Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Auditory Hallucinations

Auditory hallucination is one of the most common symptoms in schizophrenia and the other psychotic disorders. The frequency of the auditory hallucinations and ensuing distress make the individual believe that these voices are not able to be controlled and to be coped. This situation can cause patients to be hopeless and desperate and lead to harm themselves or the others. Furthermore, the time they lose and preoccupation with these symptoms reduce their social and occupational functioning significantly. Auditory hallucinations are fundamentally mean thoughts causing to attribute internal stimulus to the external sources, thus they are the internal speech of the individual. These internal speeches are inaccurately interpreted due to dysfunctions in basic processes of self monitoring. Using cognitive behavioral techniques at this stage are thought to be effective in eliminating cognitive difficulties, understanding feelings, actions and somatic reactions which auditory hallucinations caused; and coping with these symptoms. The fundamental aim of this review was to clarify cognitive behavioral interventions intended for auditory hallucinations and to discuss its practice.