The challenges and opportunities of social connection when hearing derogatory and threatening voices: A thematic analysis with patients experiencing psychosis

ConclusionsThere are understandable reasons why hearing DTVs leads to lower social connection. Yet isolating oneself can also be a time of vulnerability for DTVs. Social connection might be one vehicle for disengaging from and disputing derogatory and threatening voice content. The effect on voice hearing of social recovery interventions warrants further investigation.Practitioner points Participants shared 10 reasons why being around people is challenging when hearing derogatory and threatening voices. These typically affected both daily social experiences and contact with clinicians. Common initial responses to hearing DTVs were to reduce contact with people, experience difficulties connecting during conversations and to avoid sharing the experience of voice hearing. However, social isolation was a time of vulnerability to DTVs, and hence, increasing social connection might be a target for interventions. A range of factors enabled voice hearers to manage social situations, for example: the fostering of trust, self ‐acceptance, learning when it is better to stay at home, and developing a narrative to explain voice hearing to others. Addressing the barriers to connecting with others might have an important role in personal recovery from voice hearing.
Source: Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Qualitative paper Source Type: research