what do you say to the voices in my head are freaking me out

[hell1971]

What do you say to an eight year old who says " the voices in my head are freaking me out "

I have posted here before about her, she is undiagnosed and they say she doesnt have bipolar but they are going to look at it and tell me why they think she doesnt although they have no other diagnoses for her other than anxiety and behavioural issues

[monkeyc]

You take her to a doctor or hospital.  And she might just be acting out as well if its behavioural.

[Amyjo101]

She could be acting out but it sounds like auditory hallucinations and she definitely needs to see someone even if she is playing about that is nothing to mess around with if she isn't.

[hell1971]

I have called her therapist and asked her to call me.

We have been seeing her therapist for around 2 months, she has so many symptoms she doesnt fit into any childhood disorder so it must be behavioural!!!, I personally dont think she is acting about her voices or visual scarey people, if this was the case she would do it more often I beleive especially when she isnt getting her own way or something like that but they first came during her depression last term and then we had weeks of nothing and then she asked me if I could here them, i said no and the look on her face when she realised I couldnt hear them told me a lot, she put her head down and said it didnt matter. Then last night she was sat at the dinner table everything was calm we were all chatting and eating and then she turns to me and says "mum the voices in my head are freaking me out" I asked her what they sounded like, she couldnt explain she said it was more like noises she didnt know how to say it. I just rubbed her back and changed the subject. I just dont know anymore

[Pixiefields77]

Hi hell1971.  Firstly I must say that I'm sorry that your daughter is experiencing hearing voices.  I have heard voices ever since my teens and it isn't an easy thing to live with.  I can understand how it is extremly distrubing to you and your daughter.  Your therapist should investigate this and perhaps it might be an idea to see a psychiatrist (pdoc).

Please understand that you are not alone.  There are many many people who live with these voices and I think it would be a good idea to perhaps sit down with your daughter and talk about them.  If you keep changing the subject when she brings it up, it could lead her to withdraw from you and it sounds like she really needs to be heard right now.  Try and help her with the words that she needs to describe it (i.e. does it sound like the voices are outside her head or inside?  Is it a conversation that she hears or just words?  Are the voices telling her to do something?  Are the voices male or female?  Angry or normal?  etc.).

Feel free to send me a message if you want to talk through this further.  I know many people who hear voices and though it can be scary at first, it is something which can be managed with the right treatment...

Pixiefields

[hell1971]

Thank you for your comments, I have been told to acknowledge that she hears them or sees them but then to not dwell on them as this may encourage the behaviour. I find all what is going on very confusing, they are telling me they think its behavioural but I am not convinced, I dont think im a push over and having four children ranging from 17 down to 6 I think I would know if it was made up and I dont beleive they are and I have dont it there way for months now and it has not made them go away so I will take the oportunity next time to have a long discussion with her about them, previously she has said the visual ones are scarey seethrough people who will only go away when she is scared and if she calls out they get angry so she just hides her face, the voices have been whisperring "they are coming to get her" in the past or sounded like scarey noises like oooohh etc.. I think the reason she couldnt say last night is that we were all at the table we are a family of six and I think she is now becoming self concious about them?

[ayerwen]

I know that are very disturbed children in the world. Kids who KILL!!!! Who are manipulative etc. I have a niece who has very troubling behaior problems. BUT I also have a 9 yr old daughter of my own. And I would be horrified if she told me she was hearing voices. I would not let these docs brush this off as behavioral. It could be behavioral, but a GOOD  psychiatrist can tell when a child is having a true symptom or is being manipulative. I think what these therapists are telling you is bordering criminal. Find your daughter another doc.

[monkeyc]

Sorry if i came across as dismissive - wasnt the intention (one of those days sorry)  - Regardless of what it is this is seriously worrying behaviour so take her to a different doctor or the hospital and get a second opinion - If you are concerned then don't accept the diagnosis out of hand.

Im sorry if i sounded flip its just that my first thought was behavioural and attention seeking behaviour particularly if a pdoc has already assessed her - I mean this is not uncommon after all... BUT im not there, I am not you and I am not qualified to make that decision and if she is seeing and hearing things at her age she needs to get good help for her sake.

Oh and they may be right, it doesnt sound like bipolar behaviour if its the only symptom but it could be a symptom of many other things and none of them good if she is seeing them.

Whatever the case I do hope you and her get some help, this must be terrifying for you as a mother and I know what its like to hear and see things that are not there - I get auditory hallucinations quite often and visual ones are occasional (thank god very occasional) parts of my manic states - I know how frightening they can be and for a little girl...  Hope this works out, please let us know.

[hell1971]

We have just been told that she has celiacs disease and although this may not account for all of her problems and symptoms apparently it can cause mental problems such as depression, mood swing etc.. so we will just have to see with her new diet that she has to follow what symptoms disappear and which remain.

thank you all for your input