[MissInvisible]

I don't know what I have but I hear voices. It doesn't happen every day but when I focus too much on them, I can hear them. When I keep myself occupied, I don't hear them. Since I have calmed down, I haven't heard them in weeks. My boyfriend suggests that I get help but I worry that the help I will get will be inadequate. They might just give me meds and that's it. I don't want to be on medication for the rest of my life. They don't scare me and I'm used to them. They sometimes annoy me when it's really bad but most of the time, I don't hear them often. Will they get worse? Is it worth going to the doctor about it? I prefer self help and trying to control the voices by relaxing and calming myself down. I'd would rather prefer them to transfer me to someone who specializes with people who hear voices. My moods are stable but sometimes I can get too excited but I guess that's normal. Apart from that, I feel fine. I don't know what else would be wrong with me.

[Goldcrest]

Hi MissInvisible, if I were you I would start by googling Intervoice and Hearing Voices Groups, they will advise on alternative ways of coping with voices - which is probably the best approach since you are not upset by your voices and they are not disrupting your life.

If you decide to see a psychiatrist for a diagnosis you are likely to be given strong drugs which can help many people but which have many dangerous side effects. If you are coping well without drugs and if things don't deteriorate, I would stay away from mental health services for now.

Voices can be both an interesting and scary experience. Its good that in your case they do not scare you. If you aren't interesting in being medicated, then perhaps you can talk to a therapist just to seek advice on what you can do to either cope with or calm them. I know with me the things that I see and hear are mood dependent and tend to get worse or better with my state of mind. The worse my mood gets, the louder they play, if that makes sense. I think that you are on the right track with wanting to learn coping mechanisms to self control them. If the self help ideas that you get do not work, at that point depending on what your voices are doing, may may want to seek medication intervention. If you are fine with coping with them on your own, I definitely recommend seeking the help of a therapist to monitor how things are going. Best of luck.

[A18793715]

I hear them 24/7 and I don't take meds. Just because you have a diagnosis doesn't mean you are required to take meds.

But that sounds right. Mine get harder to ignore and louder the worse my mood gets and they like to play on your fears.