Living with voices: a thematic analysis of individuals’ experiences of voice-hearing in India

ABSTRACT

People hearing voices are often considered as those who need psychiatric and psychological treatment. There has been a lack of emphasis on understanding the meaning behind the voices and the personal history of the voice-hearers. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the lived experiences of individuals who hear voices. The study used the Maastricht Interview Schedule in order to elicit a complete picture of voice-hearing experiences. The findings from thematic analyses revealed that emphasis on understanding voices was highly dominated by the biomedical approach, with most people questioning their normalcy after seeking psychiatric care. The study also found various strategies voice-hearers used to deal with their voices and subsequently control them. Various theoretical, social, and clinical implications have also been discussed that draw from the frameworks of critical psychology and experts-by-experiences approach.

KEYWORDS:

• Hearing voices
• lived experience
• thematic analysis
• auditory hallucinations

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.