Alright guys, my coping tool for voices

It’s basic. After 10 years since my dx I got a hang of it.

You just count the voices indifferently. I got to 65 in like 3 minutes. After a few minutes down to 13 a min.

You can all count right? I bet you can lol. The indifference of logical math is very opposite of the emotional input the voices cause.

Experiment with changing the counting to every iteration, or every new idea, every intrusive thought, or every delusional thought or skewed thinking.

I am guessing it will work with those with no insight as well as usually other people can tell you it’s a delusion. So at the very least u can attempt to count the instance of delusional belief every time it occurs cause it’s in contrast to what others have said. In other words, attempt to suspend belief.

Just count these things as dumb brain things.

It has helped me out. It’s basic and opposite thinking of what the voices attempt you to do.

Like the Einstein quote “, we cannot solve a problem by thinking in the same way that caused it” or something. And btw, Einstein’s son had schizophrenia

Let me know if it works for you cause it’s really helped me.

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That’s interesting. I don’t hear voices but would like to hear others experiences with this.

Back when I was actively psychotic, I had a motto to aim at the voices.
"Mind reading is a violation of my privacy which violates the US constitution. What you are doing is illegal."
I’d repeat this like a mantra over and over again whenever a voice would get particularly loud or insidious. It helped me keep my anxiety down.

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Yea the mantra works but it causes many other thought processes that might make a person ruminate. The good thing about the mantra is it’s cut and dry but it can lose it’s meaning when it’s constantly negated.

Simply counting the phenomena as they come implies an end to them in a way. It’s kind of like meditation but easier for me. Its like a voice says something and my response is immediate and cut and dry. 1. A voice says another thing. 2. Then they spaz out for a bit and i get to like 35 and by then i. having fun jut counting them.

It prevents me from emotionally and cognitively engaging endless loops of crap.

I count, but I don’t count my auditory hallucinations. I count everything else though. It’s very relaxing I find. I do it automatically to release anxiety. I do it to meditate. And I do it for fun. I’m glad it works for you hallucinations and delusions, I can try that the next time I’m being bombarded by voices, if it happens now that I’m on meds. Meds have made my head pretty quiet though. Do you take meds yet?

i have been having alot of trouble with the voices lately i am going to try some things but i am constantly talking to them like they are real people in my house and my intrusive thoughts are bad i used to just stop caring but idk why it bothers me so much now

There was a study that came out like 10 years ago or something that said doing math problems in your head would get rid of a song stuck in your head. I bet it’s similar mechanism with intrusive thoughts and such. Never thought about it before!

I find that thinking in a different language helps. I can speak French but the voices can’t! They just continue in English.

I would try to reason with my voices. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn’t. Just plain ignoring them can work although tiring.
Mine would usually say they wanted to help but then would say there just going to ■■■■ me up. Yada yada yada.
Always trying to draw me in with “hidden knowledge” or brilliant “revolutionary” ideas. And that I was "chosen"
See the pattern? Regardless of context my voices were all about trying to make me feel special and important.

I’m not that important though I’m just a regular dude with a few screws loose :joy: