Hearing Things
Free Symptom Checker
with Physician-supervised AI
Reviewed By:
Weston S. Ferrer, MD (Psychiatry)
Weston Ferrer is a physician leader, psychiatrist, and clinical informaticist based in San Francisco. With nearly a decade of experience in academia and more recent immersion in industry, he has made significant contributions to the fields of digital health, health tech, and healthcare innovation. | As an Associate Professor at UCSF, Weston was involved in teaching, leadership, and clinical practice, focusing on the intersection of technology and mental health. He recently led mental health clinical for Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences), where he applied his expertise to develop innovative solutions for mental healthcare using the tools of AI/ML, digital therapeutics, clinical analytics, and more.. | Weston is known for his unique ability to innovate and support product development while bringing pragmatism to technology entrepreneurship. He is a strong advocate for patient-centered care and is committed to leveraging technology to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. |
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
Content updated on Nov 7, 2023
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Auditory hallucinations
Hearing voices
I can hear things that no one else hears
Hearing sounds even though there is nothing there
I keep hearing voices or noises without a discernible source
Voices are in my head
I can hear real music even though nothing is playing
Noises in my head that sound real
I can hear conversations around me even when there is nobody present
Hear the whistling of a train even though there isn't anything there
Voices seem very real even though there is no one there
Hear the honking of a car even though there isn't anything there
How Ubie Can Help You
With a free 3-min Hearing Things quiz, powered by Ubie's AI and doctors, find possible causes of your symptoms.
This questionnaire is customized to your situation and symptoms, including the following personal information:
Biological Sex - helps us provide relevant suggestions for male vs. female conditions.
Age - adjusts our guidance based on any age-related health factors.
History - considers past illnesses, surgeries, family history, and lifestyle choices.
Your symptoms
Our AI
Your report
Your personal report will tell you
✔ When to see a doctor
✔︎ What causes your symptoms
✔︎ Treatment information etc.
People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Hearing voices or noises from unknown sources
- Hearing voices or noises from nowhere
- Hearing melodies playing in my head that sounds real to me
- There is a voice describing my actions as I do them
- Auditory hallucination
- Hearing noises even though there isn't anything there
- Keep hearing people but I don't see them
- I am hearing things
- Voices narrating what I am doing
See full list
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizAbout the Symptom
Hearing voices is sometimes called an ‘auditory hallucination’. The voices can vary in how often you hear them, what they sound like, what they say, and whether they’re familiar or unfamiliar. While hearing voices might be a sign of mental illness, not everyone who hears voices is suffering from one. Hearing voices is a fairly typical occurrence: one out of every ten people will do it at some time in their lives.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Hearing things
Possible Causes
Generally, Hearing things can be related to:
- Schizophrenia
A psychotic disorder characterized by disturbances in thinking (cognition), emotional responsiveness, and behavior, with an age of onset typically between the late teens and mid-30s. Hearing voices and/or believing things that aren't consistent with reality are common symptoms. The exact cause is unknown, but a mix of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors are likely responsible.
- Depression
Depression is a mental illness that leads to low mood, reduced energy levels, and changes in sleep. This affects everyday activities like attending school and work. As the condition worsens, patients might have suicidal thoughts. Although stress and past trauma can cause depression, it can take time to identify and address causes, and genetic factors may also be at play.
- Dissociative Disorder
Dissociative disorder is a mental disorder that involves experiencing a disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. People with dissociative disorder escape reality in ways that are involuntary and unhealthy, causing problems with functioning in everyday life.
- Alzheimer's Disease
Herpes Simplex Encephalitis (HSE)
- Adjustment Disorder
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do you hear sounds or voices from unknown sources?
- Do you hear voices around you?
- Do you hear sounds when there's nothing there?
Just 3 minutes.
Developed by doctors.
Try Free Symptom QuizFind Similar Symptoms
Similar symptoms or complaints
Symptoms from similar body parts
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
References
American Psychological Association - Auditory Hallucinations
https://dictionary.apa.org/auditory-hallucination
Reviewed By:
Weston S. Ferrer, MD (Psychiatry)
Weston Ferrer is a physician leader, psychiatrist, and clinical informaticist based in San Francisco. With nearly a decade of experience in academia and more recent immersion in industry, he has made significant contributions to the fields of digital health, health tech, and healthcare innovation. | As an Associate Professor at UCSF, Weston was involved in teaching, leadership, and clinical practice, focusing on the intersection of technology and mental health. He recently led mental health clinical for Verily (formerly Google Life Sciences), where he applied his expertise to develop innovative solutions for mental healthcare using the tools of AI/ML, digital therapeutics, clinical analytics, and more.. | Weston is known for his unique ability to innovate and support product development while bringing pragmatism to technology entrepreneurship. He is a strong advocate for patient-centered care and is committed to leveraging technology to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. |
Yu Shirai, MD (Psychiatry)
Dr. Shirai works at the Yotsuya Yui Clinic for mental health treatment for English and Portuguese-speaking patients. He treats a wide range of patients from neurodevelopmental disorders to dementia in children and participates in knowledge sharing through the Diversity Clinic.
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My experience was great. I was worried, but the symptom checker helped me narrow down what it might be. I feel a little relieved compared to when I first started, and it gives me a starting point for what my symptoms could mean.
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Male, 50s
The questions asked and possible causes seemed spot on, putting me at ease for a next-step solution.
(Sep 26, 2024)
Female, 40s
I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Just 3 minutes.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1