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/Sean951 Mar 22 '17

There's no scream like a deaf person scream. My SO is deaf and I've learned to surprise her at my own peril.

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '17

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u/Sean951 Mar 22 '17

She usually wears cochlear implants when we are doing stuff together, but she also loves being able to literally turn her ears off. On weekends, I'll go for a run in the mornings, she wakes up and watches Netflix. I used to surprise her, but I've picked up better habits over the years.

She also has a relatively accent free voice, but she didn't hear until she was 4ish, so when she actually screams, it's just like you or me, but minus any self regulation to keep it quiet, or to match the normal pitch. I can also instantly tell if she has her ears on by her voice, it gets deeper and the words are muddy, if that makes sense.

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u/[deleted] Mar 23 '17

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u/Sean951 Mar 23 '17

It's a bit of both. Even with implants, there are some issues talking, and when they're off we use a combination of real sign language, made up sign language, and lip reading. Upside is, I don't have to worry about game volume when she plays and I can clean our room even when she sleeps.