Auditory hallucinations are being viewed in different contexts. Some believe that is a sign of mental illness while others view it as a proof of communication with divine powers. Regardless of how people perceive this condition, striving to find and develop the most effective coping skills for auditory hallucinations is of vital importance.
There are several types of hallucinations, with auditory hallucination as one of the most common. Individuals who are suffering from auditory hallucinations tend to hear someone speaking to them or asking them to perform certain things. There are also those who might hear sounds such as tapping noises or walking in some parts of the house especially the attic.
This type of condition can be caused by various factors including lack of sleep, substance abuse, and mental illness such as delirium, schizophrenia, and dementia. This can also be experienced by those who are taking medications particularly medications used for treating psychosis, depression, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. Due to the negative effects that auditory hallucinations provide, a lot of people are already seeking for ways to cope with this problem. Among the most suggested ways are:
• Vocalization: Most individuals find auditory hallucinations less troublesome when they are the ones who are doing the talking. It is believed that talking and other activities that involve the use of voice including reading, humming, and singing can somehow help in preventing or controlling the voices. In this regard, experienced advised that individuals with this condition should try to read out loud or sing a song several times.
• Mistrust the Voices: Coping skills for auditory hallucinations include learning to distrust the voices that individuals hear. Although there are therapists who suggest that individuals learnt to make friend with the voices, this often deliver unproductive results. The best thing that you can do is to question the voices that you hear and eventually control them.
• Take Note of Incidents When Auditory Hallucinations Happen: The best way to cope with hallucination is to determine when it usually occurs and the reasons behind its occurrence. By keeping a diary of all the incidents can help you to easily identify the possible ways to manage this condition and effectively deal with them.
Aside from these, auditory hallucinations will also be treated efficiently if you seek the help of the experts. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often recommended to help in reshaping the delusional beliefs of patients in an effort to minimize the incidents when they hear the voices. This process generally involves normalizing the hallucination, explaining the neurology behind the condition, suggesting different coping strategies, and engaging patients.