Understanding the Experiences of Hearing Voices and Sounds Others Do Not Hear

Abstract

In this article, we aim to contribute to the understanding of how people with mental illness experience hearing voices and sounds that others do not hear in daily life. We conducted in-depth interviews with 14 people and analyzed the interviews using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. The themes we arrived at included the following: hearing someone else or myself, am I losing my mind?, and daily life recurrently dominated by opposing voices. Our overall understanding of how the voices and sounds were experienced in daily life was that the intentions of others resounded intrusively in the participants and disrupted their lives. The tones and contents of these perplexing perceptions echoed and amplified past, present and future experiences and concerns. The results elucidate the value that exploring and attempting to understand people's daily life experiences of hearing voices and sounds might have for the voice hearer, their family and health care providers.

The Lived Experience of Auditory Hallucinations among Egyptian Mentally Ill Patients: A Phenomenological Study

“…Participant (9) reported that "voices always call me by bad names such as ……stupid …….. ugly, and loser". Participant (6) stated that voices "whisper to me about other people around me………warning me that bad people will hurt me, stay away from these people".…”

“…pray", Participant (6) said "I usually read Quran …… (the holy book of Islam) to make the voices stay away from me and it works". Participant (9) said that sometimes I stay with people around me …….. the voices do not come". Participant (5) reported that, "I hear the voices …….. try to forget what they say …….I do not pay much of attention to what they say".…”

“…Many research studies in the western communities have reported that auditory hallucinations are the most predominant symptom among psychotic patients (Waters, Badcock & Mayberty, 2012). Kalhovde, Elstad and Talseth, (2013), stated that auditory hallucinations can have serious effects on the patients' daily living and their families as it affect the patients' education progress, decrease the ability to work, and may lead to suicidal behavior.…”

“Sometimes I walk and walk, hoping to get some peace.” Dealing with hearing voices and sounds nobody else hears

“…The phenomenon is associated with educational difficulties, diminished ability to work, and suicidal behavior (Harkavy-Friedman et al, 2003; Kalhovde, Elstad & Talseth, 2013). Experiences of hearing voices, commonly known as auditory (verbal) hallucinations, are regarded as a hallmark symptom of serious mental illness in Western cultures.…”

The use of phenomenology in mental health nursing research

“…This has significant therapeutic value and can help nurses to build the skills and confidence to collaborate with consumer to explore what the voices they hear 'echo and amplify'. Kalhovde et al (2013) and Martins (2008) showed that using phenomenology influences the types of research questions asked and the forms of knowledge generated. As phenomenology is the study of the perceptions of people experiencing a phenomenon rather than the empirical study of the phenomenon itself (Giorgi 1997), it is highly appropriate for exploring the experiences of people with mental illness and how they consciously reflect on those experiences.…”