In the Western psychology way of things, the words psychosis and schizophrenia spectrum are terms that describe experiences and conditions that affect some people. People who experience these kinds of conditions might seem “weird” or “crazy” to you, but if you take one thing away from reading this it’s that we should be careful about the judgment we place on others before we know what it is like to be in their shoes. People who have these conditions will have experiences that they themselves see as bizarre, otherworldly, or fantastical. When they try and share these experiences with friends or family who cannot relate to those experiences they are often labeled as “crazy” or out of touch with reality. Things like hearing or seeing things that others cannot see or hear or having strong beliefs like, “I was just with the president of the United States minutes ago.” To the person who is experiencing these things their mind is completely convinced of this as the truth, and trying to disprove them will likely only make you both frustrated. It is like you are living in two worlds that are not fully connected. 

I want to focus in on one of the most obvious symptoms of psychosis that people often recognize first in others when they meet someone with these conditions. Auditory hallucinations are sounds that others cannot hear. It could be music, or drumming, or random sounds like hissing or buzzing, but it is often referred to as voice hearing since many people on this spectrum report hearing voices of various kinds. According to Tanya Luhrmann, a Stanford professor of anthropology and author of an article in the British Journal of Psychiatry, “hearing voices is complex and varies from person to person, and from culture to culture.” One example of this that she writes about with her contributing authors, is that what these voices say and sound like are similar across cultures, but often have interesting differences. One such difference is voice hearing in parts of India and Ghana tends to be more helpful, or positively interpreted as voices of their kin, or playful spirits. Yes, some people hear voices that comfort them, cheer them on, or assure them that their Creator is watching over them. Compare that to voices in America, which are often described as violent, hateful, and seen as evidence of a sickness or unwanted intrusion.  

If you know someone in your life who has these kinds of experiences, I will first encourage you notice what effect these experiences seem to have on them, positive, negative, or somewhere in between? Do these voices encourage them, and make them laugh or smile? Perhaps they cause them to cry or become afraid. Some people turn to substances like alcohol to try and control these voices and appease them or quiet them even just for a moment. And because these experiences are often misunderstood by others, people often feel the need to hide it from others for fear of rejection or negative judgment. People with psychosis may still have a desire for connection but are soured on the effort to do so which keeps people from experiencing positive relationships, leaving them to feeling stuck. The best thing to do is help and encourage these friends and family members into the care of trained, caring, professionals or bring said professionals to those friends and family. There is much more that could be said about the worlds experienced by people with these psychiatric conditions. If you are curious and want to learn more, you can visit hearingthevoice.org for a huge collection of over 10 years of resources assembled by Durham University. See here: https://hearingthevoice.org/ 

 

Here’s to your good health! 

It’s okay not to feel okay.  

If you or someone you know has been struggling with their emotions, behaviors, or substance use please reach out to us. We can help you find appropriate tools and services that could help you overcome obstacles in your life. We are here for you. Please contact the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Division at 970-563-5700 for more information or to set up an appointment to see a counselor or therapist.  

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