Resources

Strategies for Coping with Distressing Voices.

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Focusing Techniques

• Accepting that voices are not 'the' problem, they are a consequence of a problem. Your job is to find out more
• Identify your voices – number, gender, age and so on
• Learn about boundaries to apply to people and your voices (i.e., make a deal with your voices, "be quiet now and I’ll listen later")
• Listen out for positive voices too – they can be allies
• Schedule a time to listen to the voices and ask them to leave you alone until that time
• Tell negative voices that you will only talk with them if they are respectful towards you
• Voice dialogue – let a trusted family member, friend or mental health worker talk directly to your voices
• Work through Ron Colman & Mike Smith's "Working with Voices II" work book with a trusted family member, friend or mental health worker
• Write down what the voices are saying to you

Positive Emotional Techniques

• Go for a picnic
• Listen to energetic music
• Look at good things achieved list
• Look at photo albums
• Look at the list of good things others have said about you
• Make a list of your assets or strengths
• Make an emergency comfort bundle (of goodies)
• Read books, love letters, love poems
• Read joke books/emails
• Say positive statements to yourself
• Record positive statements on tape (your voice)
• Watch films – comedy or inspirational

Points to remember to enable me to look after myself

• Do something nice for 'me' each day
• Eat a healthy diet
• Keep regular appointments with my support network even if I am feeling OKAY
• Look up, get perspective, stretch or shift you body
• Plan my day; ensure I do not have long periods of time with nothing to do
• Reach out. Talk to someone
• Take medication as prescribed (in consultation)
• Think about how I am feeling and be realistic and what I can achieve
• Try to see the grey areas

Emotional Focusing

• Discuss feelings with another person
• List emotional triggers
• Paint/draw emotions
• Rainy day letter
• Write a diary
• Write poetry/prose regarding feelings

Thing that may help voice hearers to cope

• Acupuncture
• Avoiding street drugs
• Chanting or singing
• Distraction e.g. reading and computer games
• Focusing on the voices
• Going to Hearing Voices Groups
• Having good support around you, good friends, family, nurse, counselor, etc
• Holidays
• Humour
• Identifying when you are most likely to hear the voices
• Ignoring voices
• Isolating self
• Keeping a diary about them
• Keeping occupied e.g. cooking, house chores
• Keeping physically active and healthy
• Listening to music
• Massage
• Meditation
• Money
• Positive attitudes
• Praying/speaking to God
• Religion/Deliverance and Healing
• Sex
• Shouting at the voices
• Sleeping
• Staff listening to you
• Talking (to a trusted person)

What may not help

• Being over-medicated
• Being told not to talk about voices
• Dreams and trying to get to sleep
• Labelling
• Lack of sleep
• Not having information
• Other people denying the existence of voices
• Other people denying your explanation of your voices
• Professionals thinking they know more about your voices than you do
• Side effects of the medication
• Thinking negatively
• Being socially isolated

Relaxation Techniques

• Acknowledge fear, worry and stress and let go consciously. Trust.
• Count your breaths
• Dancing/walking
• Focus on the position of your body
• Focus solely on breathing/breathe deeply
• Give yourself permission to relax
• Guided fantasy dreamtime
• Learn (figure 8) Yoga breath
• Listen to guided relaxation on tape
• Listen to relaxing music
• Massage hands, feet, head, etc
• Relax each muscle individually
• Swimming/floating
• Yoga

Things that may work for me in a crisis

• Ask for help sooner not later
• Create a personalized crises plan when you are feeling well
• Cry
• Find a safe place
• Hand in my medication/blades or other similar items
• Have PRN medication
• Kick boxes around outside
• Let people know where I am
• Let someone know how I am feeling
• Plan safety
• Remember that situations and feelings frequently change – "This too shall pass" (King Solomon)
• Rest on my bed
• Shout into my pillow
• Try to identify how I am feeling

Comforting techniques

• Buy/pick fresh flowers
• Change the sheets on your bed
• Cuddle up to a teddy
• Eat a favourite food in moderation
• Have a bubble bath
• Have a soothing drink
• Hold a safe comforting object
• Find a safe space
• Hug someone
• Listen to soothing music/favourite soft music
• Prayer/mediation/creative visualization
• Put lights/radio on (to sleep)
• Sing favourite songs
• Sit in a safe place
• Soak your feet/Radox bath
• Spray room fragrance
• Stroke/brush your pet or someone else's
• Use perfume/hand cream or take a warm bath
• Use pot pouri/essential oils
• Wear comfortable clothes
• Write a diary or talk about how you feel with another person
• Zen seeing (with a friend)

General Ideas

• Don’t beat yourself up, we all make mistakes
• List achievements
• Make a contract with your voices
• Positive self talk
• Self forgiveness (find yourself innocent)
• Talk to the voices, find out how they feel
• Wear one ear plug

Distraction Techniques

• Cinema
• Clean or tidy things up
• Do puzzles or develop a hobby
• Exercise – walking/running/dance/beach
• Gardening/striking pot plants
• Listening to CDs/mp3 player
• Paint or draw pictures/posters/cards
• Playing games/cards/computer
• Reading out aloud or hum a tune to yourself
• Sewing/knitting/collecting
• Shopping
• Sports
• Telephone a friend
• Use visual imagery or count to yourself when trying to get to sleep
• Visit a friend
• Walk in shallow water
• Washing
• Watch TV/video
• Write letters

*NOTE: Distraction techniques are useful when voices are particularly distressing or intrusive but are not recommended as an on-going coping technique.