How Do I Explain Hearing Voices?

How do I explain the voices?

I really don’t know.

It’s hard to explain that it’s like a second person living in my mind. That they are incredibly abusive. That I have done drastic things to get rid of them.

How do you explain that the voices tell me to hurt myself and others, but it’s not me who thinks these thoughts? How do I show people that I am not a dangerous monster?

Schizo. I hate that word because of the connotations that go with it. Living with voices is bad enough. I just want one day of relief. A person without this illness to actually understand why I hide, am afraid of humans, try to end my life and became an addict.

I want to make talking about this as normal as talking about a cold or flu. I want to open up. I want to be heard. Not just the voices, but my voice.

Maybe one day my mind will be quiet. Maybe one day people will respond instead of reacting.

I pray for the day I can say I need a few minutes because my hallucinations are getting bad. Don’t mind me if I yell at something that you can’t see or hear.

I am still here fighting the voices.