Problem: I’m being driven mad by voices speaking to me thru white noise. Need white noise to sleep
Psychiatrist today suggested:
- normal human speech has typical rhythm, cadence
- fans, white noise audio files are always looped, rhythms in it
- brain is hearing those patterns as human voices
- I need to introduce staggered rhythms to disrupt
Possibilities:
- Willie Nelson, William Shatner speak with atypical cadence. Play at same time as white noise
- phone app that vibrates atypically
- machine in room that generates atypical rhythms, vibrations
Options, ideas? I’d like not to go further insane
Idk about staggered cadence, as that kinda sounds like overengineering a solution to me. But when I’m having trouble sleeping because of thoughts racing in my head (AuDHD, common problem for me), any audio with human speech is pretty good at disrupting that. My go-to is softly spoken ASMR videos, but I’ve also fallen asleep watching chill cartoons like Futurama and 90s Batman. I’ve also had it work with audiobooks but this is suboptimal because then I lose my place.
My theory is that it works because my thoughts are like a voice in my head being spoken by my internal dialogue, and it’s hard to hear two people talking over eachother. So introducing another voice occupies the language-processing part of my brain and therefore blocks my ruminating thoughts.
So far, new ideas are Buddhist podcasts, asmr videos, futurama and 90s batman. None of which I’d consider on my own. Thank you, internet, for randomly specific variety!
Update 2 days later: Many useful comments. I now have text doc filled with apps, software, podcasts, etc to research, try out.
This posted question was weird, obscure. Could’ve been ignored, ridiculed. Barely slept in 4 weeks cuz hearing voices. Desperately hoping against hope.
So, small group of random internet strangers taking question seriously, offering constructive solutions instead of ridicule? You’ve helped a lot. Thank you.
Dunno about staggered cadence but when I’ve been hearing voices I’ve found listening to very boring Buddhist dharma talks on podcast to help. They block out the voices and the dull, drone of the bikkhu lulls me to sleep.
Worth a try?
By the way: I read your comment about hearing voices. I’ve heard voices since childhood, was minor, infrequent. But recently stress, trauma I was having hearing voices all the time, speaking clearly. Persecution, terrorizing. Felt like I was going insane
