I think it's a fine line and it takes a lot of self awareness to understand the difference between inner voices and those really scarey outside voices.

I'm not sure I know the difference all the time myself.

I often have conversations with myself in my head and never worry about it. They're normally about mundane things like what to have for dinner, or what I need from the shops....

When the voices come from outside of my head, normally behind me, I get worried then

On one of the first interview my pdoc ask me "do you hear voices?" I said "yes, do you?". He looked at me puzzled, frowning a fake smile...

"Yes - I said- how if not can you differentiate good from bad?"

That's just what my nursing psych prof. told us; (and she had a PhD in psych too...she was awesome!!) anyhoo ~~~ that there is a huge difference between "inner" voices and "outer" ones.... from my understanding, generally speaking, "inner" ones are from trauma, and sometimes drinking too much. "outer" ones, are more often a sign of psychosis. IMO, the worrisome thing is, if they are troubling, disruptive, threatening, and feel/sound like they are influencing your thoughts and behaviors (particularly "outer" voices, which are always due to psychosis or med SE's, etc.)

(( hugs ))

My dad sees people and I hear voices. It's a family joke that when we are out somewhere and I would say, "What?" and he'd go, "Who?" lol Swear to god that's not a joke, just my family's way of dealing with it.

Actually, that's a good sign, because it shows you are both still in contact with reality. At least, when you can do that!! LOL!!

I have my one "me" voice and when I was psychotic I had my extra evil voice that would argue with my "me" voice 24/7.. It did not come from outside, and was in my head. It was hell..

l never heard another voice inside my head apart from my own but when dilusional l thought l could hear my friends thoughts and strange voices when alone.

lf you start to listen to the voices answer them back and if you believe they are real or they don't stop its time to tell a Dr.

If you hear a voice outside your head (& it isn't a public service announcement on a loudspeaker) then that scenario is more worrying- but- can be addressed with the right meds.

outside your head is often psychosis ie bp1 and/or schizophrenia

the correct antipsychotic will eliminate th evoices.

Fluanxol or Haldal (injection) form helped me and others

sorry Haldol (sp?)

People hear voices that come from outside for several different reasons, I gues it's more the content than the delivery and how much you feel compelled to listen.