Exploring Command Hallucinations and Overcoming Stigma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring Command Hallucinations and Overcoming Stigma in a Clinical Population
IRAS ID
369421
Contact name
Robert Dudley
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
Command hallucinations (CH) are experiences where people experience hallucinations such as voices that instruct them to perform an action. These experiences are often associated with psychosis, but they can also occur in the general population. However, most research into these experiences has been limited and focused almost entirely on risk.
CH have historically been viewed as dangerous, with a belief that they directly lead to violence. This fear has caused significant stigma, often overshadowing the fact that many commands are actually harmless or ‘innocuous’. The distress people feel is often linked to how they interpret the voices, but we do not know enough about how people make sense of CH or how their culture influences this interpretation.
Research suggests that different cultural approaches can change how distressing these voices are. We believe that the current fear-based approach has a negative impact on people’s lives while limiting our understanding. If we can understand these experiences better by relating them to common human experiences like intrusive thoughts, we may be able to improve support and reduce stigma.
This study will be the first to interview people in this clinical population specifically to explore the social and cultural aspects of CH: what the voices command, how people interpret them, and their views on stigma. We will use semi-structured interviews to ask people about their own unique experiences and meanings.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/NE/0089
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion