Are you hearing voices? Keep a diary

Participants in the research found writing about their voice-hearing helped them discover a new and positive occupational strategy.

The research into how voice hearing affects people's working lives was carried out by Lisa Craig for her MSc Occupational Therapy course.

Her article, co-authored by her supervisor Dr Josh Cameron from the School of Health Sciences, and Dr Eleanor Longden from the Psychosis Research Unit, Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, has been published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Hearing distressing voices can be a significant mental health challenge, potentially disrupting working lives, yet few studies have explored voice hearing in relation to employment. The study aimed to understand the work-related experiences of voice-hearers, including the impacts on their working lives and their corresponding self-management strategies.

Ms Craig said: “Current research suggests that coping with hearing voices, amongst other things, can make it difficult for people to get or keep jobs. However, the research doesn’t explore this in any depth.”

Lisa Craig

Hearing voices, Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash

She asked volunteers via Hearing Voices Network, the charity for those who hear voices, see visions or experience other unusual perceptions, to write diaries about their experiences over a two to four week period.

Distressing voices that demanded full attention were found to be the most disruptive of people’s working lives, particularly affecting concentration, communication and task completion. At times voices were experienced as neutral and, for some, as supportive of work. Meaningful experiences of work were found to diminish the negative impact of voice-hearing.

A range of resilience strategies were used to manage voices, notably attempts to interact with voices and using activities (including work) to engage or distract them. It was found that the diary method of writing about one’s experiences proved a positive coping strategy.

The study recommended that mental health and vocational professionals should pay close attention to the diversity of individual voice-hearing experiences and self-management strategies, including occupational ones, and draw on these to support their clients’ participation in work.