[ash14/06]

I hear a voice which dares me to do certain things. particularly, it tells me to say hurtful things to people and tells me that if I don't, it will hurt people closest to me.
this is really affecting my relationship with my boyfriend. we argue a lot and I've been saying things to him which I don't mean but are hurtful to him.
I don't know what to do, I'm hoping someone with some experience in this could offer me some advice.

Have you tried ignoring the voice? If so, what happens? I've found that nothing bad happens regardless of what the voices say so, if you don't want to do what they say, then try ignoring them. Or maybe try telling it (out loud if you're alone, or in your head) that you're not going to do what it says, or tell it to shut up or something. Music can help drown out voices if they're too annoying/scary. Try different things to see what works for you.

All the best,

*Willow*

[ickydog2006]

I agree with everything willow said. Different things help different people. Just don't talk to them outloud in public. See how the voices react when you tell them off. Ultimately, sometimes all your left with is trying to ignore them, and trusting others of us who have gone through this that no matter what the voice tells you, it cannot do harm to others. Not to mention, if it could (which it can't), do you really think it would waste it's time using you to hurt others when it could just do it itself.

Maybe if you write these things on little slips of paper & throw them away, instead of saying them, that the voices will stop threatening to hurt you? Oftentimes, at least in my experience... Voices threaten these things but never deliver. What they DO deliver is increasing amounts of stress, much like an obsession; hoping you will relieve their request, like a compulsion. But nothing ever happens beyond this stress. So it's very important to try to build up this resistance & find more constructive ways of dealing with the way the voices make you feel.