Hearing voices and self harm

[Lou]

Calling all researchers, I'm interested in collaborating on research on hearing voices/'psychosis' and self harm. I experience both and have collaborated on other research. As far as I'm aware there has been no research on this subject and this needs exploring because it's often assumed that self harm occurs as a result of a 'command hallucination' which is not always the case. Sometimes it's just as much about coping with voices as it can be about coping with any other distressing experience. Likewise, health professionals can assume that the response needs to be different then for people with other diagnoses and I don't believe that is the case. I think productive responses are similar for anyone irrespective of diagnosis.
I'd like to see research which asked service users about their reasons, motivations and methods of self harming in relation to voice hearing [and visions/tactile experiences] and what responses they would like to receive. Then to contrast that with health professionals views on this to see what themes we can draw out.

 

[Sue]

Hello Lou

I hear voices and self harm. Sometimes I do self harm because of the voices but not always. It is more it is an act of self preservation and expressing pain/feelings I cannot express in words, also it is a cleansing act. All this may sound mad but hey I'm supposed to be mad

 

[Lou]

Doesn't sound mad to me Sue! Sometimes my self harm is about coping with voices, sometimes a direct command, and sometimes unrelated issues ie self worth/value and like for you an act of self preservation.
Could you say anymore about your self harm in relation to voices?
Mine can be about addressing what voices are doing to me physically ie I see a difference in my body and try to remove it

 

[Sue]

Hi Lou

I self harm to help me cope with the voices too but when they tell me to self harm I can sometimes resist - I sometimes self harm when they ask so they will leave me alone - The self harm is as I said before about me expressing how I feel about everything and nothing. I think, and I am sure research for the most part backs this up, that self harm is not a sign or a symptom but an expression of something; and what that something is will be unique to each individual.

Sue

 

[Dichoso]

I used to self harm, um, I guess it was mostly because of depression although I was hearing voices at the time. My voices in those days were terribly frightening.

But today, i'm accident-free for over a year! It was so hard for me but I did it, I stopped cutting myself. I have scars that I keep covered but they are beginning to fade.

May I point out it's not a good idea to in any way talk about self harm as something positive. It's okay to state that you do, but please don't state anything that sounds like one is promote it.

 

[Sue]

I don't think there has been any promotion of self harm - I would never do that - It isn't a life style choice.

 

[Kate]

but neither is it something evil and disgusting

 

[Sue]

No it isn't that either

 

[Lou]

Self harm is different things to different people with multiple meanings and functions for both voice hearers and non-voice hearers. There are some experiences I can relate to and others I can't, that will be true for all of us and we can respect those differences.
For some people, self harm can serve a 'positive' function in that it might mean it prevents doing something worse ie. suicide. Self harm can mean transcending or surviving intolerable experiences or feelings, so in that sense it can serve a 'positive' function in that it has enabled the individual to survive another day. If I hadn't self harmed, I very much doubt I would still be here and I do value that fact. I don't in anyway 'celebrate' the damage I've needed to do, the pain I've endured, the medical abuse I've encountered, nor the scars I carry. Sometimes I can view them as 'battle scars', at others times it's hard to look.

Sue I appreciate what you say about harming yourself when voices ask in order to make them go away. Are you able to make any compromises with them or yourself as to what you do?

 

[fergie1535]

Hello all
I am new to this forum but I am not knew to hearing voices. I have tryed to commit suciede several times. It is not good to self harm. It is an expression that you nee to get some help. I almost died because I tryed to commit suciede. I was in the hospital for several months. I don't mean a mental hospital I mean a regular hospital. I was in icu for 12 days it was touch and go weither I would make it. If you feel like self harming yourself you should try to get some help from somewhere or talk to someone about it. I think it is an expression of pain that you are going through at the time.
Fergie

 

[Sue]

Hi Lou

Sometimes I do bargain with the voices around self harm but sometimes I resist them . Bargaining does not always work because inevitably the voices renege on any deals I make with them. Of late I have been having a type of therapy called "voice dialogue", this is actually helping and is in line with the work of Romme, Escher, Rufus May, Ron Coleman and the like. Much of their work is covered on the Intervoice site.

I believe the voice dialogue whilst not removing the voices will help me come to terms with the voices and all that they entail.

 

[deano69]

ye just liked to say about self harm i have done some work on this and the most common one for self harm is a way of surviveing for some people!!i use to look forward to it as it was my own personal councilor!!i couldnt express it in words as it was so horrific for me,i also did it to see if i was alive because i felt dead in side so i could see the blood!!i no this sounds horrrific but it helped me understand my self to the point were i got to the core of the isssue why i did it and then i got my own ownership(i new why did it)but it takes time to accept other copeing stragitys!!i hope i havent offended any one but it was a personl thing for me!!!DEANOxx

 

[terri]

ye just liked to say about self harm i have done some work on this and the most common one for self harm is a way of surviveing for some people!!i use to look forward to it as it was my own personal councilor!!i couldnt express it in words as it was so horrific for me,i also did it to see if i was alive because i felt dead in side so i could see the blood!!i no this sounds horrrific but it helped me understand my self to the point were i got to the core of the isssue why i did it and then i got my own ownership(i new why did it)but it takes time to accept other copeing stragitys!!i hope i havent offended any one but it was a personl thing for me!!!DEANOxx

Hi Deano

No offence whatsoever but I hope you don't mind me asking what was it you used to self-harm yourself? I find it hard to get my head around self harm and have just started to think about those religious people who flagellate themselves. What's that all about then? I don't know.

Take care

Terri x

 

[deano69]

ye guys just been reading some of the threads about self harm and voices one of the threads talks about a life style choice mabey it is!!!as a lot of you will no its a way of surviving mabey it is a choice for that person!!as far as psycosis and self harm hmmm were is the link???trauma based i dont no(trauma meaning all sorts of things not just sexual abuse)i think its a goood subject to get our heads in to lou,also the thread what terri put on about the floggelation that is totaly accepted in some faiths but not as a self harm isssue!!!dsm talks about the delibrate cutting of tissue to harm ones self!!so what is floggelation and the dsm opinuan on this there is a very fine line betweeen mental health and religioun,one is a so called symton of an ill ness the other totaly accepted same as voice hearing to some assspects(according to some professionals) DEANO xx

 

[terri]

ye guys just been reading some of the threads about self harm and voices one of the threads talks about a life style choice mabey it is!!!as a lot of you will no its a way of surviving mabey it is a choice for that person!!as far as psycosis and self harm hmmm were is the link???trauma based i dont no(trauma meaning all sorts of things not just sexual abuse)i think its a goood subject to get our heads in to lou,also the thread what terri put on about the floggelation that is totaly accepted in some faiths but not as a self harm isssue!!!dsm talks about the delibrate cutting of tissue to harm ones self!!so what is floggelation and the dsm opinuan on this there is a very fine line betweeen mental health and religioun,one is a so called symton of an ill ness the other totaly accepted same as voice hearing to some assspects(according to some professionals) DEANO xx

Hi Deano,

Yes it's interesting stuff. Think I will do lots of research!

Take care

Terri x