallowing
Dry mouth
Feeling like you can’t swallow properly or that something will get caught in your throat
Feeling like your tongue is swollen
Frequent upset stomach, bloating, gaseous
IBS
Lack of appetite or taste
Nausea or abdominal stress
The thought of eating makes you nauseous
Tight throat, lump in throat
Vomiting

SLEEP

Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Frequent bad, bizarre, or crazy dreams
Hearing sounds in your head that jolt you awake
Insomnia, or waking up ill in the middle of the night
Jolting awake
Waking up in a panic attack
You feel worse in the mornings

SIGHT
Distorted, foggy, or blurred vision
Dry, watery or itchy eyes
Eye tricks, seeing things our of the corner of your eye that isn’t there, stars, flashes
Eyes sensitive to light
Spots in the vision
Flashing lights when eyes are closed
Your depth perception feels wrong

TOUCH

Numbness
Pain
Tingling, pins and needles feelings

Other symptoms are described as:

Hypochondriac, muscle twinges, worry all the time, tingles, gagging, tightness in the chest, tongue twitches, shaky, breath lump, heart beat problems, head tingles, itchy tingling in arms and legs, and so many more.

In addition to these symptoms, you may also find yourself worrying compulsively about:
• Having a heart attack
• Having a serious undetected illness
• Dying prematurely
• Going insane or loosing your mind
• Harming yourself or someone you love uncontrollably
• Being embarrassed or making a fool out or yourself
• Losing control
• Fainting in public
• Not breathing properly
• Choking or suffocating
• Being alone

Hope this helps,

Periwinkle Blue

[ktp]

I too suffer from GAD. I was floored with the information you posted Periwinkle. It is definitely me.

Erin: It could very well be OCD. I am diagnosed with it. I have recurrent and uncontrollable thoughts of horrible events. It will make you feel like you're going crazy. Take care of you!

Hope everyone is doing well!

Take care,
Kimberly.

[irish_angel]

WOW thank you so much ((((((((((((((Periwinkle)))))))))))))

Kimberly I do have OCD was diagnosed about 6 years ago with it, now with the GAD and all the other things going on in my head....AHHHH

But seriously thank you all so much, it does so much to a person just by knowing they are not alone.

((((((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))))))))

Thank you so much!

[h0kie]

It also might be what my husband's pdoc described as "racing thoughts". He had trouble shutting his mind down at night in order to sleep. The Seroquel seemed to help that.

[irish_angel]

the seroquel helps, but then im too tired in the am, and with a 15 month old and 3 year old... thats not fun lol