A woman talks to herself on a train. She yells, barters, and converses with someone no one can see. Some people stare, others avoid her gaze. Others understand; maybe they've had the same experience. It's not as uncommon as some may think.

People who hear voices often talk back to those voices. For many decades, clinicians were coached to identify talking to voices as a "symptom," warned against talking to people about their voices, and told that this would pull a person further into their psychosis. It can be troubling to watch, particularly when someone is clearly pained in their experience, shouting back or covering their ears. It's natural for an onlooker to wish to take the experience away.

For many, hearing voices can be incredibly distressing. Voices can taunt a person in a way that is more personal than none other can. Voices can be loud and commanding. Sometimes it can be hard to tell what someone's thoughts are from the voices. Is it any wonder why people sometimes talk back?

Still, some report meaning in their voices. While not all voices are related to mental illness, several mental health conditions are associated with hearing voices, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In addition, not everyone who hears voices finds the experience negative. Some may speak of comfort in hearing the voice of a deceased loved one, for example.

Yet, many individuals with the lived experience of hearing voices share that talking back to voices can be a release, a........

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