
Researchers listen to people who hear voices - chatmasta
https://medicine.yale.edu/news/yale-medicine-magazine/when-researchers-listen-to-people-who-hear-voices.aspx
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eyphka
This article from Yale’s website makes up numbers with zero citation.

The article asserts that 8 percent of people suffer from auditory
hallucinations on a regular basis. The closest article I could find that has
some number similar to this is from
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4744794/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4744794/)
which is an article about Norway and its population.

The article then asserts that 1 percent of the population suffer from
Schizophrenia without citation. I found that the NIH asserts with citation
that the actual number for Americans is roughly .25 to .64 of one percent.
[https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/schizophrenia.sht...](https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/schizophrenia.shtml)

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sekh60
Huh, I never saw that NIH number and I've come across a fair number of stories
and articles for laypeople. I'm not doubting it, just kinda surprised since
tons of people take the 1% number and parrot it. I always felt 1% was rather
high.

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_a_throwaway
It's not on the same scale as hearing voices, but when I was young (5-10 years
old) I remember occasionally being otherwise calm but overcome by what I can
only describe as a bit of a bad auditory trip. I would be speaking casually
with my older sister in the car, for example, and the voices on the radio
would become distinctly sinister for a while (30sec) although the content
itself wouldn't change.

I remember being able to recognize the feeling when it was coming on and
actually slightly enjoying the moment as I knew it would pass soon enough. I'd
talk to her about it at the time and let her know when it was happening - just
to share the moment rather than anything else.

It never scared me, but I wonder if anyone is aware of if it's something that
has a name and is known to happen from time to time in otherwise stress-free
and healthy children?

It stopped completely well before I entered my teens.

The best way to describe it would probably be the auditory effects of strong
marijuana for someone who doesn't smoke much, but without any of the clouded
thinking or stoned-ness

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sjf
Temporal lobe epilepsy?

~~~
_a_throwaway
It seems like that would be a good fit, according to the accounts of symptoms
which I've read.

Nice one, thanks.

Since it's been gone for decades there's no real chance or motivation to get
it definitively diagnosed in person, but it's still nice to put a potential
name to it.

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shims
Similarly, there's evidence that in cultures where hearing voices is
considered something spiritual or a gift instead of a serious illness, not
only are the voices more positive, but those who hear them are able to
integrate and function in society better.

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amelius
Could the existence of such cultures, throughout evolution, be the reason that
some hear voices, or have developed other mental illnesses?

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HiroshiSan
That's an interesting theory, in a lot of native cultures, voices (whether it
be auditory or in dreams) seem to play a significant role.

I've had about 3 experiences happen to me that I don't know how to explain, 2
were what you'd call auditory hallucinations and one was a thought that popped
into my head that ended up coming into fruition immediately after.

~~~
benj111
"one was a thought that popped into my head that ended up coming into fruition
immediately after"

Isn't that survivorship bias? I presume you've had other thoughts about
possible scenarios, and they were presumably wrong?

To put it another way. I've experienced deja vu, and rationally I know the
thing hasn't happened before, so I don't mention it. But you are mentioning
it, suggesting theres more to it?

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IHLayman
I wonder if the “clairaudients” are also subvocalizing like they found people
with schizophrenia do: [https://slate.com/technology/2016/03/schizophrenia-
and-subvo...](https://slate.com/technology/2016/03/schizophrenia-and-subvocal-
speech-why-people-with-schizophrenia-hear-the-voices-of-god-spies-and-
supernatural-entities.html)

~~~
WomanCanCode
Very impressive write-up. I didn't realize that the brain could get this
wrong.

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dang
Loosely related threads:

2019
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19480576](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19480576)

2018
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16167545](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16167545)

2017
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653184](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653184)

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653184](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14653184)

2015
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10569110](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10569110)

Pretty sure there has been discussion on HN of the "hearing voices" movement
(e.g. [https://www.hearing-voices.org/](https://www.hearing-voices.org/)) but
I couldn't find it.

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Ill_ban_myself
I’m thoroughly disillusioned with the modern medical phenomenon of the
spectrum of illness.

Coping with mental illness takes at least 3 dimensions to chart. This research
suggests there is money and interest in exploring 2 1/2D. Great. I guess?

PTSD, phantom limb syndrome, and alcoholism also exist. No one would think
it’s cute to conflate them or suggest they’re “related”

