Schizophrenia?

Question

Like when schizophrenic people say they hear voices, what do they mean? Having a little thought voice is normal right? Although I've never thought of it as a voice, it's just my thoughts, controlled by me.

I'm just trying to clarify what schizophrenia is as far as this symptom goes, because my mom used to have it, and I'm afraid I'll get it, she's bipolar now. Can mental disorders be passed down?

I just don't get why they describe them as "voices" :D

Had to clarify that, heh.

Answer 1

Hope you're ready for this... here goes...

Diagnostic Criteria for schizophrenia
a) delusions..i.e..voices
b) hallucinations
c) disorganized speech
d)grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior
e)negative symptoms...i.e. affective flattening, alogia, or avolition

Familial pattern:

"The first degree biological relatives of individuals with schizophrenia have risk for schizophrenia that is about 10 times greater than that of the general population..."

Bi polar:
presence of manic episodes lasting more than one day and recurring...i.e..feeling on top of the world...
followed by major depressive episode...getting so down and out ready to commit suicide type depression..lasts more than one day and repeats this pattern....


Ok so there is a big difference between the two illnesses according to the DSM IV.

Hope this helps answer some questions.

Answer 2

When schizophrenics hear voices, they actually hear voices as if somebody else is talking even when nobody is really talking. It's not them thinking something in their head (it's normal to "hear" your own thoughts inside your head), they experience these voices in the same way as they hear real voices. They can be completely alone in the house and then hear someone say something to them. They can't control those voices, they are not thoughts but hallucinations.

Some schizophrenics experience hallucinations for their other senses. They can for example eat normal food and think it tastes like fuel, even though the food tastes normally to everyone else and they can see things that aren't there etc.

Some mental disorders can be passed down, including schizophrenia (I don't know about bipolar disorder). By the way, are you sure your mother had schizophrenia? Schizophrenia can't be cured, the symptoms can only be kept away with medication but would come back without medication. Either she still has it or was originally misdiagnosed.

But anyway, it is good for you to know the warning signs. Don't spend your whole life worrying over getting it too, but rather be aware of the warning signs so that you can seek help fast if they ever occur.

Answer 3

when schizophrenic people say that they hear voices they actually hear someone talking and believe that it is someone or something talking to them. It's a hallucination. it's not like the internal voice everyone has in their heads. that is completely normal.

your moms illness didn't change. she may have had a change of diagnosis but i'm relatively sure she didn't change from one illness to another, the docs probably just got a better idea of what is wrong and how to treat it.

i've read that many believe that bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are two different disorders on the same spectrum. There is a genetic component to schiz. you are more likely to get it if a family member has it. This doesn't mean that you will develop it. Even in identical twins you can have one sibling with schiz and one without.

If you want some good information E. Fuller Torrey is a good resourse and has written "surviving schizophrenia" and "surviving bipolar disorder" Both of these books are written as resources for families friends and the general public. It is very well researched and written so it is easy to understand. There should be some statistics in there about the odds of a person getting these illnesses.

Answer 4

Bipolar and schizophrenia are two different things, but sometimes they share symptoms. Bipolar is characterized as a mood disorder, while schizophrenia is characterized by psychosis. Psychosis refers to having difficulty understanding what is real and what is not. When a person has auditory psychosis, they actually believe that they are hearing something with their ears. It isn't at all like the thing we do when we think and have a thought voice.

The "thought voice" you describe is normal. Your mom's mental situation probably hasn't changed; her doctor has just changed the diagnosis.

And, unfortunately, there seems to be some sort of genetic connection with some mental illnesses. In other words, it can "run in families", but that doesn't mean that you will have it. Don't worry about it. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned.

Answer 5

When they say they hear voices, it means they hear someone talking to them, inside their head. While you may hear your thought voice say (in your own voice) "what should I make for dinner tonight", they hear a different voice than their own saying any number of things you would not normally think, such as " go get that knife over there and kill yourself".
Mental disorders are indeed passed down, and your mom either never had schizophrenia or she still has it, it doesn't just go away, there is no cure and it cannot turn into something else. The only other possibility is that your mom has schizo-effective disorder, which is both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Answer 6

They are auditory hallucinations. Psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia often affect parts of the brain that are responsible for perception. What you're describing as a "little thought voice" is simply that, just thoughts. Schizophrenic patients who have auditory hallucinations experience them as coming through their ears, not simply in their heads, but like an actual person is there speaking to them when there is no one there. It sounds exactly like a real person speaking to them. As for your mom, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can have overlapping symptoms and sometimes can be difficult to distinguish from each other. So she may have been misdiagnosed with schizophrenia then later correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The evidence suggests that bipolar disorder is more hereditary (passed down) than schizophrenia.

Answer 7

Bi-Polar is not the new term for schizophrenia. They are two different Diagnosis altogether. My Brother is Schizophrenia and he does hear voices and talks to them. sometimes he thinks he is getting messages from the power lines so he will where ear muffs so the messages cannot get through. My brother is a very loving human being. But in another second he can be very cross at you and out of control. I can always tell when he has gone off of his medicine, because of the way he acts. His mother is also schizophrenic. He is my half brother.
depression can run in the family. and then it can be cause by trauma. By-Polar is someone that is very depressed at one time and then very giddy the next. I mean. when they are up. they are really up. when they are down. they are really down. The two are not the same.

Answer 8

to start with loopy del is unsuitable - it will probably NOT be cured through remedy. It will also be effectually TREATED however there's no medication for schizophrenia. It is an overly very tough disorder to regard. My grandmother has it. She has battled with remedy all her existence and it's nonetheless very tough for her. She ultimately located a remedy in her 50's that set to work fairly good, however her dose has been upped such a lot over time, and she or he nonetheless hears voices now and then. If the voices inform her that she cannot stroll, then she collapses while she attempts to rise up. It laws her mind now and then. As a ways because the 25 factor, I have no idea however i have heard of men and women having it as early as 22 years historic. As a ways as children having it?? I do not believe so - in no way heard that - continuously heard it used to be early 20's (same op_'s reply stated children have it) ***btw - very exciting query!

Answer 9

The little voice you are talking about is not what is considered hearing voices. When people hear voices, they believe these voices are telling them what to do, most of the time. It is not "their voice". And yes, mental disorders are hereditary. If you start experiencing anything out of the ordinary, just make sure and get help. There is help out there for any illness anymore, mental and physical. Mental illness does not have to take over your life anymore.

Answer 10

I think mental disorders can be passed down. My dad suffered from anxiety and severe depression some years ago. Now i just got out of the hospital at the beginning of november for the same thing.