Hearing Voices, Living Fully: with the Voices in My Head

Hearing voices - a symptom of schizophrenia, a religious experience, or something else entirely? Claire Bien's riveting memoir provides a fascinating personal perspective on this often-misunderstood condition. Claire's tumultuous journey will help you to understand why auditory hallucinations are not necessarily an indicator of mental illness. When Claire Bien first began hearing voices, they were infrequent, benign and seemingly curious about her life and the world around her. But the more attention Claire paid, the more frequently they began to speak, and the darker their intentions became... After years of escalating paranoia, an initial diagnosis of Schizophreniform Disorder and taking medication with debilitating side effects, Claire learned to face her demons and manage her condition without the need for long-term medication. In this gripping memoir, Claire eloquently recounts her most troubled times and challenges a purely medical understanding of hearing voices. She explains how she managed to regain control over her mind and her life, even while intermittently hearing voices, through self-guided and professional therapy and with the support of family and friends. When Claire Bien first began hearing voices, they were infrequent, benign and seemingly just curious about her life and the world around her. But the more attention Claire paid, the more frequently they began to speak, and the darker their intentions became... Despite escalating paranoia, an initial diagnosis of Schizophreniform Disorder and taking medication with debilitating side effects, Claire learned to face her demons and manage her condition without the need for long-term medication. In this gripping memoir, Claire recounts with eloquence her most troubled times. She explains how she managed to regain control over her mind and her life even while intermittently hearing voices, through self-guided and professional therapy and with the support of family and friends. Challenging a purely medical understanding of hearing voices, Claire advocates for an end to the stigma of those who experience auditory verbal hallucinations, and a change of thinking from the professionals who treat the condition.