Posted by Mark H. on November 15, 2001, at 22:01:38
In reply to Re: Is misinterpreting voices a form of schizophrenia?, posted by ttt on November 15, 2001, at 20:27:56
Dear Triple T,
I do too, especially when I am very tired. I don't think it is necessarily a matter of "you have it" or "you don't." I suspect that we are all on a continuum between being pretty grounded in concrete reality and being sensitive to stimuli that other people usually ignore.
It sounds like you have a pretty good sense of where the line is between "hearing heater voices" (as my wife and I describe the non-existent, not quite ascertainable "conversations" that both of us hear when the furnace is on!) and "schizophrenia," where meaningless stimuli are interpreted as threatening or heavy with secret, personal meaning.
The first thing to consider is whether your sensitivity to and interpretation of noises as information (or misinterpretation of people speaking) creates a problem in your life. If not, then there is probably no reason to treat it. In fact, it might be appropriate to get your hearing tested. At 52, I frequently misinterpret what people are saying, and it has nothing to do with hearing voices!
If, on the other hand, you hear messages that seem to have profound significance or that threaten you or tell you to do something you don't want to do, then treatment with an anti-psychotic is probably a good idea.
I recommend that you discuss this openly with your doctor. Your doctor can give you a multiple-choice, paper-and-pencil type test called the MMPI, to help both of you better understand what you're experiencing. Then you and your doctor together can decide whether it would be a good idea for you to try medication.
In the past, the anti-psychotics available had too many side effects to warrant using unless a person was decisively schizophrenic or at least in temporary crisis. The newer anti-psychotics are so effective and relatively safe that they are being used to treat many other conditions besides schizophrenia. Doctors and patients can now work together to find effective treatment for conditions that may be problematic yet carry no certain diagnosis. If those medications help you to function more effectively in your life, then treatment is a success.
Especially if you feel you cannot figure out whether your sensitivity is causing you problems or not (or if you already KNOW it's causing problems in your life), then make an appointment with your doctor right away. Your doctor's office staff may be able to help you with your employer by giving you a note saying simply that you need time off for your appointment. Your employer does NOT need to know what for!
I hope some of this helps. I too hear the vague murmuring of voices in the wind. Don't worry. Just talk to your doctor.
With kind regards,
Mark H.
poster:Mark H.
thread:84294
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011113/msgs/84372.html