Voices in the head

"Patient AB’s story is one of the most unusual and fascinating cases in psychiatry. In 1984, she began hearing voices that were not her own thoughts, but unlike the distressing hallucinations often described in medical literature, these voices were calm, supportive, and strangely precise. They reassured her, told her she was ill, and urged her to go to the hospital. More astonishingly, they gave her a specific diagnosis: a brain tumor.

She listened, sought medical help, and doctors confirmed the voices were right. A tumor was discovered, surgery was performed, and she recovered. Throughout this process, the voices seemed invested in her wellbeing. They expressed pleasure when she was well again, and once their mission was complete, they bid her farewell and disappeared entirely. This was not just rare, it was unprecedented.

The case was later documented by psychiatrist Ikechukwu Obialo Azuonye and published in the British Medical Journal in 1997. It was described as “the first and only instance in which hallucinatory voices sought to reassure the patient, offered her a diagnosis, directed her to hospital, expressed joy at her recovery, bid farewell, and then disappeared.” That description alone captures how extraordinary the event was.

What makes Patient AB’s experience so compelling is how it challenges our assumptions about hallucinations. Typically, voices are seen as symptoms of illness, often tormenting or misleading. Yet here they acted almost like guardians, guiding her toward lifesaving treatment. It raises profound questions about the brain, consciousness, and whether the mind can sometimes protect itself in ways science struggles to explain.

Even today, Patient AB’s case is cited as a reminder of the mysteries that lie within human perception. It is a story that blends medicine, psychology, and something almost miraculous. Whether viewed as a medical anomaly or a moment of inexplicable grace, her experience continues to spark wonder, proof that not all voices are destructive, and sometimes, they can save a life."

No link with more info?

While she was abroad, and still taking the thioridazine, the voices returned. They told her that they wanted her to return to England immediately as there was something wrong with her for which she should have immediate treatment. By this time, she was also having other beliefs of a delusional nature.
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication...ory_voices

She was being treated for schizophrenia because voices is one of the symptoms of that disorder. The medical profession was simply operating on the theories of its time. Now we know better:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250...good-thing

"Hearing voices is more common than you might think. Studies through the decades have shown that a surprising number of people without any previously diagnosed mental health condition – often more than three quarters of those taking part – experience voices speaking to them from an unknown source.

In Western psychiatry, however, these auditory hallucinations are one of the principal symptoms of psychotic disorders. And the resulting stigma surrounding these mental health conditions means that few people will publicly admit to hearing voices in their head.

But in some cultures these hallucinations are not only widely accepted but actively celebrated. They are seen as offering guidance or as helping to keep people safe. What can we learn about mental health from other cultures? And can we see people who experience hearing voices in a different light? "

IOW, she had other delusions, and the voices could have simply been feeding her info she had picked up elsewhere.

the BBC link had some interesting comparisons in regards to who was more likely to suffer more from voices or listen to them.

It seems most countries where they get on with them tend to be from a particular sphere of influence. I wouldn't be surprised if you find Russians, North Koreans, Iranians, Indians and Chinese having "helpful" voices compared to Western countries.

It says a lot about who is responsible for them and why they exist now. (Namely those that are communistic orientated and likely anti-western.)

(Yesterday 04:54 AM)Syne Wrote: IOW, she had other delusions, and the voices could have simply been feeding her info she had picked up elsewhere.

What are called "mistaken beliefs" in normal people are labeled "delusions" in so-called mentally-ill people. Just her believing the voices are real would be considered a delusion. The diagnosis thus basically confirms itself at every turn as a "motivated reasoning" once it is made. And then ofcourse there are the side effects of the medications themselves, confusing things even further.

"Motivated reasoning is when people use logic and process information to reach a desired conclusion, rather than an accurate one, often to protect beliefs, identity, or self-image, leading to biased evaluation of evidence that supports their views and harsh criticism of contradictory facts. It's "upside-down thinking," where a conclusion is held first, and reasoning is then used to justify it, seen in politics, faith, and daily habits."

Delusions are fixed, false beliefs held with strong conviction, impervious to contrary evidence (like thinking you're a famous person or being persecuted), while mistaken beliefs (or overvalued ideas) are also wrong but can be updated with new, compelling facts or reasoning, often linked to normal life (like an unfounded suspicion of infidelity or an excessive hobby). The key difference is flexibility: delusions are rigid and resistant to change, feeling real to the person, whereas mistaken beliefs are more flexible and can shift with evidence, even if the person is resistant.
- Google AI

Hence the motivated reasoning is on behalf of fixed, false beliefs... like UFOs, ghosts, etc., that cannot be changed with any amount of reasoned argument.

Quote:Delusions are fixed, false beliefs held with strong conviction, impervious to contrary evidence (like thinking you're a famous person or being persecuted), while mistaken beliefs (or overvalued ideas) are also wrong but can be updated with new, compelling facts or reasoning,

LOL Yet another "motivated" definition. If you've ever encountered anyone with strong beliefs about anything you know they are rarely updated with " new, compelling facts or reasoning."'
Cases in point: the abortion issue, religion, UFO skeptics, politics, "my kid's a genius!", etc.

LOL, you think "the abortion issue, religion, UFO skeptics, politics, "my kid's a genius!", etc." are akin to "thinking you're a famous person or being persecuted"

9_9

(7 hours ago)Syne Wrote: LOL, you think "the abortion issue, religion, UFO skeptics, politics, "my kid's a genius!", etc." are akin to "thinking you're a famous person or being persecuted"

9_9

What's the difference? They are both as mistaken as the other. Or...maybe not!

"Even a paranoiac can be right sometimes."