Hearing Voices Research
(from unattributed HVN training material)
A growing body of knowledge, led by the research of Professor Marius Romme and Sandra Escher of Maastricht University in The Netherlands, suggests that the key to understanding voice hearing is for the individual to listen to what the voices say. The Hearing Voices Network also emphasizes the strong connection between trauma and voice hearing. Romme and Escher’s research suggests that more than 70% of people who hear voices have suffered a major trauma at some time in their lives. Listening to what the voices say can be the key to understanding why people hear them.
The Hearing Voices Network has over 20 years of experience in working with people who hear voices, and the link between trauma and voices has been repeatedly shown. A high percentage of people who attend voices groups have experienced sexual or physical abuse, or have been through other distressing experiences. Many have been on medication for long periods, sometimes for many years, yet they still hear voices. In most cases, the trauma that may have triggered the voices has never been addressed.
Romme and Escher’s research concluded that voices often cannot be “cured” but they can be coped with. This does not mean that the voices will never cease; rather it means that voices cannot be cured in a simplistic way with, for example, medication, in a way that eradicates them. Voices should be viewed within the social context of someone’s life: if people who hear voices are allowed to explore the content of their voices in relation to the rest of their lives, it is possible for the voice hearer to control them, and lead the life they want to.
Specifically, the use of the following techniques is recommended:
The Three Phases of Voice Hearing
The most helpful response of family and friends is a positive response that accepts the individual’s experience and indicates a willingness to help them take control. Dividing the experience into three stages is a helpful way of managing the process of learning to live with voices.
The three phases are:
For many people the start of what we call “hearing voices” can literally be a startling experience, which is why some researchers call this the startling phase.
Once the voice hearer has gotten over the shock of hearing voices, the next stage is to try and make sense of the voices, this is called the coping or organizational phase. The coping phase is a difficult time in which the person hearing voices may want to escape or deny the voices in some way. Some people may take months or years to acknowledge the voices exist. The next phase is the stabilization phase. This is the period when the voice hearer fits the experience of hearing voices into their everyday life, when they can pick and choose what they want to do, as opposed to obeying the voices blindly.
The Startling Phase
Voices often start after severe trauma, at a time of extreme suffering when reality is almost too much to bear.
At this time, voices are often experienced as aggressive and negative, and people are afraid and confused.
The voices sometimes cause so much chaos or demand so much attention that they seriously interfere with peoples’ lives.
The person is unable to carry on with daily activities and relationships.
At this time people need reassurance and treatment for their anxiety.
Many people become stuck at this point, without appropriate support. The key is to try to alleviate anxiety and fear, using anxiety management techniques or other methods of calming and reassurance.
The Organizational Phase
When the initial anxiety and confusion has been reduced or temporarily suspended, it is possible to concentrate on organizing the voices and the hearer’s relationship with them.
During this stage, detailed attention is paid to such issues as analysis of the possible significance of the voices to the hearer with regard to both past and present.
This can be done through an exploration of: the hearer’s history and the meaning of the voices in the person’s daily life; the influence of the family’s attitude to the voices; accompanying symptoms of dissociation or emotional repression; the particular circumstances under which the voices are heard; what they have to say; the nature of any triggers and accompany perceptions.
Support and encouragement in helping individuals to develop coping strategies is crucial; groups can often be very helpful at this stage.
The Stabilization Phase
In this phase, the focus is primarily on expanding knowledge and developing the personality through the use of various therapies.
This is the period when people have begun to learn to live in balance with their voices and see them as being a part of their life.
The relationship with the voices is more reasonable, they have a more positive influence and become less controlling, but people can choose to follow their advice if they want to. In this phase people are less anxious about their voices.
Continued support as and when necessary can be very important.
Factors that support the voice hearer in learning to live with their voices
Making information about voice hearing available to people who hear voices, as well as to their families and friends.
Creating an opportunity for people to discuss the meaning and content of their voices, either on a one-to-one basis or in a voices support group.
Developing coping strategies that make hearing voices more tolerable.
These things become possible when people have accepting that they hear voices and want to do something to take control.
A growing body of knowledge, led by the research of Professor Marius Romme and Sandra Escher of Maastricht University in The Netherlands, suggests that the key to understanding voice hearing is for the individual to listen to what the voices say. The Hearing Voices Network also emphasizes the strong connection between trauma and voice hearing. Romme and Escher’s research suggests that more than 70% of people who hear voices have suffered a major trauma at some time in their lives. Listening to what the voices say can be the key to understanding why people hear them.
The Hearing Voices Network has over 20 years of experience in working with people who hear voices, and the link between trauma and voices has been repeatedly shown. A high percentage of people who attend voices groups have experienced sexual or physical abuse, or have been through other distressing experiences. Many have been on medication for long periods, sometimes for many years, yet they still hear voices. In most cases, the trauma that may have triggered the voices has never been addressed.
Romme and Escher’s research concluded that voices often cannot be “cured” but they can be coped with. This does not mean that the voices will never cease; rather it means that voices cannot be cured in a simplistic way with, for example, medication, in a way that eradicates them. Voices should be viewed within the social context of someone’s life: if people who hear voices are allowed to explore the content of their voices in relation to the rest of their lives, it is possible for the voice hearer to control them, and lead the life they want to.
Specifically, the use of the following techniques is recommended:
- Anxiety management to give more control
- Focusing on the voices to explore meaning and understand them better
- Promoting peoples’ social opportunities and self esteem in order to help them develop their capacity to live in society
The Three Phases of Voice Hearing
The most helpful response of family and friends is a positive response that accepts the individual’s experience and indicates a willingness to help them take control. Dividing the experience into three stages is a helpful way of managing the process of learning to live with voices.
The three phases are:
- The startling phase
- The organizational phase
- The stabilization phase
For many people the start of what we call “hearing voices” can literally be a startling experience, which is why some researchers call this the startling phase.
Once the voice hearer has gotten over the shock of hearing voices, the next stage is to try and make sense of the voices, this is called the coping or organizational phase. The coping phase is a difficult time in which the person hearing voices may want to escape or deny the voices in some way. Some people may take months or years to acknowledge the voices exist. The next phase is the stabilization phase. This is the period when the voice hearer fits the experience of hearing voices into their everyday life, when they can pick and choose what they want to do, as opposed to obeying the voices blindly.
The Startling Phase
Voices often start after severe trauma, at a time of extreme suffering when reality is almost too much to bear.
At this time, voices are often experienced as aggressive and negative, and people are afraid and confused.
The voices sometimes cause so much chaos or demand so much attention that they seriously interfere with peoples’ lives.
The person is unable to carry on with daily activities and relationships.
At this time people need reassurance and treatment for their anxiety.
Many people become stuck at this point, without appropriate support. The key is to try to alleviate anxiety and fear, using anxiety management techniques or other methods of calming and reassurance.
The Organizational Phase
When the initial anxiety and confusion has been reduced or temporarily suspended, it is possible to concentrate on organizing the voices and the hearer’s relationship with them.
During this stage, detailed attention is paid to such issues as analysis of the possible significance of the voices to the hearer with regard to both past and present.
This can be done through an exploration of: the hearer’s history and the meaning of the voices in the person’s daily life; the influence of the family’s attitude to the voices; accompanying symptoms of dissociation or emotional repression; the particular circumstances under which the voices are heard; what they have to say; the nature of any triggers and accompany perceptions.
Support and encouragement in helping individuals to develop coping strategies is crucial; groups can often be very helpful at this stage.
The Stabilization Phase
In this phase, the focus is primarily on expanding knowledge and developing the personality through the use of various therapies.
This is the period when people have begun to learn to live in balance with their voices and see them as being a part of their life.
The relationship with the voices is more reasonable, they have a more positive influence and become less controlling, but people can choose to follow their advice if they want to. In this phase people are less anxious about their voices.
Continued support as and when necessary can be very important.
Factors that support the voice hearer in learning to live with their voices
Making information about voice hearing available to people who hear voices, as well as to their families and friends.
Creating an opportunity for people to discuss the meaning and content of their voices, either on a one-to-one basis or in a voices support group.
Developing coping strategies that make hearing voices more tolerable.
These things become possible when people have accepting that they hear voices and want to do something to take control.