According to a recent study, hearing voices in one's head is extremely common, which makes it normal. Scientists at the Manchester University who conducted the study said that 1 in 25 individuals is prone to hearing voices, therefore it is a rather common symptom among people. Researchers also added that a person who hears voices is not a crazy person, despite the common misconception.

Some of the individuals who hear voices do not seek medical help, because they feel this is natural and a positive thing to happen. Sometimes they even engage in conversation with the voices inside their heads and state they benefit from the open conversation. On the other hand, there are individuals who run to see a doctor the very first time they hear an abnormal voice calling them or speaking to them from inside their thoughts or heads. They want to be treated and given medication to cure the imaginary craziness they think they suffer from.

"We know that many members of the general population hear voices but have never felt the need to access mental health services. Some experts even claim that more people hear voices and don't seek psychiatric help than those who do," noted researcher Aylish Campbell who was involved in the study. She also added: "It doesn't seem to be hearing voices in itself that causes the problem. What seems to be more important is how people go on to interpret the voices."

The team explained that most people who hear voices speaking to them or simply talking to each other in their heads have suffered from childhood traumas. It is all closely connected to the cultural background one has been brought up into, his life experiences and his general beliefs.

"If a person is struggling to overcome a trauma or views themselves as worthless or vulnerable, or other people as aggressive, they may be more likely to interpret their voices as harmful, hostile or powerful. Conversely, a person who has had more positive life experiences and formed more healthy beliefs about themselves and other people might develop a more positive view of their voices," Aylish Campbell concluded.