[Soundeffects]

I've never been diagnosed with any form of schizophrenia, though my doctor has mentioned that she's noticing small signs that she'd like to keep an eye on.
I always thought that hallucinating was the only thing I was experiencing, until I realized that what I've always assumed was that thought voice inside my head, was talking back to me. I never paid too much attention to it because it was simply a thing I was used to, but now I'm unsure. I've been trying to be more aware of it. It only happens when I'm in low moods, and battling clinical depression, this is quite often.
It usually comes in chants,

"Your friends don't like you, your friends don't like you"

Just cut already, cut already, cut already"

they're always something along the lines of those, increasing volume with repetition. Typically when I respond I say something in refusal of the suggestions, but am put down by some violent rebuttal.
I'm not quite sure what to make of it all.

[keepingalice]

Im going to step out and say something and I hope it helps. Just recently, after taking a job, albeit a small job so I do not tire myself out emotionally, a vision and a voice started ridiculing me, telling me I wouldn't last with this job, like all my other attempts to succeed independently. I am determined to make it, so I fight back to the voice, and not out loud, because I do not want anyone to see I am vulnerable to criticism. At first I wanted her to disappear, so I mentioned it to my therapist, who somehow made her disappear, but then I felt sorry for her and told her just that and she came back, happier than before. She knows I have the upper hand, because I can unleash my therapists power to make her go away again, so we actually became friends and she sits in the library while I work and we talk to each other telepathically and try to figure out the world and how we both can exist in a world that is cruel. In other words, I made a friend out of an enemy. Don't know if it will work for you but it works for me.

I'm diagnosed depression with psychotic features so I only hear voices & have delusions when depressed. I find that music can help drown out voices when they're becoming annoying/scary, which you might like to try. Also like keepingalice said, opening a dialogue with them might help e.g. "why are you being so mean?" I've found that since I understand where my voices are coming from (past experiences), they hold much less power over me and is probably the reason I've avoided hospitalisation.

Wishing you all the best,

*Willow*

[Thoughtbubble]

I think it's difficult to say in this situation. I'm bipolar, not schizophrenic as far as I can tell but my internal monologue talks in all sorts of ways. It is perfectly normal for a person to talk to themselves it's a learning tool really. But the question is can you really hear them or is it a thought. Is it possible that when you are depressed you simply are likely to believe that you percieve the worst case scenario is the truth. When I am depressed I sometimes have delusionss that I am losing my mind when there is little evidence.

[FireBird]

The difference between a thought and a voice is that with a thought you don't actually hear it with your ears but a voice you do. Hearing a voice is like someone sitting next to you and obviously hear it but a thought is silent.

[faerie_moon_x]

I hear voices but they are external and rare. For me they usually are very brief. Like the sound of someone laughing. Or once a voice snuck up from behind me when I was in the shower and whispered "HEY!" very loud in my ear (scared me so bad I screamed.)

But, I have what I call "other me." Other me is another me that I talk to. I've had other me for a long time, so long I don't remember when I first started talking to her. She's not a voice. She doesn't talk out loud but we talk all the time, out loud (with my voice) or inside with thoughts. She helps me decide things and goes with me when I'm scared, etc. I know that other me is a part of me but she also seems real in some way. For me, other me is nice to me. We're friends. But, I know some people who have "other me" type things that are not friendly. And like Alice suggested, talking to it might help.

[junkDNA]

my voice isa boy named luke, he tells me awful things... i hope u are ok

[tokiwartooth]

I've heard those external voices too, the ones that are brief, except I hear them a lot. I hear what sounds like chatter, it's usually muffled, and I think someone is in the building (usually at work) and I check and I'm the only one in here. I've heard laughing as well, and I've heard the whole "HEY!" thing too, and I've even heard my name called. It happens a lot to me when I'm in that zone between waking and sleep. Sometimes it sounds like a party is going on. I can hear singing too. I've wondered sometimes if they're spirits trying to contact me. I try to talk to them but if they do respond, I can't usually understand what they're saying. I have a voice in my head too that I talk to. I rely on her for advice, like gut instinct type stuff. She's like another me. Sometimes I worry that people can read my thoughts, like the government, and they'll come to get me, so I try to think positive thoughts, but sometimes those really negative ones get in there. I also worry that the government is watching me through my TV and my computer. I used to drape towels over my windows at home because I was afraid the neighbors were spying on me for the government.

Originally Posted by dark_heart_x

I hear voices but they are external and rare. For me they usually are very brief. Like the sound of someone laughing. Or once a voice snuck up from behind me when I was in the shower and whispered "HEY!" very loud in my ear (scared me so bad I screamed.)

But, I have what I call "other me." Other me is another me that I talk to. I've had other me for a long time, so long I don't remember when I first started talking to her. She's not a voice. She doesn't talk out loud but we talk all the time, out loud (with my voice) or inside with thoughts. She helps me decide things and goes with me when I'm scared, etc. I know that other me is a part of me but she also seems real in some way. For me, other me is nice to me. We're friends. But, I know some people who have "other me" type things that are not friendly. And like Alice suggested, talking to it might help.

[faerie_moon_x]

Originally Posted by tokiwartooth

I've heard those external voices too, the ones that are brief, except I hear them a lot. I hear what sounds like chatter, it's usually muffled, and I think someone is in the building (usually at work) and I check and I'm the only one in here. I've heard laughing as well, and I've heard the whole "HEY!" thing too, and I've even heard my name called. It happens a lot to me when I'm in that zone between waking and sleep. Sometimes it sounds like a party is going on. I can hear singing too. I've wondered sometimes if they're spirits trying to contact me. I try to talk to them but if they do respond, I can't usually understand what they're saying. I have a voice in my head too that I talk to. I rely on her for advice, like gut instinct type stuff. She's like another me. Sometimes I worry that people can read my thoughts, like the government, and they'll come to get me, so I try to think positive thoughts, but sometimes those really negative ones get in there. I also worry that the government is watching me through my TV and my computer. I used to drape towels over my windows at home because I was afraid the neighbors were spying on me for the government.

Mine always happen when I'm awake, like in the middle of the day. I don't hear them often, though.

But, I feel watched. I don't feel like my mind can be read. But I think people are out to get me somehow. Either in little ways or big ways, depends on the situation. I always feel like something is waiting for me ready to grab me, even in brightly lit rooms. The room at work where we keep the safe is at the end of a long hallway, and it makes this weird rumbling sound. Like... the sound in horror movies when the monster is coming. Anyway, everyone laughs at me. But when everyone is gone on Friday and I have to go down that hall by myself, I get really scared. Turning my back on that room, I just feel like I'm being followed and I run all the way back to the main area.

When I was in 3rd grade I believed my classmates had installed security cameras in my bathroom. I thought they had a secret clubhouse and would meet there to make fun of me when i went to the bathroom...

[Twisti]

Firebird I believe is right. This is how it is with me anyway. Although everyone is different.

[tokiwartooth]

Originally Posted by dark_heart_x

Mine always happen when I'm awake, like in the middle of the day. I don't hear them often, though.

But, I feel watched. I don't feel like my mind can be read. But I think people are out to get me somehow. Either in little ways or big ways, depends on the situation. I always feel like something is waiting for me ready to grab me, even in brightly lit rooms. The room at work where we keep the safe is at the end of a long hallway, and it makes this weird rumbling sound. Like... the sound in horror movies when the monster is coming. Anyway, everyone laughs at me. But when everyone is gone on Friday and I have to go down that hall by myself, I get really scared. Turning my back on that room, I just feel like I'm being followed and I run all the way back to the main area.

When I was in 3rd grade I believed my classmates had installed security cameras in my bathroom. I thought they had a secret clubhouse and would meet there to make fun of me when i went to the bathroom...

I feel watched too. I am petrified to be alone sometimes, especially if I'm in a place like you described. I get so scared. I hate the dark. I used to do work-study at a library while I was in school and I would be all alone on the bottom floor arranging books, and I was so petrified that sometimes I would be almost frozen with fear. The whole place felt evil, like there was something lurking, like it was ready to get you, just like you said. I refused to go down and turn off the lights at night, and my supervisor laughed at me. I quit because I couldn't stand it anymore. I used to live in a house, growing up, that I know had to be haunted. Lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you look at it) for me I was not the only one who experienced terrifying things in that house. My mom and my best friend did too. So even if some stuff was just me, living in that house made it so much worse. I have nightmares almost daily about that house still, and I haven't lived there since July 2001. I hear the voices too during the day. I heard them yesterday while I was the only one in the office here, and I started hearing noises, like what sounded like a short bang. Scared the heck out of me. I turn out the lights when I go home and literally run to the door because I'm afraid of what might be behind me. I don't even like driving in my car at night alone because I'm afraid there's something in the back seat. I'm afraid something is going to reach around from behind me seat, or from under my seat. I don't like looking to the sides of my car either when it's dark because I'm afraid I'll see something.

[jezzdobbel8610]

I don't hear voices but there is alot of talking in my head, sometimes it won't shut up. It's always on the go.

[Ash0198]

I hear voices too. Very much the same as u guys hearing very brief "hey" and I can't count how many times I've heard my name being called out. But I do believe the voices in my head...they are very distinct and I can distinguish between my thoughts and their words very much. I constantly feel as if I'm being watched. They can mind read and tell me what people are thinking (most of the time negative...sometimes I might laugh at what they say out loud and it gets a bit awkward when people are around me :/) but I find blaring meditation music really helps,plus it's relaxing at the same time!

[OutofTune]

My voices are definitely not my own thoughts. The voices are accusations and insults. Sometimes they say perverted sexual things. It's truly disturbing. Feels like constant harassment.

I only get voices very rarely & on occasion. They SOUND like they have invaded my head, but as if my head is the size of the room & they are wandering around... It's weird to explain, I know! Hahahhaa
Only sometimes are they TRULY external, as if they are coming from my pillow or the TV, & I can hear them as if it were a person speaking to me. Usually I hear it as if it's a thought put into my head, or someone's tampering with my mind... But that's intrusive thoughts, I think, & not voices.

I have Bipolar I, suspected Schizoaffective, if that makes any difference.

[tokiwartooth]

Today I've been hearing the whole "hey" thing and what sounds like mumbling or chatter that I can't understand. I heard someone ask "how are you doing", and I answered them, but there was no one there.

[OutofTune]

It seems as though the voices are being broadcast through anything with electrical charge. I've had everything from coffee pots to heating vents talk to me. The TV sending signals symptom is very common.

[Ash0198]

Originally Posted by Shayatanica

I only get voices very rarely & on occasion. They SOUND like they have invaded my head, but as if my head is the size of the room & they are wandering around... It's weird to explain, I know! Hahahhaa
Only sometimes are they TRULY external, as if they are coming from my pillow or the TV, & I can hear them as if it were a person speaking to me. Usually I hear it as if it's a thought put into my head, or someone's tampering with my mind... But that's intrusive thoughts, I think, & not voices.

I have Bipolar I, suspected Schizoaffective, if that makes any difference.

I feel exactly like that! Like they waltz into my head but it feels like a solid presence inside my head. A heavy presence which is when I know they're there and things will become trippy now that they're here. It's almost like a headache but without the pain....if that makes sense hah

[faerie_moon_x]

I feel presences but they are not in my head. They are just around me. Always somethign is standing behind me. I hate it when people are actually standing behind me unless i know them. I don't like having my back on people.

So then I feel like i'm in my chair and someone is standing at my shoulder. Watching me.

But then, I get this pressure in my head. When I'm really, really manic I get the pressure. It's like my thoughts are racing so fast that I have too many and they are filling up my head, like a balloon getting too full of air.

[Gr3tta]

some of my voices seem to be from inside my head - they feel the same as my own thoughts, although they definitely don't sound like my own thoughts. some others are definitely outside my head, and might sound like someone very near, right behind me, whispering in my ear, or might sound like from further away, like in the next room. sometimes they converse normally, and sometimes they say the most strange things ever. some of them repeat on the same things over and over and over and over.

[Ash0198]

Almost all the psychotic episodes I go through I hear voices through things. Like birds chirping... As if every noise has its own human voice. Even the cars that go by...it's freaking creepy and I absaloutly hate it. But my new med abilify has kicked in in the past two weeks and I get no more of it!!! For now anyways... :/. There is always a source from which voices come from it seems...