TY - JOUR
T1 - Auditory hallucinations as a personal experience
T2 - Analysis of non-psychiatric voice hearers' narrations
AU - Faccio, E.
AU - Romaioli, D.
AU - Dagani, J.
AU - Cipolletta, S.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - This exploratory research investigates the phenomenon of non-psychiatric auditory hallucinations from the perspective of the voice hearer, evaluating the possibility that this experience can contribute the maintenance and adaptation of the hearer's personal identity system. A semi-structured interview was administered to 10 Italian voice hearers, six men and four women, aged 18-65 years, who had never been in contact with any mental health services because of the voices, even though some of them had been hearing voices for decades. Participants were not distressed or worried about the voices; on the contrary they developed their own understanding, personal coping resources and beliefs in relation to the positive functions of the voices. These results indicate that voices cannot be considered merely as symptoms, but may be seen also as adaptation systems. Consequently, we should avoid trying to helping voice hearers to eliminate or deny voices, and rather we should help them to feel allowed to preserve them.
AB - This exploratory research investigates the phenomenon of non-psychiatric auditory hallucinations from the perspective of the voice hearer, evaluating the possibility that this experience can contribute the maintenance and adaptation of the hearer's personal identity system. A semi-structured interview was administered to 10 Italian voice hearers, six men and four women, aged 18-65 years, who had never been in contact with any mental health services because of the voices, even though some of them had been hearing voices for decades. Participants were not distressed or worried about the voices; on the contrary they developed their own understanding, personal coping resources and beliefs in relation to the positive functions of the voices. These results indicate that voices cannot be considered merely as symptoms, but may be seen also as adaptation systems. Consequently, we should avoid trying to helping voice hearers to eliminate or deny voices, and rather we should help them to feel allowed to preserve them.
KW - Auditory hallucinations
KW - Mental health problems
KW - Narratives
KW - Psychosis
KW - Qualitative methodology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84885179518&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84885179518&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jpm.12008
DO - 10.1111/jpm.12008
M3 - Article
C2 - 23067012
AN - SCOPUS:84885179518
VL - 20
SP - 761
EP - 767
JO - Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
JF - Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
SN - 1351-0126
IS - 9
ER -