When soft voices die

Auditory verbal hallucinations and a four letter word (love)

Bibliographic Data

ID19504072
AuthorsSimon McCarthy‐Jones (0000-0003-4442-7818, Macquarie University, corresponding author), Simon McCarthy-Jones, L Davidson (0000-0003-1183-8047, Yale University)
Year2013
Volume16
Issue4
Pages367-383
Publication date2013-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMental Health Religion & Culture (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1367-4676 • E-ISSN: 1469-9737
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13674676.2012.674498
OpenAlexW2137632279
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited67

Understandings of auditory verbal hallucinations (also referred to as “hearing voices”), and help for people distressed by them, are dominated by a biomedical framework. Yet, many people who have sought help for the distress and/or impairment caused by hearing voices express dissatisfaction with treatment solely within this framework, highlighting the need for a more rounded, biopsychosocial-spiritual approach. This paper examines the neglected role of a fundamental part of human experience, love, in the experience of hearing voices. First, we argue a lack of love is likely to play a causal role in voice-hearing experiences. Second, we demonstrate that a lack of love is central to the distress and dysfunction often caused by hearing voices. Finally, we show that love plays a core role in recovery. Given this centrality of love, we argue that an interdisciplinary approach to hearing voices involving the mind sciences and theology/religion may be fruitful. The relevance of this for psychotherapeutic interventions for people who hear voices is discussed

Auditory hallucination · Biopsychosocial model · Distress · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Psychosis · Psychotherapist · Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation · Music Therapy and Health · Psychology · Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub