Learning to Live with the Voices in Your Head

Between eight and 14 percent of people hear voices, often linked to a personal trauma.

Conventional psychiatry treatment regularly resorts to hospitalization or too strong medication that often prohibits sufferers from living a normal life.

In France, for the past ten years, the Voice Hearer Network (REV), chaired by Vincent Demassiet, has been organizing discussion groups to help people learn to live with the voices in their heads and share their best coping techniques. The goal is to reduce the use of medication and even, in the long run, completely stop using it.

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[kerenzatheunicorn]

This is why support groups are so so precious. There's nothing more healing than having someone who really knows what you're experiencing validate you.

[unknowncaller]

Anyone going through this or anything else I’m sending love your way.

[BeansonsBeans]

Mental health issues are so important to discuss and need to be normalized. Thanks to these brave people for sharing. Its given me some strength to not give up on my own mental struggles.

[YellowSubCaptain]

I simply couldn’t imagine. Much strength to these folks

[simonethevvitch]

I wish my sibling could have found a group like this. Maybe they'd still be alive today.

[craigt]

I have schizophrenia and even though I'm doing better now, watching this video and seeing a support group full of people who I can relate with was seriously healing for me to see and watch

[jznnotjason]

Thank you for sharing this. These folks are brave for sharing their stories and we all need to recognize that everyone is going through something and that we can’t make assumptions about people. Cheers.

[anonymouszed]

I hear voices and it took me a while to get back to myself and gain a bit of confidence, which was only possible because of this group. You need a lot of courage. Although my childhood trauma was less severe than some of the people in this doc, but maybe that is why my voices are not always mean. That said more than 80% (it is assumed by scientists to be closer to 90%) of all people in the mental health system are victims of some sort of childhood abuse or adversity. This is one of the biggest cover ups.

I feel for the trumpeter. When I was on high doses of antipsychotics, I could not play music, even though I am a trained musician. Music did not make sense to me. I hope he is better soon. I watched this video a while back, but I sometimes think of the people here and I wish them well. 🙏❤

[Clan-Scotland]

Very well done to vice for making this. These are issues that should no longer be taboo. We are all human.

[vexthem]

I'm speechless. I'm thankful to have this different perspective now.

[olivermexas]

I hear voices in my head and it’s because of trauma but I always thought it was psychosis or schizophrenia i actually even got diagnosed with an antipsychotic by a psych who didn’t take the time to understand

[bryanmedina]

Thank you VICE for showcasing these people's stories - as someone who grew up with family afflicted with these mental health issues, it was refreshing to see a new perspective to treatment. Sending lots of love and positive energy to those who experience these hardships each and every day! <3

[MAG]

Mental Health is absolutely important, especially as you get older.
I learned that the more intelligent one is, the more understanding one is to those that are struggling to survive.
And the more difficult it is to manage your own sanity.

[sedanwheel]

It's heartwarming to see people overcome decades old Trauma, even more so when the Trauma talks back to you in the voices of the abusers.
Much love to everyone struggeling. You're extremely strong personalities and whatever you're going through I have not a doubt in mind that you'll get trough it to life a happy and peaceful life.

[saraha]

God I wish America looked at mental health more like this and had more resources where we can support one another, instead of shoving a bunch of pills down our throats without even knowing what’s really going on…this is like AA but for people with schizophrenia! I love it 🥰

[Sumkneegrow]

Props to vice for giving these guys a voice

[penguinatedthings]

This was really good. I'd like to see more stuff like this about mental health.

[AlexCoombes]

Locked up for 26 years for jumping out a window that is tragic.. just goes to show the stigma around mental health is still rampant. I’m glad these people have a group to talk.

[odyssey.studios]

It’s vital that these people have a place to go and get some help and feel they aren’t alone with their struggles and to feel understood by those around them. There’s a lady in my local market who speaks to herself all day long and she always scared me, I hope she can get some help and find some semblance of peace... bless these people, power to you.

[ndles]

This is the true definition of community. These people help each other and care for each other. Really cool group guys keep it up.