Hearing Voices (Auditory Hallucinations) in Schizophrenia

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesTreatmentHow to HelpHow to Cope

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Types

Treatment

How to Help

How to Cope

Auditory hallucinations, or hearing voices, are more common than once thought, especially among those living withschizophreniaand other mental illnesses such asbipolar disorder,borderline personality disorder, major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, andschizoaffective disorder. Even among the general population, up to 10% have experienced hearing their names called, especially while falling asleep (hypnagogic) or waking up (hypnopompic).

This article discusses the various types of auditory hallucinations experienced in schizophrenia, common treatments, ways to help, and effective coping tactics.

An estimated 70% to 80% of people with schizophrenia hear voices.These voices might call their names, argue, threaten, seem to come from inside or outside sources, begin suddenly, and grow stronger.

Types of Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia

For some, auditory hallucinations appear suddenly. Tanya Luhrmann, PhD, a professor of anthropology at Stanford and author of “Living With Voices,” described the experience of a young man who started hearing rats scratching behind his ears.His auditory hallucinations began rapidly, and soon after, he destroyed a number of rats' nests.

In another example, a young man suddenly started to hear a voice coming from outside his apartment that sounded like a woman screaming that she was raped and begging for help. Many times, the voices can start gradually and are described as vague or fleeting impressions of hearing your name called or people talking about you.

People with schizophrenia hear a variety of noises and voices, which often get louder, meaner, and more persuasive over time.

Auditory hallucinations might be:

What Are Hallucinations?

Nonsensical Voices

Eleanor Longden, a research psychologist with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, explains that these voices can order you to do completely nonsensical things, such as taking a glass of water and pouring it over your head.

Due to their repetitive, incessant, annoying quality, the voices can make people profoundly distracted and overwhelmed to the point of choosing to follow their orders.

Self-Harm Voices

Therapists must approach cases that involve voices that give orders to harm oneself or others with great caution. This type of auditory hallucination can be extremely frightening, with orders that tend to be screamed non-stop.

Threatening Voices

RecapThe auditory hallucinations that people experience in schizophrenia are often repetitive, distracting, and upsetting. They might include nonsensical voices, threats, or orders to engage in self-harm.

Recap

The auditory hallucinations that people experience in schizophrenia are often repetitive, distracting, and upsetting. They might include nonsensical voices, threats, or orders to engage in self-harm.

Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia

Treatment for auditory hallucinations in treatment-resistant schizophrenia typically requires a combination of medications, therapy, and other elements.

RecapA number of treatments can help reduce the frequency and severity of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia. Antipsychotics are the preferred choice, but cognitive behavioral therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or electroconvulsive therapy may be helpful in some cases.

A number of treatments can help reduce the frequency and severity of auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia. Antipsychotics are the preferred choice, but cognitive behavioral therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or electroconvulsive therapy may be helpful in some cases.

Helping a Loved One With Schizophrenia

Interacting with and helping someone with schizophrenia who hears voices can take a toll, but try not to lose hope. With the right treatment, your loved one may be able to control the frequency and severity of these voices.

Considerfamily therapy, which can help you and your loved one recognize these auditory hallucinations and develop strategies to cope.

Here are a few other ways to help.

You might also find it helpful to join a support group where you can talk to other people with similar experiences. TheNational Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)andThe Schizophrenia and Psychosis Action Alliancelist options.

How to Cope With Auditory Hallucinations

Although auditory hallucinations often respond to treatment with antipsychotic medications, a person might continue to hear voices despite treatment.

According to an article published inBJPsych Advances, effective distraction techniques that can help people cope with hearing voices include:

RecapLearning to play an instrument, spending time playing with a pet, making art, and reading are just a few strategies that can help you cope with auditory hallucinations.

Learning to play an instrument, spending time playing with a pet, making art, and reading are just a few strategies that can help you cope with auditory hallucinations.

Breathing exercises may also be helpful, but they should be carefully modeled and practiced with a therapist before you try them on your own.

If someone is experiencing an auditory hallucination, don’t argue or insist that it is not real. Remain calm, be respectful, and contact their doctor. In case of apsychotic episodeor potentially dangerous behaviors, contact emergency services.

A Word From Verywell

Auditory hallucinations can be distressing, but antipsychotic medications can often help reduce their frequency and severity. In addition to getting appropriate treatment, there are also distraction tactics that can help such as reading, watching tv, and making art.

Living With Schizophrenia

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Maijer K, Begemann MJH, Palmen SJMC, Leucht S, Sommer IEC.Auditory hallucinations across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychol Med. 2018;48(6):879-888. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002367Hugdahl K.Auditory hallucinations: A review of the ERC “VOICE” project.World J Psychiatry. 2015;5(2):193-209. doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i2.193Luhrmann TM.Living with voices.American Scholar.2012;Summer:49-60.Longden, E.The voices in my head. TED, 2014.Sommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-714. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034Li J, Cao X, Liu S, Li X, Xu Y.Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.Psychiatry Research. 2020;290:113141. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113141Patel KR, Cherian J, Gohil K, Atkinson D.Schizophrenia: Overview and treatment options.P&T.2014;39(9):638-45. PMID:25210417Turkington D, Lebert L, Spencer H.Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: Helping patients to develop effective coping strategies.BJPsych Advances. 2016;22(6):391-396. doi:10.1192/apt.bp.115.015214Additional ReadingSommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, Van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-14. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Maijer K, Begemann MJH, Palmen SJMC, Leucht S, Sommer IEC.Auditory hallucinations across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychol Med. 2018;48(6):879-888. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002367Hugdahl K.Auditory hallucinations: A review of the ERC “VOICE” project.World J Psychiatry. 2015;5(2):193-209. doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i2.193Luhrmann TM.Living with voices.American Scholar.2012;Summer:49-60.Longden, E.The voices in my head. TED, 2014.Sommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-714. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034Li J, Cao X, Liu S, Li X, Xu Y.Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.Psychiatry Research. 2020;290:113141. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113141Patel KR, Cherian J, Gohil K, Atkinson D.Schizophrenia: Overview and treatment options.P&T.2014;39(9):638-45. PMID:25210417Turkington D, Lebert L, Spencer H.Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: Helping patients to develop effective coping strategies.BJPsych Advances. 2016;22(6):391-396. doi:10.1192/apt.bp.115.015214Additional ReadingSommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, Van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-14. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034

Maijer K, Begemann MJH, Palmen SJMC, Leucht S, Sommer IEC.Auditory hallucinations across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychol Med. 2018;48(6):879-888. doi:10.1017/S0033291717002367Hugdahl K.Auditory hallucinations: A review of the ERC “VOICE” project.World J Psychiatry. 2015;5(2):193-209. doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i2.193Luhrmann TM.Living with voices.American Scholar.2012;Summer:49-60.Longden, E.The voices in my head. TED, 2014.Sommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-714. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034Li J, Cao X, Liu S, Li X, Xu Y.Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.Psychiatry Research. 2020;290:113141. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113141Patel KR, Cherian J, Gohil K, Atkinson D.Schizophrenia: Overview and treatment options.P&T.2014;39(9):638-45. PMID:25210417Turkington D, Lebert L, Spencer H.Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: Helping patients to develop effective coping strategies.BJPsych Advances. 2016;22(6):391-396. doi:10.1192/apt.bp.115.015214

Hugdahl K.Auditory hallucinations: A review of the ERC “VOICE” project.World J Psychiatry. 2015;5(2):193-209. doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i2.193

Luhrmann TM.Living with voices.American Scholar.2012;Summer:49-60.

Longden, E.The voices in my head. TED, 2014.

Sommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-714. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034

Li J, Cao X, Liu S, Li X, Xu Y.Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: A meta-analysis.Psychiatry Research. 2020;290:113141. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113141

Patel KR, Cherian J, Gohil K, Atkinson D.Schizophrenia: Overview and treatment options.P&T.2014;39(9):638-45. PMID:25210417

Turkington D, Lebert L, Spencer H.Auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: Helping patients to develop effective coping strategies.BJPsych Advances. 2016;22(6):391-396. doi:10.1192/apt.bp.115.015214

Sommer IE, Slotema CW, Daskalakis ZJ, Derks EM, Blom JD, Van der Gaag M.The treatment of hallucinations in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Schizophr Bull. 2012;38(4):704-14. doi:10.1093/schbul/sbs034

Kendra Cherry, MSEd

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?

Types of Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia#

Nonsensical Voices#

Self-Harm Voices#

Threatening Voices#

Recap#

Treatment for Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia#

Helping a Loved One With Schizophrenia#

How to Cope With Auditory Hallucinations#

A Word From Verywell#