1. Jacqui Dillon Hearing Voices Network National Chair, England
Making Sense of Madness
Jacqui Dillon Hearing Voices Network National Chair, England

2. Jacqui aged 5 Experiences Survival Strategies Abuse Hearing Voices
Betrayal
Neglect
Denial
Blame
Threats
Survival Strategies
Hearing Voices
Self Harm
Eating ‘Disorder’
Creativity
Resourcefulness
Sense of Justice
Jacqui aged 5 2

3. The Hearing Voices Movement
Professor Marius Romme & Dr Sandra Escher and Patsy Hage.
Biological psychiatry = voices are a product of brain and cognitive faults.
Radical shift = voices make sense when looking at the traumatic circumstances in life that provoked them.
Romme & Escher’s research shows that at least 77%* of people who hear voices have had some traumatic experience which they connect with hearing voices.

4. Voices are a Survival Strategy:
Point at real life problems in the past and the present
Use metaphorical language that can be translated into real life challenges
Are split off feelings - feelings that are unbearable
Are awful messages about terrifying past experiences
Voices are both an attack on identity and a way to protect or preserve identity
Is there any difference between ‘psychotic’ voices and ‘dissociative’ voices? 4

5. Help-line for voice-hearers Individual & Group Membership Website
Information
Self- help groups
Publications
Newsletter
Training
Help-line for voice-hearers
Individual & Group Membership
Website
Research
Media
Intervoice

6. INTERVOICE Austria, Finland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Sweden, Norway,
UK: England, Scotland & Wales,
Ireland – North & South,
Greece,
Switzerland,
Denmark,
Spain,
Australia,
New Zealand,
USA,
Palestine,
South Africa,
Japan,
Malaysia.
Canada

7. Recovery Model Hearing Voices Network’s Version
Crisis
Acknowledgement
Insight
Recovery
Growth

8. Recovery Model Bio- Medical Version
Crisis
Denial
Insight
Recovery
Relapse

9. What is to be done?
Ensure service users are involved in the management of, and training about, mental health services
Ask service users about their past and how they think that relates to their current problems - reject the ‘can of worms’ fallacy
Help your colleagues focus on recovery not pathology
Form alliances between progressive professional organisations and groups of service-users and family groups
Stop using scientifically meaning, stigmatising words like ‘schizophrenia’ and medicalising terms like ‘mental illness’
Publicly name attempts by drug companies to influence mental health services, research and policy
Refuse to accept drug company money 9

10. What is to be done?
Support psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health staff who are trying to change but are under pressure from their colleagues to conform
Help psychiatrists share the responsibility for managing risk
Inform yourself about and use the research literature about psycho-social causes and treatments, and about the limitations and dangers of anti-psychotics
Lobby for change: governments (local and national), mental health service managers, etc., and in the media (write letters)
Join a group of some kind with similar goals (eg Hearing Voices Network, ISPS) or form your own local group to connect with others who share your values - you will need the support! 10

11. Further Information: www.hearing-voices.org www.intervoiceonline.org