It can be very frightening if you suddenly feel as though you can hear or see things that other people can’t.  However it’s actually a very common experience.

This figure has been provided by the Hearing Voices Network.  The experience can be a one-off or something that happens more regularly.

We know that people are more likely to have these kind of experiences when they are feeling upset, worried or stressed because our minds can play tricks on us and it can be difficult to tell the difference between the tricks and what is really happening.

Sometimes we can hear our own thoughts, as though they are being said out loud by someone else.  The things the voices say sometimes don’t sound like things we would say and sometimes the voice does not sound like our own.

Our brains are clever at recognising patterns and shapes and  helping us to understand things.  Our brains will sometimes fill in the gaps in the things we see, hear, smell, taste or feel so that they make sense to us.

For example sometimes tricks of the light can be interpreted as ghosts or people being in the room, this can be convincing because of how good the brain is at filling in information so it makes sense.

Sometimes the brain can fill in gaps with very vivid images.  These images can be linked to something that we are already afraid of.

A lot of people who have these kind of experiences worry that they are ‘going mad’ and often feel very stressed, confused or upset. 

Sometimes these experiences, and the way they make you feel, can get in the way of school, family life and doing the things you enjoy.

In rare cares, hearing voices a lot can be a sign of a serious mental health condition.  If you are hearing voices and also isolating yourself from the world, feeing very frightened and/ or thinking and saying things that other people find strange we recommend seeking help more urgently.  You can either contact your GP or go to the ‘I really need to talk to the Crisis Care Centre’ button on site within the Getting More Help section.