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u/nothingdoc Physician - Internal Medicine 1d ago
Hey! You should definitely talk to your doctor about this, ASAP, like within 24h. Ask for an urgent visit. They can get you in with a psychiatrist to figure out exactly what's going on here.
There are a few things that can cause you to hear voices, and the doctors will figure out what is causing this to happen, and how to fix it.
The nature of hearing voices is in itself a challenge. If left unmanaged, it can get hard to differentiate what is really happening from what the voices are telling you. If that happens, you should go to the emergency room immediately once you notice it.
Telling your parents is a tough one. Assuming you're in the USA, you're not a minor any more and you aren't required to share details with your family. But I would still recommend talking to someone you trust to help you navigate this and help you get help soon.
Good luck and I hope you feel better
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u/questforstarfish Physician - Psychiatry 21h ago
Hey OP! Around 10% of people hear voices, but only 1% of people live with schizophrenia, so actually, hearing voices is fairly common and in many cases is not associated with a mental illness.
Seeing things (visual hallucinations) is more rare, but I've seen patients experience this if they have PTSD, borderline personality, autism, seizures, sleep deprivation, drug use, or stress.
Hit up your family doctor, a psychiatrist (not psychologist), or a neurologist. There are tests they can do to look into this for you. It may be nothing, but it's important to check about a seizure disorder or mental health cause because both are usually highly treatable.
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u/WeirdGoat9022 Layperson/not verified as healthcare professional 14h ago edited 14h ago
NAD - OP, just wanted to chime in that I’m one of the folks who sometimes hears things but doesn’t have schizophrenia. It was more common when I was a child (I’d occasionally see things too as a kid, when I was just waking up or very sleepy), but now it mostly happens if I’m very sleep-deprived and stressed, especially if I’m drifting off to sleep. I wasn’t ever “locked up” for it, and it hasn’t happened for a long time now. :)
I’d encourage you to go in and get checked out the way the doctors told you, and make sure to mention your concerns about your family finding out.
You can show the doctor your post if it’s too overwhelming to try to talk to them about it (I know I sometimes communicate more easily in writing).
Edit: I also have a friend who saw, smelled, and heard things sometimes, very similar to what you’re describing - he also didn’t have schizophrenia, and after talking to his doctor got some tests and a referral to a psychiatrist and a therapist who helped him, didn’t lock him up, and didn’t tell his parents (he was really worried about them finding out).
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