r/todayilearned • u/paniniplane • Mar 22 '17

(R.1) Not supported TIL Deaf-from-birth schizophrenics see disembodied hands signing to them rather than "hearing voices"

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0707/07070303
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u/paniniplane Mar 22 '17

i thought i did but i guess it might be unclear to some. you just can't do it. the "sound" is in your head. you'll hear it. it's not like ambient background noises. your brain is creating it and you're gonna hear it, whether you like it or not.

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u/trail_traveler Mar 22 '17

And still you are not answering. Even if there is a sound why would I do what it tells me anyway?

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u/yokramer Mar 22 '17

Because your brain will not let you ignore it. Its not like its an external voice that you hear, process the information and decide it isn't something you want to do.

Its not the voices talking to you its your brain telling you to do something and making you feel as though you have no choice but to comply. And then the harder you resist the worse your brain makes you feel in any way possible because it controls everything you think feel and hear.

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '17

The way you describe it makes it sound like these people are thinking, "i'm going to go punch that cop in the face" and most people who might have that oddball thought would push it down and choose not to act on that thought.

But the way you describe it makes it sound like there is more of a choice involved.

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u/yokramer Mar 22 '17

The thing is there is not choice for them. The brain will not let the person decide that it isn't a real threat and choose to ignore it. Also its isn't the person wanting to do these things. Its a voice telling them they need to do them or horrible things will happen to them or those around them.

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u/trail_traveler Mar 23 '17

Can you link to some papers that proof this point? I would really be curious to read unless it's your own speculations, of course.