Question:
I hear voices sometimes as well….I also see things that are not there too….just be careful. "hugh" <h.masseng…@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:57183600.0303311710.5d0b8fca@posting.google.com… > "Suzanne" <suziedavidgra…@earthlink.net> wrote in message
<news:Haaga.20041$jA2.1753494@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net>… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > Hello, I’m new here. My fiance has been diagnosed with PTSD stemming from a > > traumatic experience he encountered(obviously.) He takes Zyprexa. He says > > though, that he used to hear voices talking to him, and lately, he thinks > > that he blurts out inappropriate and disgusting things out of nowhere in the > > middle of conversation. (He doesn’t.) I’m just wondering, is this normal for > > victims of PTSD? Is there anything I can do to help him? > Suzanne, I know someone who was diagnosed with ptsd who also heard > voices. I don’t know if it is normal, I kind of doubt it, but I do > suspect it is normal for those with multiple trauma, some stemming > from early childhood abuse, neglect. I would suggest that the two of > you investigate a therapist who specializes in dissociation and ptsd. > I would also strongly advise going to a therapist outside the VA > system if he is a veteran. Hearing voices can lead to a diagnosis of > schizophrenia rather than ptsd. I wonder if the voices seem inside his > head, rather than outside directing him? Sometimes current trauma > "wakes up" old buried stuff. Are the voices present just on > awakening, or through the day? The person I knew heard the voices > mostly early in the morning, or when really stressed. Your fiance is > lucky to have you for support. One person who cares can make all the > difference in the world to a person struggling with ptsd. I am no > professional, so it would really pay to ask your questions of a > professional who specializes in dissociation. Doubt you will find a > psychiatrist who does. Hugh
Response:
yeah true there….one of my syptoms is dpression….but the main catorgy that my counclor put me in is PTSD… cause of all of the stress cause from my past and the things that i am/was seeing and hearing "Rose Marie Holt" <rmho…@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:rmholt1-F0D0B6.20000531032003@news.mindspring.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> X-No-Archive:yes > In article <57183600.0303311710.5d0b8…@posting.google.com>, > h.masseng…@attbi.com (hugh) wrote: > > "Suzanne" <suziedavidgra…@earthlink.net> wrote in message > > <news:Haaga.20041$jA2.1753494@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net>… > > > Hello, I’m new here. My fiance has been diagnosed with PTSD stemming from a > > > traumatic experience he encountered(obviously.) He takes Zyprexa. He says > > > though, that he used to hear voices talking to him, and lately, he thinks > > > that he blurts out inappropriate and disgusting things out of nowhere in > > > the > > > middle of conversation. (He doesn’t.) I’m just wondering, is this normal > > > for > > > victims of PTSD? Is there anything I can do to help him? > In my limited knowledge, a psychotic symptom (like hearing voices) does > not count as a primary psychosis (like schizophrenia) if it is part of a > larger diagnosis. For instance, people who have delusions or > hallucinations as part of depression do not get a new diagnosis of a > psychosis and the main goal is to treat the depression. I bet ptsd is > another of those examples – dissociation is another kind of psychotic > reaction, but may be secondary to ptsd, not the primary problem. > Someone with a serious mental illness can have secondary psychotic > symptoms. A good psychiatrist can sort it all out. > Best wishes, Marie
Response:
Hi Hugh! > Suzanne, I know someone who was diagnosed with ptsd who also heard > voices. I don’t know if it is normal, I kind of doubt it, but I do > suspect it is normal for those with multiple trauma, some stemming > from early childhood abuse, neglect. I would suggest that the two of > you investigate a therapist who specializes in dissociation and ptsd. > I would also strongly advise going to a therapist outside the VA > system if he is a veteran. Hearing voices can lead to a diagnosis of > schizophrenia rather than ptsd.
I had a VA diagnostician explain that if the voices do not come from a specific, inanimate object and are not telling me what to do, then it is not schizophrenia. My VA pdoc attributed my hearing voices to an inreased stress level, and increased one medication. The voices went away! This happened twice in the last 5 years. I now know that this is one of my symptoms of overwhelming stress, so I can get a chance to take care of myself better. > I wonder if the voices seem inside his > head, rather than outside directing him? Sometimes current trauma > "wakes up" old buried stuff. Are the voices present just on > awakening, or through the day? The person I knew heard the voices > mostly early in the morning, or when really stressed. Your fiance is > lucky to have you for support. One person who cares can make all the > difference in the world to a person struggling with ptsd. I am no > professional, so it would really pay to ask your questions of a > professional who specializes in dissociation. Doubt you will find a > psychiatrist who does. Hugh
FWIW, my VA therapist referred the voices from nowhere to my pdoc, immediately. An impending marriage is one of the most stressful events of one’s lifetime. Remember, those of us with PTSD have trouble with ‘good stress’ as well as ‘bad’ stress. YMMV Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy
Response:
Hi Marge! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>I had a VA diagnostician explain that if the voices do not come from a >>specific, inanimate object and are not telling me what to do, then it >>is not schizophrenia. >>My VA pdoc attributed my hearing voices to an inreased stress level, >>and increased one medication. The voices went away! This happened >>twice in the last 5 years. I now know that this is one of my symptoms >>of overwhelming stress, so I can get a chance to take care of myself >>better. > Would seeing things that are not there fall into this category? Just > after the re-traumatization a few months ago I started seeing the > person who traumatized me in my one room cottage. I had to turn away > and look multiple times until she was not there anymore. I also see > shadows of things in the room but I’m alone. Can all of this be > attributed to stress? I don’t see my therapist till next week but > feedback from peers would be helpful.
In my case, I kept hearing the landscapers talking, and they had not been in my back yard for several months. Every time I looked behind me to make certain that I was alone, they stopped talking; as soon as I turned back to my task, the talking started again. I went inside the house and read a book! :/ I cannot report what the trigger was as I mostly try to keep track of my symptoms and report them to the pdoc so she can evaluate them. Trying to find less than obvious triggers is not my job; controlling my reactions as much as possible and dealing with my symptoms in a positive way is my only job IMO. This was the first time I heard voices, and it stuck in my mind. I cannot remember where or what happened the second time. I do know that I then knew it was another of my symptoms and so reported it the next visit to the pdoc. YMMV Smile and there will be something to smile about! Nancy
Response:
Hi Marge, >Would seeing things that are not there fall into this category? Just after >the re-traumatization a few months ago I started seeing the person who >traumatized me in my one room cottage. I had to turn away and look >multiple times until she was not there anymore. I also see shadows of >things in the room but I’m alone. Can all of this be attributed to stress?
I can empathize with what you are experiencing but do not know if a particular stress or trigger causes it. In my case, I have heard voices a few times since the time of the major trauma 30 years ago and have seen someone who was "not there" at least three times that I can remember. The voices have not bothered me. According to my therapist, they are part of my DID. I do not find them to be disturbing. The appearance of someone who seems very real at the time has been extremely disturbing. All three times I heard these individuals as well as saw them. They were very real to me at the time. Unlike the voices, they were menacing. >I don’t see my therapist till next week but feedback from peers would be >helpful.
Don’t know what I can offer, Marge, except to say that you are not alone. I always let the shrinks know right away. My meds were changed which helped and I learned new breathing techniques which also helped. The appearance of persons who are not there has not happened in a while, but I remember the terror I felt as if it were yesterday. Hang in there, Marge. Fortunately you have an appointment with your therapist next week. Until then, you can always check in here at the ng. You are not alone. Take care, Anne
Response:
Hi, I’m coming out of lurkdom for a moment to say that I was diagnosed with PTSD about 10 years ago. At that time I was given meds by my pdoc, and while taking the meds I occasionally experienced both auditory and visual hallucinations. When I stopped the meds, the hallucinations also stopped, and I have not had them since. Those of you who have this symptom would certainly want to talk to your pdocs about this; it may be a drug side effect. HTH "Jenny" <amop…@paulbunyan.net> wrote in message
news:376ia.109$Sg7.7427@news7.onvoy.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I hear voices sometimes as well….I also see things that are not there > too….just be careful. > "hugh" <h.masseng…@attbi.com> wrote in message > news:57183600.0303311710.5d0b8fca@posting.google.com… > > "Suzanne" <suziedavidgra…@earthlink.net> wrote in message > <news:Haaga.20041$jA2.1753494@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net>… > > > Hello, I’m new here. My fiance has been diagnosed with PTSD stemming > from a > > > traumatic experience he encountered(obviously.) He takes Zyprexa. He > says > > > though, that he used to hear voices talking to him, and lately, he > thinks > > > that he blurts out inappropriate and disgusting things out of nowhere in > the > > > middle of conversation. (He doesn’t.) I’m just wondering, is this normal > for > > > victims of PTSD? Is there anything I can do to help him? > > Suzanne, I know someone who was diagnosed with ptsd who also heard > > voices. I don’t know if it is normal, I kind of doubt it, but I do > > suspect it is normal for those with multiple trauma, some stemming > > from early childhood abuse, neglect. I would suggest that the two of > > you investigate a therapist who specializes in dissociation and ptsd. > > I would also strongly advise going to a therapist outside the VA > > system if he is a veteran. Hearing voices can lead to a diagnosis of > > schizophrenia rather than ptsd. I wonder if the voices seem inside his > > head, rather than outside directing him? Sometimes current trauma > > "wakes up" old buried stuff. Are the voices present just on > > awakening, or through the day? The person I knew heard the voices > > mostly early in the morning, or when really stressed. Your fiance is > > lucky to have you for support. One person who cares can make all the > > difference in the world to a person struggling with ptsd. I am no > > professional, so it would really pay to ask your questions of a > > professional who specializes in dissociation. Doubt you will find a > > psychiatrist who does. Hugh
Response:
It’s my experience that hearing voices is hallucinatory and not a PTSD symptom. There may be something else going on here, in addition to PTSD. PTSD can set off any other psychological problems. My husband suffers from severe PTSD but never has a doctor mentioned hearing voices as a symptom. There are many resources on the web that list the symptoms. Here is one of them: http://www.apa.org/practice/ptsd.html Your fianc
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