Jacqui Dillon on the Hearing Voices Network
- January 22 · 7:15 PM
For a century, psychiatry has diagnosed the experience of hearing voices as a symptom of a biological illness, called schizophrenia. That diagnosis brings with it the likelihood of confinement in psychiatric facilities, a lifetime of anti-psychotic medication, and the stigma of being an outsider in a society that fears the 1% supposed to suffer from schizophrenia.
Yet recent research suggests the experience of hearing voices is more common than psychiatry has previously supposed, with as much as 10% of the population experiencing the phenomenon at some point. And many of them will not report it as a problem or be hospitalised, and will carry on having fulfilling and successful lives (high-functioning individuals who have heard voices include everyone from Socrates to Anthony Hopkins). Indeed, for many, hearing voices is a meaningful and positive experience.
The Hearing Voices Network, which was formed 25 years ago, heralds a new approach for people who hear voices. It rejects the classification of the phenomenon as the symptom of an illness, insisting that classifying the phenomenon as a dangerous illness is what makes people ill. The Network also rejects the power hierarchy in the classical psychiatric model, insisting that people who hear voices are often the best experts on their experience and how to cope with it - and that a grassroots, peer-led, mutual support model for helping people is better than relying solely top-down, psychiatric model. There are now 180 Hearing Voices groups in the UK, and there are also groups in 26 countries around the world - often working together with the NHS' psychiatric services.
Jacqui Dillon is a survivor of childhood abuse, a lifelong voice-hearer, and the chair of the Hearing Voices Network in England. She has contributed to many journals and books on hearing voices, and on the peer-led approach to mental health services. She is honorary lecturer in clinical psychology at the University of East London, and has also worked closely with the Centre for the Medical Humanities at Durham University. You can read her articles and hear some of her talks at her website here.
Join us for what promises to be a fascinating evening. It will cost £2 per person for the room hire.
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Jacqui Dillon
Thanks Yasmin for that warm appreciation - put a big smile on my face! Love your blog John - some great reflections - glad what I had to say resonated. Ok with you if I post link on my web site? I agree - more discussion would have been great. Maybe we could revisit topic again in the future...? Really pleased that people enjoyed my talk - I enjoyed myself too. Hope to come along and hear some other talks...
1 · January 25
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John
A really good talk that raised many issues. It would be good to follow up with some discussions. The Q&A wasn't really enough. Here are some thoughts from a political blog:
http://reddogsblogs.blogspot.co...
1 · January 24
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Jenna Mayhew
Oh I'm so disappointed that I've just spotted this meetup! It sounds fascinating. I'll keep a closer eye on the events in future.
January 22
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Demi
Fascinating. What is the plan for the evening? And what time is the session expected to run till?
January 16
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Jules Evans
She'll talk for a bit, then we'll discuss some of her ideas in groups, then she'll talk some more, then Q&A - end by 9.30 I'd guess, then whoever fancies hanging around afterwards, we can do so til closing time.
January 17
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