Psychosis & Psychotic Disorders / Question
Published: March 29, 2006
Dear TeenHealthFX,
A good friend of mine says he hears a voice from time to time that tells him to do things. If he's near a bridge it will tell him to jump, if he's near traffic it will tell him to go through it with his eyes closed and so on. I have trouble believing this myself because well, I'm sure you understand why. I would like to know what I can do to help him or to find out if he really does suffer from squitzophrenia or if it's just for the attention.
Signed: Is It Schizophrenia Or Attention-Getting Behavior?
Dear Is It Schizophrenia Or Attention-Getting Behavior?,
People who are schizophrenic often hear auditory hallucinations – meaning they are hearing things that are not really there. Sometimes, these voices are in the form of command hallucinations, telling the person to do something. It is also common for the symptoms of schizophrenia to start for the first time in an adolescent or young adult male. TeenHealthFX can understand that it might feel difficult for you to believe your friend. For one thing, it can be hard for someone who is not schizophrenic to relate to or fully comprehend these types of symptoms. Secondly, the idea of someone hearing things or seeing that aren’t really there can be frightening for some people.
FX is not able to give any accurate diagnosis over the internet as to whether or not your friend is schizophrenic. If he is experiencing auditory hallucinations it may be schizophrenia – but it also may be indicative of drug use, an underlying medical condition, or an alternate mental illness. That said, FX recommends that you tell an adult your concerns as soon as possible – whether it is your parents, a school counselor, a teacher, the school nurse, or any other trusted adult. It is important that your friend be seen by a mental health professional as soon as possible in order to assess what it contributing to his experiences and the statements that he is making.
FX would also like to state that, in general, if a friend is ever making any type of comments that allude to him/her hurting themselves in any way or killing themselves, that it is important to tell an adult as soon as possible so that adults who are trained in dealing with those kinds of issues can intervene and address the problem.
If your friend lives in northern New Jersey and needs help finding a therapist he can call the Access Center from Atlantic Behavioral Health at 973-247-1400. Outside of this area he can log onto the US Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website for referrals in his area.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
A comprehensive review of pediatric trials conducted between 1988 and 2006 suggests that the benefits of antidepressant medications likely outweigh their risks to children and adolescents with major depressive and anxiety disorders.
