Mental health articles

How to deal with How to deal with hearing voices?

Questions to ask the family or friends
• When did it start? This will tell you whether the illness is sudden, which would be a sign of
mania or brief psychoses, or long-standing, which would suggest schizophrenia.
• Have you noticed any odd behaviours? For example, the person appearing as if he is talking to
himself?
• Has the person been saying odd things? For example, accusing you of trying to harm him?
• Has he been using drugs or alcohol recently?
• Has he been violent?

• Does anyone else in the family suffer from these sorts of problems? Schizophrenia and manic–depressive disorder can run in families.

Questions to ask the person who is suspicious or has odd beliefs
• Have you been feeling under stress recently? Start with a general question instead of asking a direct question about delusions or hallucinations.
• Have you felt as if something odd was going on around you? Have you felt as if others were talking about you? That some people were trying to hurt you? These questions will help identify delusions.
• Have you heard people talk about you behind your back? Have you heard people talk about you even when there is no one around? These questions will help identify hallucinations.
• Do you get thoughts of wanting to kill yourself? Remember that the risk of suicide is higher in a person with a psychotic illness.

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