What does it mean when a person with schizophrenia says they hear voices?
People with schizophrenia often experience auditory hallucinations in which they perceive voices that are quite distinct from their own thoughts. They may hear someone speaking to them, but no one is there. The content of these voices may vary, but it is typically pejorative or threatening. Also, certain types of auditory hallucinations, (e.g., two or more voices commenting about the person’s behavior or conversing with one another that the patient overhears) are characteristic of schizophrenia.
People with schizophrenia often experience auditory hallucinations in which they perceive voices that are quite distinct from their own thoughts. They may hear someone speaking to them, but no one is there. The content of these voices may vary, but it is typically pejorative or threatening. Also, certain types of auditory hallucinations, (e.g., two or more voices commenting about the person’s behavior or conversing with one another that the patient overhears) are characteristic of schizophrenia. 6. Are people with schizophrenia dangerous? Generally, violent and criminal acts directly attributable to schizophrenia account for only a very small proportion of such acts in society. When they do occur, it may be because patients become so paranoid that they strike out at others in response to perceived threats, or they may have a command hallucination instructing them to hurt others. It is more common for hallucinations to instruct patients to hurt themselves, however, so instances of harmi
