April 12, 2006
New Australian Clinic to Target Schizophrenia "voices"
For approximately 30% of people who have schizophrenia, medication does not silence the inner voices that haunt them.
It is this group that the new Voices Clinic in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville hopes to help. The clinic, the first of its kind in Australia, will soon be opened by the Mental Health Research Institute using therapy backed by clinical trials around the world. Co-ordinator Dr Neil Thomas believes that the minds of schizophrenia sufferers creates voices that could intimidate, frighten and command them, often causing them to lose touch with reality. Therapists at the new clinic will aim to teach schizophrenics how to control the voices.
At the Voices Clinic, patients will be able to regularly see therapists to develop a deeper understanding and, it is hoped, control of the voices.
Dr Thomas said the therapy had been endorsed by at least 20 clinical trials around the world and he hoped it would soon be a routine treatment.
Sane Australia deputy director Paul Morgan welcomed the initiative. "In addition to medication, treatments like this can make a huge difference to people's lives," he said.
The clinic will initially operate in Parkville but is expected to have metropolitan satellite clinics within a few years. If you live in Australia, for more information, call the Mental Health Research Institute on 9388 1633.
Other "Voices clinics" already exist in the UK - one at Kings College, London.
More information: Voices Clinic - Kings College, Institute of Psychiatry.
Additional Kings College Voices Clinic information (scroll down to bottom of page).
Posted by szadmin at April 12, 2006 02:48 PM
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I MARY HEAR VOICES EVERYDAY I JOINED A OPEN BUT CLOSED GROUP BUT I have stopped going iv got a consultent who says ive only got a personality disorder but some consultent has said I have a form off schizophrenia called schizotypale disorder the current condition my consultent says ive got a disorgnised personality disorder I love to get rid off the voices that make my life a nightmare allso I have my husband who suffers from parinoid Schihizophrenia
Posted by: mary at April 13, 2006 07:32 AM
Voices Clinics??? Actual VOICES CLINICS in Australia and London - this just makes me want to pack my bags. That will NEVER happen in the United States - EVER! Our health care system would never even consider it, our government would never fund it, our insurance would never pay for it...It makes me soo sick. It's just too amazing that other countries are building VOICES CLINICS and we're here in the states running out of medicines to try for our mentally ill. In other countries, when the meds stopped working - they built VOICES CLINICS!!! How powerful is THAT? I know that one day I'm going to read that some clinic in some country far away found something that finally works and I will have to take my son and go. Only because by the time the US catches up or cares, it will be too late.
How sad indeed.
Posted by: Zari L. Ballard at April 14, 2006 04:57 AM
I hear the voice of dubya saying ' Let's rape democracy in the name of freedom'
Posted by: major mischief at April 14, 2006 09:52 PM
Mary Be well, and never give up trying to cope.
YES>>How sad indeed. Zari L. Ballard
Let me tell you all a story of a poor boy in the USA. He went to school, he could not acheive what they wanted of him. In class he heard murmers and said he heard the thoughts of people around him. There was no help for him. He simply couldnt function in that setting.At 17 in and out of trouble, With no help. He dropped out of school. His mom put him out. He looked for work... he found none of any kind. At 18 He was tring to find any way to get by. A hand to give him a foot up. He cried. But there was no help for him.
He got arrested for stealing stale hamburgers from a McDonalds garbage dumpster in the dark of night. But there was no help for him. He served 6 wks time and he cried Please help me. But still there was no help for him. Turned out again to the steet, He looked for work... he found none of any kind. And he cried and he cried. Please Cant any one help me? But still there was no help for him. He wondered farther hours from home, and he cried. Please Can't any one help me? At 19 His girl got pregnant. They stayed with freinds or in parks & He looked for work... But still none found, none of any kind. And he cried untill the crying became inconsolable. And still there was no help for him. The murmers got louder Help Me, He cried. And no one listened. His pain and anguish louder And suddenly those murmers became screams. Help me he cried. When he went to the hospital. The voices scream at me, they hate me and want me to hurt people. To hurt my self, my sister my parents and freinds strangers on the street. When he went to the hospital. But again they sent him away. you dont have insurance. Still there is no help for him. Days later he choked His sister near to death. She put him out. And the screams became Louder still! More insistant and still there is no help for him. Again tonight he went to the hospital. Help me please help me...Im afraid I'll hurt my fiance or our baby, and again they sent him away. Still there is no help for him. He has no insurance. He has no home. AND THERE IS NO HELP FOR HIM. WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR SYSTEM?????? He will kill himself or some one else. And then... there will be no help for him...EVER Because THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED
Posted by: Rose at April 24, 2006 03:22 AM
VOICE CLINICS? Are people who have suffered voices in their heads going to run these clinics?
No-one else - no matter what their qualifications are - could even begin to understand how traumatic such a condition is. Medication doesn't get rid of them - even after years on medication, some still have the voices.
I've contacted many 'mental' organizations in Australia and overseas with my personal story and research. No-one seems to think it is of any significance.
Voice clinics? What a waste of time and money - Start treating the problem, which I believe is lack of oxygen to the brain caused by toxins - either through injury, accidental or known abuse. Treat the cause, then you wouldn't have to treat the symptoms.
But - as I've said, no-one wants to know what my experience and research has uncovered.
I wonder if anyone else is interested?
ainee.
Posted by: ainee at April 28, 2006 10:28 PM
Post a comment
I MARY HEAR VOICES EVERYDAY I JOINED A OPEN BUT CLOSED GROUP BUT I have stopped going iv got a consultent who says ive only got a personality disorder but some consultent has said I have a form off schizophrenia called schizotypale disorder the current condition my consultent says ive got a disorgnised personality disorder I love to get rid off the voices that make my life a nightmare allso I have my husband who suffers from parinoid Schihizophrenia
Posted by: mary at April 13, 2006 07:32 AM
Voices Clinics??? Actual VOICES CLINICS in Australia and London - this just makes me want to pack my bags. That will NEVER happen in the United States - EVER! Our health care system would never even consider it, our government would never fund it, our insurance would never pay for it...It makes me soo sick. It's just too amazing that other countries are building VOICES CLINICS and we're here in the states running out of medicines to try for our mentally ill. In other countries, when the meds stopped working - they built VOICES CLINICS!!! How powerful is THAT? I know that one day I'm going to read that some clinic in some country far away found something that finally works and I will have to take my son and go. Only because by the time the US catches up or cares, it will be too late.
How sad indeed.
Posted by: Zari L. Ballard at April 14, 2006 04:57 AM
I hear the voice of dubya saying ' Let's rape democracy in the name of freedom'
Posted by: major mischief at April 14, 2006 09:52 PM
Mary Be well, and never give up trying to cope.
YES>>How sad indeed. Zari L. Ballard
Let me tell you all a story of a poor boy in the USA. He went to school, he could not acheive what they wanted of him. In class he heard murmers and said he heard the thoughts of people around him. There was no help for him. He simply couldnt function in that setting.At 17 in and out of trouble, With no help. He dropped out of school. His mom put him out. He looked for work... he found none of any kind. At 18 He was tring to find any way to get by. A hand to give him a foot up. He cried. But there was no help for him.
He got arrested for stealing stale hamburgers from a McDonalds garbage dumpster in the dark of night. But there was no help for him. He served 6 wks time and he cried Please help me. But still there was no help for him. Turned out again to the steet, He looked for work... he found none of any kind. And he cried and he cried. Please Cant any one help me? But still there was no help for him. He wondered farther hours from home, and he cried. Please Can't any one help me? At 19 His girl got pregnant. They stayed with freinds or in parks & He looked for work... But still none found, none of any kind. And he cried untill the crying became inconsolable. And still there was no help for him. The murmers got louder Help Me, He cried. And no one listened. His pain and anguish louder And suddenly those murmers became screams. Help me he cried. When he went to the hospital. The voices scream at me, they hate me and want me to hurt people. To hurt my self, my sister my parents and freinds strangers on the street. When he went to the hospital. But again they sent him away. you dont have insurance. Still there is no help for him. Days later he choked His sister near to death. She put him out. And the screams became Louder still! More insistant and still there is no help for him. Again tonight he went to the hospital. Help me please help me...Im afraid I'll hurt my fiance or our baby, and again they sent him away. Still there is no help for him. He has no insurance. He has no home. AND THERE IS NO HELP FOR HIM. WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR SYSTEM?????? He will kill himself or some one else. And then... there will be no help for him...EVER Because THE SYSTEM IS FLAWED
Posted by: Rose at April 24, 2006 03:22 AM
VOICE CLINICS? Are people who have suffered voices in their heads going to run these clinics?
No-one else - no matter what their qualifications are - could even begin to understand how traumatic such a condition is. Medication doesn't get rid of them - even after years on medication, some still have the voices.
I've contacted many 'mental' organizations in Australia and overseas with my personal story and research. No-one seems to think it is of any significance.
Voice clinics? What a waste of time and money - Start treating the problem, which I believe is lack of oxygen to the brain caused by toxins - either through injury, accidental or known abuse. Treat the cause, then you wouldn't have to treat the symptoms.
But - as I've said, no-one wants to know what my experience and research has uncovered.
I wonder if anyone else is interested?
ainee.
Posted by: ainee at April 28, 2006 10:28 PM