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The Basics
Lots of people have heard, seen or sensed things that others around them haven't. So, if this is happening to you - you're not alone. If you'd like to find out a bit about what other people have experienced, read on.
We've put together a few stories written by people we know who have heard voices during their teens/early 20s and found ways of dealing with them.
Dolly's story
"I first heard voices and saw things when I was 14. Because of abuse, I wasn't happy child, but after the voices came, I knew there were children in hell, because that's where I was. Because of the fear I stopped going to school. I reached out for people to help me but got disapproval, threats, violence and coldness instead.
People kept telling me to pull my socks up. It is hard to do that if you think demons are eating your soul. I was in hell and professionals were adding petrol to keep it going. It was only when one person said to me in my early 30s, I believe in you and you have the power to change that the hell quelled and the fire began to turn into light.
I felt as a teenager with these experiences that I shouldn't dream. Basically I was told I wasn't allowed to. But dreams can come true. Mine have. What I want to say to young people with these experiences not to stop dreaming because with some support and a little self-belief, you can make your dreams come true".
Eleanor's Story
"I've heard voices for over ten years now, and in the beginning was utterly tormented by them. What made the difference for me was getting away from psychiatry's conventional 'cure' response - which is ignoring the voices, dismissing them as meaningless or trying to medicate them away.
Instead I began to explore, understand, accept and integrate the emotional meaning of the voices in terms of my life history - the recovery response. I'm no longer frightened by my experiences, and would even miss the voices if they went! And because I've been able to change the relationship with my voices I can give them a personal and positive meaning, take pride in my experience, reclaim it, take control of it - and just get on with it!
The way I see it is that when my mum's really stressed she gets bad migraines, and when I'm really stressed I get bad voices - it's as simple, and no more scary, than that".
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