Hearing Voices?

Question

I know someone who is hearing voices and they are telling them to do bad things to others and to themself. The parents are getting them help but I am wondering is it a cry for attention or is it something that is fairly common? How can we help him cope with what is going on? The child is only 12 and doesn't want to hear the voices anymore. He also says that he is scared and doesn't want to hurt himself. The parents have checked him into a hospital but as family and a friend what can we do to help him?

Answer 1

The child needs serious treatment and most likely a neuroleptic medication. Support the parents in having the child hospitalized-command hallucinations are dangerous if that is what he is experiencing. You may also wish to direct the parent to NAMI-the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill for support groups in their area. The child may be schizophrenic, but a more likely diagnosis is Bipolar Disorder if any drug-induced disorders have been ruled out. More info would be needed for more accurate diagnostic thoughts.

Answer 2

When next you see him, make him fell accepted and loved. Perhaps you can volunteer to look after any other children the parents have so they can spend time at the hospital. Be a good listener. Just be as supportive to the family as you can be. They will disclose more information about his condition when they have it. Take your cue from them.

I first thought schizophrenia too, but it's rare in a 12 year old. Even adolescents who go on to develop his symptom, don't hear the voices yet. Another possiblity is brain tumor. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and am hoping for a good outcome.

Answer 3

Hearing voices is not common, but that doesn't mean it is a cry for attention, either. Teenage and early adult years are generally when the onset of schizoprhenia begins for those who suffer from it... and hearing voices is one of the hallmarks of that disease. I am not a doctor and I am not saying he has it, but if he really is hearing voices that are telling him to harm himself or others, it sure does sound like it. Someone with florid (or 'full blown') schizophrenia cannot distinguish the hallucinations from what is real, so if he is able to say he is hearing voices (as opposed to just accepting them as reality) it is good they got him help before it can get worse. I wish you and your friends the best of luck with this.... :)

Answer 4

Do you know the human body runs on electricity?,and do you know there is a machine called a neurophone that has been around for decades that can send voices to your skull,and high tech predators and stalkers and the like have come up with a combination of this plus satellites and lasers to spy on you, make you think your crazy,or make you think you are someone you are not, think about it, look up electronic harassment, thousands have been diagnosed as mentally ill when actually it is some sick perverted people getting there kicks.

Answer 5

The best thing you can do is just be there for him... Be supportive and show him love. Don't let this change the way you view him.
I feel bad for the boy, it's hard to deal with stuff like that at any age, but especially when you're that young...you get all kinds of stuff said at school and kids can be cruel...
Getting him help is the best thing to do and as I said, just be there, supportive, and loving, and telling him that it's okay and he's going to get better.

Good luck.

Answer 6

He's developing schizophrenia. The best thing to do for him is find a really really good doctor and work with that doctor to find the best solutions for this child. I doubt it's a cry for attention or that he's making it up, it's too real, too right on for what someone would experience in this case. Is he starting to really isolate himself?!

Answer 7

Nothing...if the kid is hearing voices....(and it's REAL) then he's schitzophrenic and needs to be where he can get help. They have drugs now that have less side effects so they're better tolerated....I'm sure the hospital is doing all it can for him...

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