Hearing Voices


Hearing Voices
In one of my blogs, I talked about John Nash and how he had mastered his mental illness. My understanding of John Nash’s life came from a film and therefore is quite abstract but I have met a couple of people who, as part of their condition, hear voices. Many people might see them as inadequate and unable to cope with the ordinary things in life or even a threat, but I have seen first-hand the bravery needed to exist with these conditions. Peter has a job and is supported by his company to work in ways that allow him to cope. That’s a gold star for the company because many businesses don’t understand how to help people with mental illness. Peter goes to work each day on public transport and returns home to his one-bedroom flat in an evening. Peter sounds as though he is living a mundane life but every day survived is a triumph for him. He must find ways to control the voices telling him he is worthless and should kill himself. He must deal with unreasonable people who inflict terror on his well-ordered life.  People with borderline personality disorder live with the thought that they are vulnerable and on the edge of some disaster. Peter is an intelligent and articulate human being, coping with an illness most of us can’t even imagine. In my eyes, he is immensely brave. There are many Peters in this world and we all need to acknowledge and applaud their efforts to survive. Peter has to deal with his demons every day of his life and that must be exhausting. Such people make me feel humble but they go unnoticed until they hit a crisis point.

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