Philemon and other figures of my fantasies brought home to me the crucial insight that there are things in the psyche which I do not produce, but which produce themselves and have their own life. For example, Carl Jung, reflecting on what he describes as his own “confrontation with the unconscious”, refers to an archetype which he called Philemon: This quality has been identified and described by writers, artists, children, those who are suffering from mental illness, and by other reflective adults who are not mentally ill, as well as by those who describe religious, mystical, or other spiritual experiences. Rather, there is a quality of seeming autonomy about some voices, whether experienced as thoughts or perceptions (or perception-like), which characterises them as being other than aspects of the self ( Watkins, 2000), and in some cases even as seeming to be external agents. Whilst the primary consideration here is with voices which might be understood as AVHs, 1 it is not necessarily the perceptual quality of the voice, or its location in external space, which invites spiritual or religious reflection. Significant amongst these are concepts of mental disorder, but groups such as the Hearing Voices Network have ensured that there are also forums within which a plurality of views is acknowledged, alongside a recognition that the experience can be normalised. This pluralism is contributed to not only by traditional and non-traditional forms of spirituality and religion, but also by popular, professional, and scientific bases for forming possible alternative explanations. We inhabit a pluralistic environment, insofar as the spiritual and religious interpretation of voice hearing is concerned. Some voices might be perceived as more spiritual than others, or be interpreted differently (and thus more or less religiously) according to context, form, or content.
And, for still others, there will be an element of critical discrimination. For others, any voice not emanating from a human or electronic source will inevitably be interpreted in spiritual terms.
And when such good reasons for inferring spiritual/religious significance do pertain, they may be understood within any of a diverse variety of traditional, new and emerging, cultural or individual frameworks of meaning.įor some people, in particular those who would identify themselves as atheists, the framework of belief within which voices are interpreted will inevitably exclude any spiritual or religious explanation. Such good reasons may include the context of use, as for example in the use of peyote in Native American religion, or the explicitly spiritual/religious content of what is heard. Those attributable to drugs, illness, or otherwise disturbed physiological states may worry or intrigue us, but they will not necessarily be thought to have any spiritual or religious implications, and, when they do, there will usually be good reasons for this. Voices emanating from electronic sources (phones, computers, public address systems, etc.) no longer surprise us. In the contemporary context, in contrast, a variety of alternative scientific explanations are potentially available, including notably those of a technological or medical nature. If you need additional support, the Hearing Voice Network offers support and advice for those who hear voices.The hearing of voices in the absence of a human speaker must once have had inevitably supernatural implications. There are many reasons you may hear voices, but the sooner you understand why, the sooner you can receive treatment. While it can be difficult to discuss things like hearing voices, you need to be as honest an open as you can. As part of the process you may need to speak to a psychiatrist.
Your GP will work with you to attempt to identify the cause of the voices that you hear. While the voices may not be negative or be causing you any problems in your life, they can be the symptoms of serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia.
If you’re hearing voices then you need to speak to your GP as soon as possible. It’s essential that you find out what’s causing you to hear voices so its important you get medical help as soon as possible. Those with schizophrenia often hear voices, but they can also be caused by other conditions including Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, or as a result of taking illegal drugs or alcohol. It can be frightening, but it’s more common than you might think, with the Mental Health Foundation claiming up to 28% of people hear them. Hearing voices is a form of hallucination that may or may not be related to a mental health problem. It’s essential you get help as soon as possible. I’m worried about the voices I am hearing Hearing voices is a form of hallucination that can be traumatic and stressful.
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