fear of schizophrenia

[char123]

Hi,
I need reassurance that if I am hearing voices or not. I'm so scared that I might have schizophrenia because the other night I was about to go to sleep and my mum popped into my head and I thought I 'heard' her say my name. It was sort of like a thought but in her voice and I did not hear it through my ears if you know what I mean. I knew that it wasn't real more like a thought but it scared me because I'm at a high level of anxiety and am analysing everything I do at the minute. I don't know if it was the start of my dream or something or if I was thinking of a 'scenario', like you do, without really taking notice until then. I was so scared because I didn't know if this was hearing a voice?! What is the difference between that and my own thoughts?

Also, I was about to go to sleep then and I was doing a scenario subconsciously of my little sister's talking to each other- when they were talking it was in their voices though does that mean I am hearing voices. Again it was probably the start of my dream but it made me wonder if it is normal to be able to think in different people voices in my head like when you think of scenarios so the people can 'talk' in the own voices? Am I just odd? I feel so anxious about this so please be nice.

Also, I must add that I have only definitely heard a voice of no one that said my name once. I was in school and I was coming out of the bathroom and I thought I heard my teacher say my name but she wasn't there. That day though I was very stressed and she had called my name a lot that day before hand. I told my family but they took no notice so I just dismissed. Is it okay if it just happens once? Please be nice, I'm hoping that I am not crazy. Please reply, I'm sorry for my rambling but I'm quite nervous about it.

P.s I am a 16 year old girl and I know that mental illnesses begin around now which has made it even more unpleasant as well as the fact that my uncle had schizophrenia. All of my rationality has gone and I am questioning if anything I do is 'normal'. Please reply :)

Thanks

[Fishmanpa]

If you think you're going crazy, you're not. People that are in a true manic situation don't know it. At 16, you're much too young to be consumed with such a worry.

Positive thoughts

[MyNameIsTerry]

Its perfectly normal to be able to recreate peoples voices in your thoughts, it will take info from stored memories and allow you to do this. There are various studies about how running back through positive stories can trigger feelings from those events because thats how the subconscious works by taking data from different senses and storing it with memory.

Davit will be able to tell you far more about all that than I ever could.

Hearing even real auditory voices when falling asleep or waking is actually scientifically proven to be how the brain works so it is very common. People with anxiety naturally notice it more and assume it could be a symptom of a more serious psychiatric illness, but it is not. Hearing real voices & sounds, even loud bangs, is known as hypnogogia. Anyone can experience it at any time in their lives and they will probably forget about it seconds later.

Before my anxiety I've had times where I thought someone said my name or something, its common. I never reacted other than 'I could have sworn I heard X' and then 'oh well, must have made a mistake'. Thats all a non anxiety sufferer will make of it.

Your fear of schizophrenia may tie in with the intrusive thoughts you have been having, nothing in relation to schizophrenia at all but both are known to OCD.