Welcome

Welcome to the English Hearing Voices Network website. We are one of many similar networks around the world. If you’re looking for support in your own country check out Intervoice’s National Network list. The USA network can be found here: HVN USA

If you hear voices, see visions or have similar sensory experiences – you’re not alone. The statistics vary, but somewhere between 3 and 10% of the population have experiences like these (increasing to about 75% if you include one off experiences like hearing someone call your name out loud). 

Despite being relatively common, many people who hear voices, see visions or have similar experiences feel alone. Fear of prejudice, discrimination, and being dismissed as ‘crazy’ can keep people silent. At a time when we are told that it is ‘time to talk’, it is important that anyone courageous enough to speak out is met with respect and empathy.

People of all ages and backgrounds can hear voices at some point in their life, for many different reasons. Whilst some are distressed by their experiences, people can – and do – find ways of living with them.

We focus on helping to create respectful and empowering spaces, whilst challenging the inequalities & oppressive practices that hold people back.

Our aims are to:

• Raise awareness of the diversity of voices, visions and similar experiences
• Challenge negative stereotypes, stigma and discrimination
• Help create more spaces for people of all ages and backgrounds to talk freely about voice-hearing, visions and similar sensory experiences
• Raise awareness of a range of different ways to manage distressing, confusing or difficult voices
• Encourage a more positive response to voice-hearing and related experiences in healthcare settings and wider society

Some of the things we do:

• Sharing information and free resources through our website, social media, e-bulletin, newsletter and email information service
• Engaging with the media to present realistic and hopeful perspectives on hearing voices and related experiences
• Offering workshops, training and events – subject to resources
• Supporting members who want to set up a Hearing Voices Group

Some of the things we don’t do

• Run groups directly (we provide guidance and networking opportunities for those who do run groups)
• Provide crisis or long-term support (we connect people with available resources where possible). See Getting Help & Support for more info

Contact Us

If you would like to find out more about our work, become a member or get your self-help group listed on our website, please contact us at:

National Hearing Voices Network (HVN)
86-90 Paul Street
London
EC2A 4NE
Email: info@hearing-voices.org

Whilst we do our best to reply promptly, our email is managed by a small team of trained volunteers and we get more enquiries than we can often manage. If you need help in a crisis, please call 111. For less urgent help, see our getting help and support page.

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