Voices in His Head

I have a drafted short story that begins with a schizophrenic driven from his college classroom by the voices in his head.

He escapes back to his apartment where he drinks Jack until the voices in his head are drunk, which enables him to sleep.

In his dream, he meets the embodiments of each of the voices in his head. They come to an agreement about how they will live together by which he must learn to understand each voice in order to reintegrate it back into himself.

The first voice is Matron who is his internal voice derived from his overprotective mother. Within the scope of the dream, he is introduced to Matron and he agrees to work with her first.

While a standalone story, it has the potential to become a series. For example, in a future story, he could work with Matron to face one of the voices in his head that encourages him to self-harm. As a series, I would need to research the archetypical voices that schizophrenics tend to hear, if such exists.

Hey Copilot help an author out! To which Copilot replied:

Absolutely, and it’s great that you’re aiming for authenticity in your stories. Common themes in the voices heard by people with schizophrenia include:

Critical or abusive voices: These often belittle or insult the person, making them feel worthless or guilty.

Command voices: These can be particularly distressing as they might instruct the person to perform certain actions, sometimes harmful.

Conversational voices: These might engage the person in dialogue, sometimes commenting on their actions or discussing various topics.

Supportive or comforting voices: Although less common, some people hear voices that provide comfort or encouragement.

Incorporating a mix of these voices can add depth and realism to your stories. Keep in mind the emotional and psychological impact these voices can have on individuals, and handle the subject matter with sensitivity.

Reference: Auditory Hallucinations in Schizophrenia – Psychiatry Advisor